Tuesday 5 January 2010

Loosening the cobwebs

The bay of Bondi, with Waverley Cemetery in the distance.
Gruffly the sweep (thanks, Midge!) outlined their tactics, drawing mud-maps in the compacted sand, acknowledging both the approaching weather and the increasing swell. The crew nodded, clambered in, heaved onto the receding wave and pulled. Synchronisation came readily.

Out the back of the bay, they turned where the lie of the ocean floor transformed the swell into the breakers that would crash onto the beach. Their glistening shoulders strained with each pull creating a rhythmical glide. Past the cemetery, past the swarming cliff walk, past the glimmering white of the club until, cutting a clean swathe through the sand, they heaved to, once more, upon the beach.

7am surf boat training for ladies

19 comments:

Lowell said...

Beautiful pictures! Looks like a lot of hard work, though!

Olivier said...

beau photo reportage. J'aime la première photo, on sent bien la détermination.

Three Rivers, Michigan said...

Wonderful short short story ("drawing mud-maps in the compacted sand"...) and beautiful photos - has me dreaming of boats in our cold weather here.
Three Rivers Daily Photo

storyteller at Sacred Ruminations said...

Lovely photos of this group at work!
Hugs and blessings,

Lois said...

Nice shots Julie! That first picture looks even better when it is enlarged. That is a big cemetery!

Anonymous said...

Julie,
Thanks a lot for your fresh images, just to tell you I'm the winner of more than 50 photographers and 250 images for the "Automne pics". You helped me to choose de clichés.
Thanks again.
Serge

Vera said...

Crikey, but those girls look fit and strong, and I really prefer to be a landgirl and not be out doing what they are doing.
This brought back memories of when I used to sail, you see, because your photo captured the heavy-ness of the sea, and the minuteness of our little boats upon it.

Jo's-D-Eyes said...

Hi what a pretty sun here its winter with snow....A Happy new year wish, from Holland! wishing you all the best, greeting from JoAnn

Unknown said...

Great photos, eloquent prose. Are they both yours? I'm impressed.

Anonymous said...

That's why it won't be enough to know how to build a boat and how to sail, but one has to feel the desire for life as well.

brattcat said...

My heart is pounding from the exertion.

Sagatun said...

Nice pic.
Make me miss Australia more:)

Joan Elizabeth said...

The description reminded me of the hard work ... boats look so elegant gliding on the water it's easy to forget. The sea is really getting into your veins.

Mirela said...

7AM?! Julie, what are you doing up at 7AM!? :) Actually, other than the training group, why are there so many people on the beach so early???

Julie said...

Over the summer, I try to arrive at North Bondi by 6am. I do my dry-sand-walking 'til about 7:15 and back home by 8am. Avoid the yahoos and the heat. I will relax the timing as the sun lowers into the northern sky.

By 7am there are close to, maybe, 500 people on the beach.

VP said...

A great place and a familiar boat. The view is stunning and I understand why people come there even at dawn!
Here crews (male and female) will soon began to train for the summer competitions. A boat like that here is called gozetta, but is a dialectal term.

diane b said...

Great shots. Wouldn't it be great to be as young and as fit as them.(But knowing what I know now)

Killara girl said...

can't believe they're not wearing life jackets, where's the swell gone...i've noticed it seem sunusually flat in your last few photos.

Carlos Henriques said...

Wonderfull, rowing, great photos ty,

Carlos