Posted on March 31, 2021March 31, 2021 by Ken Banks

A beautiful Mollymook Sunrise to celebrate Garry’s 65th

A special day beginning with a glorious sunrise

Birthday Boy Garry

This special day was ushered in with a glorious sunrise over Mollymook Beach. The swimmers arrived in their droves to share in this special occasion, Garry achieving the milestone of 65 years of age. (One year shy of the pension)

Despite him having previously completely forgetting his dear partners birthday, the ever so faithful and loving Alexa Jane arrived at the ‘Beach Hut’ café adorned in beautiful large green ear rings AND a ‘Persian Love’ cake, to die for.

What a day, as everyone joined in and sang ‘Happy Birthday’ or was it the old Scottish song ‘auld lang syne’?

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Posted on March 29, 2021March 30, 2021 by Ken Banks

Welsh’s Wanderings

Chris and Sue arrive in Tasmania aboard the Spirit of Tasmania

Sue and Chris give an update on their travel’s

“Tearfully saying goodbye to good friends, and our family in Barwon Heads, we set sail for a far away island aboard the Spirit of Tasmania. A day of smooth sailing thankfully across the sometimes notorious Bass Strait. We’ve been in Tasmania for just over a week now, enjoying warmer weather would you believe than we had in Victoria! It sounds like we also escaped the crazy rain and flooding you guys had ‘back on the mainland’. Our travels have taken us through some lovely places so far, the beaches of the northeast coast, the Tamar Valley, Launceston and Cataract Gorge, and through mountain biking towns down to the delightful St Helens. We have been camped up for four days near Binalong Bay in the Bay of Fires. Chris has enjoyed a daily surf and I have had a couple of beautiful and refreshing swims in the crystal clear water, temperature just under 18 degrees. Just a bit sad swimming on my lonesome…

We are heading to Hobart for Easter to meet up with my middle son Harrison and his wife Liz. Harrison is running in the Hobart Marathon on Easter Sunday… so we are the support crew to provide carb loading the night before and hot showers afterwards haha.

Watch this space for more Tassie Tales. You should all ‘Come down for some air’ as their advertising urges!!!”

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Posted on March 25, 2021 by Ken Banks

Dr Katie serving in the Outback

Dr Katie visits communities by plane or via her RFDS Prado!

Dr Katie, medical locum, GP for the Royal Flying Doctors (RFDS)

Broken Hill 2021

Katie shares her recent experience with the Mollymook Ocean swimmers: “For the past two years I have travelled to Broken Hill to do a short medical locum as a GP for the Royal Flying Doctors (RFDS). I love remote locations and find the landscape inspiring and transformative. The red dirt, the big skies and the people who live in places like the outback make becoming a FIFO doctor exciting.

Broken Hill is a heritage listed city built on the back of BHP mining (Broken Hill Propriety Company who mine for lead, zinc and silver). In contrast to the mining history there is also a thriving art community and there are now more art galleries than pubs in Broken Hill! As an RFDS doctor I also get to meet the families living and working on the agricultural stations – from graziers to shearers to governesses to roo shooters. Apart from medicine, I have a lot of learning opportunities including learning about crutching and flystrike, goat farming, emu breeding and how to cook for 30 shearers (including breakfast, lunch, dinner and 2 x smokos a day). This diverse community includes descendants from the Afghan camel herders in the 1800s (some of whom run the fantastic Afghan Bakery named Sufi), there is a strong LGBQTI community which celebrate at Broken Hill’s equivalent of Sydney’s Mardi Gras- the annual “Broken Heel festival” and there is a thriving indigenous community and trips to the many national parks and art galleries are the best place to learn and reflect on our ancient culture.

As a GP I am not flying across the outback doing emergency retrievals. Instead I travel to small communities and run GP clinics providing primary health care to communities. The RFDS Broken Hill Base covers a large geographical area including western NSW, eastern South Australia and southern Queensland. One day a week I do telemedicine where I speak with people on stations and help them manage their physical or mental health. I may recommend they use one of the medications supplied by the RFDS in a metal medicine chest with a padlock. It contains everything from morphine to antibiotics and antivirals to anaphylactics and more. In this job I need to check the area code and time zone before dialling. Broken Hill is on South Australian (SA) time and shares the SA area code so calls to other states and towns require a change of area code and factoring in varying time zones.

So what have the highlights been this year? A trip to Mungo National Park with Helen’s daughter Emma who joined us for a few nights. Mungo was amazing and well worth the trip. We camped in the desert, saw the “Walls of China” at sunset and spent time chasing after kangaroos. There have been many excellent pub meals and tastings of Broken Hill’s famous and unique delicacy – cheeseslaw. Think of coleslaw but replace the cabbage with grated cheese and this community thinks it is the perfect accompaniment to any meal. It is tasty on a toasted chicken sandwich. For women of the RFDS there is also Thursday “beer and schnitty” night at the pub. We eat chicken schnitzel, have drinks and discuss all things Broken Hill.

We have had a great time here and intend to come again next yea”r!

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Posted on March 24, 2021 by Ken Banks

A Beautiful Wedding Ceremony

Karelle arrives on an ‘Outrigger’

Paul and Karelle commit for life

Saturday was a beautiful day. Happiness was written all over the faces of the 80 or more family and friends who witnessed and shared in this special occasion for the union in marriage of these two lovely people. And yes it did rain, but no one was worried, the joy of the occasion far out weighed any occasional rain.

Some beautiful speeches were given by the sons of both Karelle and Paul, echoing happiness and unity. Perhaps the most moving speech belonged to Paul, with tears welling up in his eyes he committed himself to Karelle and said that “he hoped he could be all that Karelle deserves”.

For me being present I found it a personally moving experience. Two lovely people finally finding their soul mate to share the rest of their life with, and to also witness such an array of friends present, with elation written all over their faces and so obvious in their interactions.

It was a wonderful day!

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Posted on March 18, 2021March 18, 2021 by Ken Banks

Ian, riding for the ‘Sebastian Foundation’ Fund Raiser.

Riding to raise funds to put mental health programmes into rural / remote schools

Updates from Ian and Leonie on this epic ride, the length of the Murray River from NSW all the way to Goolwa, South Australia.

On Sunday Leonie provided an update on Ian’s progress: “Hi from Echuca. Ian has just headed off on day 3 and it is cold. Apart from that he is doing well, today is a 150 km ride, so it’s a big one. Plenty of support in all ways. Leonie”

On Tuesday morning Ian wrote “We are over half way (phew) and the team members are all doing well. Off to Mildura today and hopefully the wind will be at our backside. Average speed is 27.9km/hr”

On Wednesday Ian wrote “we are crossing into South Australia. We have a 180 km ride today, presently at Loxton”. (Pic above is our crossing the border into South Australia)

General Info: The ride is all about raising funds to support / put mental health programmes into rural/remote schools to assist our vulnerable 12 to 18 year old children. If anyone is inclined to make a donation please do it by ‘Bank Transfer’ to: Lockhart Cycle Club BSB 633000 a/c 154780837.

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Posted on March 18, 2021March 20, 2021 by Ken Banks

Bird Life – Belmont Wet Lands

Australian Magpie

Eastern Great Egret

Birdlife Photography at the Belmont Wet Lands

The ‘Bird Life’ captured in these images were taken on my ‘rest day’ at the Belmont Lakeside Tourist Park when I ventured nearby to the Belmont wet lands.

(Best to click on images to enlarge)

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Posted on March 18, 2021 by Ken Banks

Birdlife – Kooragang & Hunter Wet Lands

Birdlife: Kooragang & Hunter Wet Lands, Newcastle.

The ‘Bird Life’ captured in these images were taken on my ‘rest day’ during the NSW State Surf titles at Swansea Belmont. Advised to check out the bird life at both the Kooragang and Hunter Wet Land areas’.

I wish to credit Charles Dove for his wonderful help in getting me started in the photography of ‘Bird Life’.

(Click on images to enlarge)

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Posted on March 14, 2021March 17, 2021 by Ken Banks

Mollymook Ocean Swimmer makes a comeback

Simone Brayne Mollymook, GOLD Medal in the 35 to 39 Female Masters Surf Race

20 years on and Simone shows it is not to late to comeback

NSW Surf Titles continued over this weekend for the 2021 Masters surf and beach events.

Mollymook competitor Simone Brayne (nee Everett) a former brilliant junior swimmer and one of the original Mollymook Ocean swimmers who competed back in the 2001-2004 period, swims 20 odd years later, for the first time in Masters events, the 35 to 39 year female category.

She was brilliant, winning GOLD in the surf race, SILVER in the surf tube and BRONZE in the board race. It was an exceptional performance, if not for a little fatigue it would have been gold in all 3 events.

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Posted on March 10, 2021April 1, 2021 by Ken Banks

Mollymook Ocean Swimmer, ‘Riding for a Cause’

EPIC Fund Raising Ride, the length of the Murray

Ian writes; “Dear MOS and friends. As you have probably gathered I must be a little on the crazy side which accounts for the fact that I have signed up for the “Tour for Their Future”, The Sebastian Foundation.

This ride starts in Albury this Friday March 12 and travels along the Murray River for 1000 km to its mouth at Goolwa S.A. Guy Sebastian and his wife are amazing with the type of work they do with the Foundation.

This ride is all about raising funds to enable the Foundation to put mental health programmes into rural/remote schools to assist our vulnerable 12 to 18 year old children.

Attached is a media release, you can check out https://thesebastianfoundation.org/get-involved/tour-for-their-future/

If you were inclined to make a donation please direct the funds to: Lockhart Cycle Club BSB 633000 a/c 154780837.

100% of funds donated will go to “The Sebastian Foundation”, Tour for Their Future.

Our involvement in cycling looks like this:

2007 support crew ride across Australia for Royal Flying Doctor.

2011 support crew ride around Australia for Smile Foundation.

2018 and 2020 rider and support crew for Pedal Cure, ‘Fight (Motor Neurone Disease) MND’, Ungarie to Melbourne.

My legs are starting to get a bit wobbly at the thought of the ride!! Take care everyone and I look forward to a swim in a couple of weeks.

Regards Ian and Leonie”. (Main pic above: Ian finishing the MND ride 2020 at Windy Hill, Essendon)

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Posted on March 9, 2021March 9, 2021 by Ken Banks

Mollymook Ocean Swimmers compete at Broulee

The 2021 Broulee Ocean Swim

Held this past Sunday March 7, 2021 Mollymook Ocean Swimmers were represented by a small contingent of swimmers.

Kim provided this following report: Quote “The course location was changed due to the dangerous swell that persisted over the weekend, so rather than swimming the normal course that has its finishing leg in front of the surf club, we ended up swimming in beautiful flat water at Broulee Bay.

Kate came 9th in her 50 to 60 age group in a time of 27:21. A Top 10 finish. Yay!

Greg came 3rd in his over 60 age group in a time of 24:27.

I (Kim) came 11th in my 40 to 50 age group in a time of 28:12.

Kim added, I thought of Jan as I swam into a tree sized bit of seaweed – trunk and all! I nearly stopped swimming because I heard her voice in my head telling me we’d arrived at the tree ” unquote.

Sue Feigler a regular swimmer at the annual Mollymook Ocean Swims also swam finishing 5th in the over 60 age group in a time of 26:37. Sue’s daughter Danielle who has swam with the Mollymook mid-week swimmers also swam winning her 30 to 40 age group in the time of 22:16

Broulee had a wonderful turn up for the swim with a total of 358 contestants in the various age groups, again demonstrating the popularity of ocean swimming.

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Posted on March 3, 2021March 10, 2021 by Ken Banks

Celebrating a Milestone

Mollymook Ocean Swimmers, Simone and Robbie celebrate 20 years in style

Simone shares their lovely two weeks of celebrations: “We road tripped to Moreton Island, stopping at lots of places on the way. Crescent Head SUP surfed, Dorrigo lots of swimming at the bottom of waterfalls more SUP surfing at Byron. Most of the trip we stayed in our roof top camper. We did manage a few nights of luxury at Crystal Creek Rainforest Retreat.

Moreton Island was so beautiful we found a great surf break at North Point, 150 metre ride saw turtles ever session. I had just caught the best wave of the holiday, turned around to paddle out and in the next wave coming towards me, a shark appeared as big as my board, it looked sleek and fast, so I paddled into shallow water for a little while but the surf was to good, so I went back out.

We went snorkelling around the wrecks, it was stunning, there was lots of coral, tropical fish and I saw the biggest wobbegong shark that I had ever seen, and there were plenty of turtles.

There were lots of old WW2 bunkers to explore. Stunning scenery everywhere. And on our anniversary day for something extra special, we climbed the highest sand dune in the world ‘Mt Tempest’. It was such a quiet place with no where fancy to go out to at night, we would just lay back and watch the stars and on some occasions we played card games.

On The trip home, Robbie’s 1993 Toyota was not liking the hot weather, so we spent some time sitting on the side of the highway. I had a good book to read while Robbie tinkered with car, we did manage to get home to the kids and the house was still in one piece. A memorable holiday.

I highly recommend a visit to Moreton Island. Check out some of the pics below. Simone.”

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Posted on March 1, 2021 by Ken Banks

White Wash Magazine Feature Article

The Mollymook Ocean Swimmers are the feature Article.

Virginia waxes eloquent in her beautifully written article on the Mollymook Ocean Swimmers and as could only be expected, Dean Dampney provides his professional touch with some classic photography.

The magazine will be available from March 1 at most of the coffee shops in Milton and Ulladulla, also at Bannisters Pavilion, Mollymook bottle shop etc. Alternatively for our out of town ocean swimmers, you can access it on the ‘White Wash’ web site via the following link: www.whitewashmagazine.com.au

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