Early photos from CBA Boat 3 in Harbour Bridge to Manly Wharf swim from 7:50am on Sat 4 March

Below is a schedule of swimmers, support boat Captains and kayak paddlers (assembled by Phil Johnston) for teams in Mens Health 2nd annual 11km "Sydney Harbour Bridge to Manly Wharf" swim. 

The swim -

A.        commences from under the north end of the Harbour Bridge at 7:30am on Saturday, 4 March 2006; and

B.        will end about 3½ hours later at Manly Wharf. 

Swim event info:

At 7:15am we aboard our boats at Blues Point and head East to under the Harbour Bridge where our 4 x 'A' ranked swimmers (listed below) jump into the briny at 7:25am and wait with their paddlers for the 7:30am Start whilst all boats drive further East to the end of the 1st swim interval. 

Click on Map of Course and instructions and read there are two "No change over" sections on the course where swimmers are not permitted to change over. 

Rankings are to facilitate our initial 6 intervals being swum by swimmers of approx the same speed.  After each swimmer has swum an interval, that is at the completion of Round One, each boat crew should adjust amongst themselves their swimmer order, so that Round Two and Round Three evidence their swimmers always swimming in fastest to slowest order.

'A' ranked swimmers will swim 14 min intervals (approx - after allowing for restrictions on change- overs at 2 Marker boats noted further below)

'B' ranked swimmers will swim 12½ min intervals (ditto above brackets)

'C' ranked swimmers will swim 12 min intervals (ditto above brackets)

'D' ranked swimmers will swim 11½ min intervals (ditto above brackets)

'E' ranked swimmers will swim 11 min intervals (ditto above brackets)

'F' ranked swimmers will swim 10½ min intervals (ditto above brackets)

The order of our swim intervals will be 'A' to 'F' above, with 4 'A' swimmers commencing under the Harbour Bridge at 7:30am.  After six swim intervals, we will repeat 'A' to 'F' above unless a Boat Marker causes us to alter an interval to use either 4 weaker or 4 stronger swimmers, so as to comply with the swim changeover restrictions listed further below and on the Mens Health Bridge to Beach website.

By 7am on swim day Phil Johnston will give you a texta to write a -

(i)       letters from 'A' to 'F' on your left shoulder for your swim ranking for Round One; and

 (ii)      number 1, 2, 3 or 4 on your right shoulder to signify which support boat you will commence the relay swim. 

If you mark your the alpha on your right shoulder, and the numero on your left shoulder, no matter.   If you have your own coloured texta, bring it.

Support boat and paddler placement strategy:

 1.       After the initial swim interval from under the Harbour Bridge, two of our support boats positioned ahead of our 4 swimmers;

  2.      After the initial swim interval from under the Harbour Bridge, our 4 swimmers (in each swim interval) start swimming together and try to remain in close proximity even if a particularly strong swimmer has to slow a tad;

3.       our other two support boats behind our 4 swimmers in the water during each swim interval; and

4.       the 4 paddlers inside our four boats with our 5th paddler roaming near our slowest swimmer.

After the initial six swim intervals, known as Round One, when every swimmer will have swum once, boat teams will be able to re-rank their swimmers.  The purpose of ranking is merely to ensure that swimmers swim at roughly the same speed.

Support boats will need to be further away from our paddlers if the Harbour is choppy. 

Our paddlers will be approx 5m to the side of their swimmer, so -

(A)      tip of the surf ski is about 2 metre in front of their swimmer, and

(B)      end of the paddle is about 4m from their swimmer. 

If your surf ski starts getting closer, you know to veer away a tad.  If it starts getting more than 5m to the side of you, you need to swim closer to it.

At the completion of each of the 18 or so swim intervals, the swimmer which is ahead of the other 3 swimmers will get back in his/her support boat and the two front boats will wait for all four swimmers to arrive so that swimmers are provided maximum re-assurance from nearby paddlers and support boats.  We have 5 paddlers, so one paddler, Rowan, will be The Sweep and try to stay close to the last swimmer.  Hopefully The Sweep will hover immediately in front and to the other side of the assigned paddler for the last swimmer.  If you think three intervals is not enough swimming, you are welcome to swim other intervals, so long as they don't tucker you out for your allotted intervals.

The green section (above) lists the boats and number of swimmers each will hold.  If all swimmers turn-up, we may need to have the 6th swimmer for one relay team on one of our larger boats, but no matter.

When you are swimming an interval, your paddler will signify when your interval is finished.  If the paddler isn't already aware, one of the swimmers in your support boat will call out to the paddler to alert him when each interval is completed.  This may be particular necessary if you are the leading swimmer from amongst our 4 relay teams during a particular interval.  If you are not the leading swimmer you may notice another support boat stationary up ahead.

Our largest boat will be numbered with a 1, and our smallest boat will be numbered 4.  Those numbers will appear on A3 sheets in the boat at the start of the swim.  By 7:15am one shoulder for each swimmer should be tagged in texta colour with a number 1, 2, 3 or 4 to signify which boat team he/she is in.  Each of our 4 teams will have a A, B, C, D, E and F swimmer allotted to each support boat.  A couple of our larger boats may have to carry an extra swimmer or two, as we have 24 swimmers over four boats.

All four boats should arrive at Manly Wharf together.  If one of our other support boats collects a swimmer who started their swim leg from a different boat it doesn't matter, provided the boat doesn't get overloaded.  It shouldn't matter if a swimmer(s) completes the event on a different support boat than he/she started the event if that facilitates our four boats remaining together.

Pre-swim briefing is 7am at Blues Point (grassy slope with a patch of sand below the Harbour wall 400m West of North Sydney Olympic Pool).  Each support boat will drop an 'A' ranked swimmer under the Harbour Bridge by 7:25am for a 7.30am start.  The 1st interval is approx 800m so our 4 'A' ranked swimmers will get a good workout.  Each support boat must then proceed to 1st change-over point.  Escort paddlers should stay behind their swimmer under the Harbour Bridge.  our subsequent intervals will range from 650m for 'B' ranked swimmers down to 500m for 'F' ranked swimmers.  Our two boats which lead our 4 swimmers will have to best guess 650m ahead for our 'B' swimmers down to 500m for our 'F' swimmers.  Our two boats which follow our 4 swimmer intervals can play follow the leader.  

Swimmers must keep to the North Western area of the shoreline.  After rounding the 1st Marker Boat teams are permitted to change swimmers as often as they like until the 2nd Marker Boat 100m NW of Bradley’s Head.  Swimmers must again keep North of 2nd Marker by passing it on their RHS.  Changing swimmer is not permitted until after passing the East Cardinal Mark 200m North of Bradley’s Head.  All swimmers must keep clear of the channel and stick close to the Western Shore to Middle Head.  From Middle Head swim to a buoy off Dobroyd Point.  Swim past the buoy so it is on your RHS.  Then swim to Oceanworld and Manly Wharf.

Swim team info:

Click on Spreadsheet to open an Excel file which calc'd all the below swim teams.  As mentioned herein, our 4 relay teams can change their swimmer rankings according to swimmer speed.  If you finish the event on a different boat than you started the swim, no matter.  The only time all swimmers will be in the boat will be from Blues Point for 500m to under the Harbour Bridge.  If we can't fit all six swimmers into our smallest boat (in addition to the boat Captain), one swimmer from Boat Team 4 may have to travel in Boat Team 1, but no matter because our four boats will be remaining at front and back of our swimmers following the first swim interval. 

Be at Blues Point by 6:50am and meeting up with Phil and our 23 other swimmers

Phil is a tall old dude wearing scraggy old yellow Commonwealth Bank cap and faded yellow 1987 Dubbo triathlon sweat shirt known amongst his cycling group as Scribe.

Bring your mobile 'phone as all phone numbers are in below schedule, and 'phone Phil 0404 014.725 if you can't find him.  Hardcopy this page NOW and stick it somewhere safe.

Getting to Blues Point by 6:50am is the biggest hurdle to a successful day.  Parking around the north end of the Harbour Bridge and Blues Point is exceedingly limited.  Regular trains are running down the North Shore to Wynyard.  However, trackwork has halted trains operating south of Wynyard on the North Shore Line.  It is a 15 min walk SWW from Milsons Point station to Blues Point where the 7am briefing will take place and where we aboard our boats.  If you want to catch a train to Milsons Point click on City Rail Home Page and Timetables and check Current Trackwork

Due to trackwork affecting CBD stations, North Shore Line trains will operate between Berowra and Wynyard only.

Below is a list of our 4 boats, the Captains, boat capacity and where they are being launched by 6:10am:

Boat #            Boat Captain        Number of swimmers                Being launched at            

1                    Patrick Lynam                 7                                         Meadowbank                

2                    Richard Green                 6                             Davidson Park, Roseville Bridge

3                    Ian Grayburn                   6                             Davidson Park, Roseville Bridge

4                    Ronnie Altit                     5 or 6                                      Rose Bay                     

                                                            24                                                                              

One of our swimmers, Mark Grant, is meeting Ian Grayburn at Roseville Bridge boat ramp and giving Mark a lift on his boat to Blues Point.  Directions to Roseville Bridge boat ramp at 6am:

Approach Roseville Bridge from the North East and turn left immediately before the bridge, pass the National Parks booth (you need a ticket to park there which is $7 for the day and is obtained from the ticket machine near the booth). Proceed on the same road to the ramp which is about 100m from the booth.

If you might have difficulty getting to Blues Point by 6:50am, and you are close to Rose Bay, Meadowbank  or Roseville Bridge, and you can be at one of the above four boat launch spots by 6am, contact Phil and he will put you in touch with the appropriate boat Captain.  If you are late, our Captain will leave without you.  If anyone lives near Meadowbank, Patrick Lynam would welcome someone helping his get his boat in the water, whereupon Patrick will take that swimmer to Blues Point in style.  Patrick can launch his boat on his lonesome, however, it is a much more tedious 'n a slower process.

The below schedule shows 24 swimmers (16 male and 8 female) = 6 swimmers to a team, 4 boat Captains and 5 paddlers.

Description of our boats:

Boat 1 - Captain is Patrick Lynam
Bayliner "bowrider"  (open at front)
Colour of hull            White with blue stripe
Name:                      Doesn't have a name  
Features:                 Has wakeboarding tower (steel frame)

Boat 2 - Captain is Richard Green
Colour  of hull         White with black stripe
Reg #                      RJG007N
Flag                        Red Ensign which is the Australia flag with a red background

Boat 3 - Captain is Ian Grayburn
Colour of hull       White with blue marking on the side
Reg #                    IBN634N
Other features      Blue bimini cover, black Suzuki outboard motor

Boat 4 - Captain is Ronnie Altit
Colour  of hull        White red strip  
Features:               18' SeaRay  Open at front

Division 5 Recreational Activities of Civil Liability Amendment (Personal Responsibility) Act 2002 No 92 deems that members of the public should be informed of any obvious dangers

Registration

Click on Registration to view a PDF of the organiser's Registration Form.  Print it, complete it with your details only.  Sign it and fax to Phil Johnston at 9513.9546 or e-mail a PDF to Phil.Johnston@CBA.com.au .  Or have it ready when Phil delivers your togs on Friday morn'.  Phil will submit it to the organisers.

Swim day early morning wake up call to guard against 'sleep-ins'

All our 32 relay team members (24 swimmers + 4 paddlers + 4 boat Captains) should be present on the grass immediately above the small sandy area at Blues Point waters edge by 6:50am.  

Lilly Mathews of Freehills has agreed to organise a wake-up 'phone roster for her 3 other Freehills swimmers, plus Alison from PWC.  One of our two swimmers from Laing O'Rourke has undertaken to 'phone the other by 6am, and for the other to 'phone him by 6:05am if the call doesn't come through.  Can Clayton Utz, Challenger, Macq Bank implement the same arrangements.  I will 'phone the 4 boat Captains from 5:45am and before 6am.  Can one of the 4 paddlers undertake to 'phone the other 3 paddlers.  I will e-mail a spreadsheet with all mobile 'phone numbers. 

Clothing for after the swim and cameras to record our adventure

Each swimmer should bring a small kit bag which protects your sneakers, shorts and top to change into at Manly after the swim.  If any of your friends are driving from Blues Point to Manly it would be preferable to put your kit bags in their boot. So can you please let Phil know if you have a friend who may be able to drive kit bags from Blues Point to Manly.  Otherwise they will have to go in a support boat which could clutter up foot space. 

Bring a camera if you can store it in a zip plastic waterproof bag.  Phil will publish all pics on this website.  If video footage is taken, he will endeavour to create a DVD as a memento of this marvelous experience. 

Suntan lotion, Gatorade, snack bars, a cap and a warm daggy top if it is a cold day, sea sickness, parking at Blues Point, mobile 'phones

Phil is bringing in plastic shopping bags marked Boat 1,  2,  3 and  4 -

(I)         plastic bottle of suntan lotion for each boat;

  (II)        100 plastic bottles of 600ml Gatorade and 600ml water =  over 1 litre of fluid per head during 4 hours, and

(III)       128 Uncle Toby snack bars = 4 per head. 

The Gatorade will be different colours to help identify which bots you grab.  A texta will be in one of the carry bags on each boat to mark your initials on the drink bottles (if you want to) as you take 'em. 

Phil will have 6 spare caps.  Bring el cheapo Sunnies if the reflection bothers you, old cap, daggy warm sweat shirt and towel for when in your boat. 

If sea sickness might bother you, make your own enquiries because Phil doesn't know.

Catching the ferry back from Manly is our fall back plan for those who park at Blues Point.

Phone Phil Johnston at 9513.9532 or 0404 014.275 e-mail Phil.Johnston@CBA.com.au re any questions.

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