"I've wanted to be an ocean swimmer ever since I moved to Sydney. The idea of getting out past the waves and braving the elements excited me. I would tell anyone who would listen: Once I live closer to the beach, I'm going to be out there. Just you wait. I've lived walking distance to the beach for more than a year now. During this time, I've read a lot about ocean swimming: how swimmers overcame challenges or life-altering moments."
"I even listened to a podcast on how to face your fears in the ocean. But where I excelled in research, I wasn't as proficient in the water. I started off strong, swimming laps in ocean pools at Malabar and Coogee with a friend who was visiting for the summer. I found a secondhand wetsuit for the colder months (which I was really chuffed about), and bought new goggles so I could see the fish and seaweed better."
I moved to Sydney wanting to become an ocean swimmer and was excited by the idea of getting out past the waves and braving the elements. I lived within walking distance of the beach for over a year and consumed lots of material about ocean swimming, including podcasts on facing fears. I practised in ocean pools at Malabar and Coogee, acquired a secondhand wetsuit and new goggles. A painful jellyfish sting to the face during an after-work swim left lasting fear. A later visit to Wylie's baths, with staff collecting nearly fifty bluebottles, intensified doubts about swimming in the open ocean. Childhood swimming ranged from rivers and weirs to regular pool laps.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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