London Fields Lido In January

While I was on holiday in England, I went to London Fields Lido a couple of times. It's open air but is heated all year round. The week I spent in London in mid-January was bitterly cold, but I was determined to have a swim here. I'd forgotten to bring a swimcap with me, and they had run out of them at the kiosk, so I was a bit worried about getting cold ears. The water was really warm though and I never once felt cold in the water. The dash from the pool to the changing sheds was a different story.

I did several lengths of breaststroke, but also spent ages swimming on my back looking up at the grey, drizzly winter skies and the bare trees. I absolutely loved this pool.

There are still several lidos (open air pools) in the London area. Only two (I think: here and Hampton) are heated during the winter. I'm keen to return in summer one year, and, as a friend suggested, swim my way across London via the lidos and swimming ponds. I'd really like to swim in the ponds on Hampstead Heath again. It's been 25 years since I last had a swim there.

There is an excellent website all about lidos in London and other lidos, pools and sea baths in the UK. It's hosted by Oliver Merrington, and there is a link at the top right of this page.

Day Four: Filling In The Gaps

A day when I went back to swim those tidal baths and swimming enclosures that I neglected in my original plan.

I'd had a change of mind by day three of this swimming lark, and had decided to swim harbour and river tidal baths as well as my original idea of coastal and bay baths and rock pools. Unfortunately, this meant going back to swim several swimming enclosures in Port Hacking and the Georges River. In contrast to the previous days, day four was cold and windy. The temperature never got above 16 ( there had been snowfalls in The Snowy Mountains the day before). Luckily, the water was still warm. With the exception of Carss Point Baths, I had never swum in any of these tidal enclosures.

Gymea Bay Baths

It was still 13 degrees with a very cold wind as I travelled to these baths. They are in an attractive reserve, and, despite the cool weather, it all looked very inviting. The only people around were anglers, rugged up against the wind and looking surprised at my swim.

Lilli Pilli Baths

Another lovely spot. The wind was very strong on Port Hacking, creating choppy waves in this small enclosure.

Como Baths

I've often seen these baths from the train when I'm on my way for a walk and a swim in Heathcote National Park. I've often thought about coming here to have a swim. Today it was quite shallow until I got out near the nets. On the photo, you can see part of the chlorinated pool that is here for swimming as well. On this day, it was closed for the winter.

Oatley Bay Baths

I could really tell that I was swimming in the river here as the bottom was really muddy. Again it was shallow, but plenty of water for my lazy breaststroke. The river was cloudy but clean.

Jewfish Bay Baths

This was probably the largest enclosure I swam in. It's set in a large bush park. There were plenty of people picnicking and walking, but again I was the only swimmer. Another muddy and shallow spot while I was there (about an hour until low tide), but I had enough depth out by the nets to practice my slow front crawl. It was such a long length in these huge baths, that I eventually returned to my breaststroke.

Carss Point Baths

I used to come here to swim sometimes in the summer about ten years ago. There used to be a pontoon anchored in the middle where the kids would jump and dive into the deep water. Even today at low tide, I was quickly into deep, warm water. I had a long swim out to and alongside the nets. Lots of families enjoying the bush park, but again I was the only swimmer.

Dolls Point Baths

After day one of this lark, I realised that I had missed Dolls Point Baths. The UBD that I was using had the name, Dolls Point Baths, where Ramsgate Baths are situated, and did not show any baths here. I realised my mistake when I happened to look at the DECC map of Botany Bay and the lower Georges River. I checked an older UBD which gave the correct names and locations of each of the baths. So, today I returned, only to find that these baths have been closed down by the council due to extensive sand movements and storm damage.

Clovelly Pool

On day two of this lark, Clovelly Pool had been drained for cleaning. Today it was sparkling and well worth a dip.

So, hopefully I've swum all the ocean rock pools and tidal baths that I could between Port Hacking and the southern shores of Sydney Harbour and the Parramatta River. I regret not doing them all in sequence, but I think I managed to complete my original plan of swimming from Cronulla to Bondi.

Next year: North!

Day Three: Swimming From Watsons Bay To Cabarita

Extending the swim to include tidal baths and swimming enclosures on the southern shores of Sydney Harbour and the Parramatta River.

Watsons Bay Baths

The first time I'd swum at these baths. A cool morning, but the water was still warm. I swam out under the arches and headed in the direction of Parramatta to keep in the spirit of the previous days.

Parsley Bay Swimming Enclosure

I don't think I've swum at Parsley Bay since the nineteen eighties. Also I used to go snorkelling along the harbour at places between here and Camp Cove. Today, the water was clearer than I expected after the recent rain.

Nielsen Park Swimming Enclosure

I love this little harbour beach. And I love swimming out to the shark net and looking back down the harbour to the city. It still amazes me that the national park and beaches are so close to the central city.

Redleaf Pool (Double Bay)

The first time I had even seen, let alone swam at, this pool. Hidden away in a busy section of the city. The pontoons looked like great fun for the kids. Had nobody else been in the water, I might have indulged myself.

Dawn Fraser Baths (Balmain)

Believe it or not, I had never been to these baths until about four months ago, even though I had been meaning to go for the past twelve years that I've lived in the inner west. The first time I came here I absolutely loved them. I can foresee many summer mornings swimming here in the future. Today I did twenty slow lengths of my lazy breaststroke, loving every minute of it.

Chiswick Baths

I only found out about Chiswick Baths the night before I did this swim. The water was a bit cloudy, but clean and warm.

Cabarita Pool

This municipal swimming pool sort of fits in with my criteria for the swim. The pool is river fed, the water then being treated and heated to 25 degrees. It is a saltwater pool, so I felt I could include it. Plus it was good to go to a warm pool with a hot shower at the end of a longish day of swimming.

So, I had finished a swim from Gunnamatta Bay at Cronulla to Cabarita on the Parramatta River using ocean pools, tidal baths, swimming enclosures and rock pools. Now, though, I felt I should have included other tidal pools west of the Captain Cook Bridge on the Georges River and further along Port Hacking. I decided I would have to fill in these gaps before I could begin thinking of swimming from the north bank of the Parramatta River (say from Henley Baths) along Sydney Harbour and Middle Harbour to Manly, then up the Northern Beaches to Pittwater.

Day Two: Swimming From South Coogee To North Bondi

The second day of an attempt to swim from Cronulla to Bondi via ocean rock pools and tidal baths.

Ivo Rowe Rock Pool (South Coogee)

Even though I'd lived in Coogee for many years, and had walked the coastal path to Maroubra to swim at Mahons Pool many times then and since, I had always missed this little ocean rock pool. It was only about 18 months ago I found out about it on the NSW Ocean Baths website (link on this page). Today, with surf breaking into the pool, it was like a cool saltwater spa.

Wylies Baths (Coogee)

Easily my favourite of the Sydney Ocean baths. I have been coming here for nearly 25 years. In the eighties I used to be a year round member with my own key. This meant you could swim here long after most people had gone home in the summer. Also, back then, Wylies used to be closed to the general public during the winter months and only key holders (and the Maroubra Dolphins winter swimming club on weekends) could swim here then. In those days there were only a couple of cold showers and it could be a bit on the chilly side after a long swim in sixteen degrees (or less) water. These days I still go winter swimming here but now it's open to the public all year round and there are welcome solar heated showers afterwards.

Ross Jones Memorial Pool (Coogee)

When I lived in Coogee, I used to love coming for a swim here very late on hot summer nights. The water was always cool, and there was a great light effect on the waves from a streetlight up above here.

Giles Baths (Coogee)

I used to come training here when it was still Giles Gym in the eighties. We'd do a few weights and run along the beach, but the best part, I thought, was the combination of a sauna, then a swim in the rock pool below, then a dash back up the steps to the hot seawater spa. This was great any time of year but especially in the winter. These days I still love swimming in this pool.

Clovelly Bay

I was going to swim in Clovelly Pool, but the council had emptied it for cleaning. Anyway, Clovelly Bay is itself like a huge rock pool with its breakwater of huge rocks and its extensive concrete decks. I used to come scuba diving at night and snorkelling in the daytime about 20 years ago.

Bronte Baths

Only about the third time I've swum here, though I used to come bodysurfing here a long time ago.

Bronte Bogey Hole

I had a very leisurely swim here. The water was so clear. It has been really clean everywhere I've swum these past two days, but especially so here.

Bondi Baths

I haven't swum in Bondi Baths for over twenty years. They've long since renovated the Icebergs clubhouse, and fixed up the baths. Today I did several lengths here in the late afternoon shadow.

Wally Weekes Pool (Bondi)

You can see the North Bondi Children's Wading Pool in the foreground of the photo. The Wally Weekes Pool is behind it. There was just enough water in here to complete a few strokes of lazy breaststroke.

So I made the swim from Cronulla to Bondi using the ocean rock pools and tidal baths. At this point I decided I'd like to carry on and swim along the southern shores of Sydney Harbour using the tidal baths and swimming enclosures. So, on to day three.

Day One: Swimming From Cronulla to Maroubra

The first day of my attempt to swim from Cronulla to Bondi via ocean pools and tidal baths.

Gunnamatta Bay Baths

I arrived here about 9 o'clock in the morning to start the swim. There was only one other person in the water at that time. The water was really comfortable (22 degrees celsius). The baths are a huge swimming enclosure, and it took me a while to swim across in the direction of Port Hacking and the Cronulla ocean beaches. This was the first time I've swam in the baths, though I've often thought about a swim here when I've been on the ferry across to the national park.

Oak Park Pool (Cronulla)

I walked along the coastal path from Bass and Flinders Point to the pool. It was a beautiful, sunny day. The only other time I've swum in the Cronulla rock pools they were really quite shallow, but today there was plenty of water in the pool for me to swim in a northerly direction. The water was so warm and sparkling though, that I spent a lot of time swimming around.

Shelley Beach Pool (Cronulla)

I carried on walking along the coastal path from Glaisher Point to this pool. Apparently this is where the nuns in the area used to swim, so it is known locally as the Nun's Pool. Again I was lucky with the tide, and had water deep enough to swim in. The sea was really clear and clean. There were plenty of surfers out along the coast and lots of swimmers at the beaches.

Cronulla Ocean Pool

Cronulla Rock Pool

These two pools, and a children's wading pool are all very close together on the seafront at the main beach. It was getting warmer, so I was happy to get back into the water. Two more pools I'd never swum in before.

Kurnell Tidal Baths

I used to come swimming here about ten years ago. My daughter used to go horse riding at Kurnell and I'd often have a swim while I waited for her.

Sandringham Baths

Ramsgate Baths

Monterey Baths

Brighton - le - Sands Baths

Brighton Baths is the only one of the tidal baths along the stretch of shoreline from the Cooks River to the Georges River where I had swum before. The day was really warm and I was enjoying the swims at the baths.

Little Bay Rock Pool

I was really lucky with the tide here. I've been here before when the tides have been lower and the pool has been little more than a wading pool. Today there was plenty of depth for a short swim. I shared the pool with cormorants and terns.

Malabar Rock Pool

When I first came to Sydney in the eighties, Malabar was permanently closed for swimming because of the sewage outfall here. After the deep ocean outfalls were constructed, the beach and pool were eventually reopened. Even so, I had not been swimming here until about six months ago.

Mahons Pool (Maroubra)

One of my favourite ocean pools. I've been coming here to swim for nearly 25 years now. I usually try to get one swim here every weekend until early June (when I start going to Wylies Baths for the hot showers).

Swimming From Cronulla To Bondi (via rock pools and tidal baths)

About 18 months ago I finally got around to reading Waterlog by Roger Deakin. Those who are familiar with the book will recall it as a record of his idea to swim his way around the British Isles via rivers, lakes, ponds and lidos (open air swimming pools). In part it was inspired by John Cheever’s short story The Swimmer and by the film of the same name, starring Burt Lancaster. At the time I wondered what a similar journey in Sydney might look like, and thought about swimming in all the coastal pools along Sydney's coast.

However, I completely forgot about this idea until about a year later when, during a winter holiday in London, I went swimming in the (heated) London Fields Lido. Later I was discussing the remaining lidos in London with a friend. She suggested returning one summer and swimming across London via the lidos, and, also referenced the film, The Swimmer. Her idea involved recording the journey by taking photographs at the various lidos and ponds still open for swimming in the metropolitan area. While I'm still keen to attempt this, it also reminded me of my idea to swim along Sydney's coast.

So in April 2009 I started on the first part of the swim - from Cronulla to Bondi. My idea was that I would swim every swimmable rock pool and tidal baths along the coast and bays (but not west of Captain Cook Bridge on the Georges River nor west of Gunnamatta Bay on Port Hacking). Later I decided to include the baths and enclosures on the southern shores of Sydney Harbour. I would, as my friend had suggested, take photos at every location. My only rule was that I must swim at least one length in the direction of completing the overall swim. Of course, I swam many more lengths and laps than this, simply for the fun of it. It took three days to complete, and I immediately regretted ignoring the baths further west, so on the final afternoon headed west of the Harbour Bridge to The Dawn Fraser Baths and Chiswick Baths.

I will, at some point, return to places like Lilli Pilli tidal pool, Como tidal baths and Carss Park swimming enclosure.

The three days of the swim were divided like this:

Day One

Gunamatta Bay Baths

Oak Park Pool (Cronulla)

Shelley Beach Pool (Cronulla)

Cronulla Ocean Pool

Cronulla Rock Pool

Kurnell Tidal Baths

Sandringham Baths

Ramsgate Baths

Monterey Baths

Brighton-le-Sands Baths

Little Bay Rock Pool

Malabar Rock Pool

Mahons Pool (Maroubra)

(I missed Kymeeagh Baths as they were closed due to the construction of the desalination pipeline.)

Day Two

Ivo Rowe Rock Pool (South Coogee)

Wylies Baths (Coogee)

Ross Jones Memorial Pool (Coogee)

Giles Baths (Coogee)

Clovelly Bay

Bronte Baths

Bronte Bogey Hole

Bondi Baths

Wally Weekes Pool (Bondi)

(I missed Clovelly Baths as they had been emptied for cleaning, and, of course, McIvers Baths at Coogee is for women and children)

Day Three

Watsons Bay Baths

Parsley Bay Swimming Enclosure

Nielsen Park Swimming Enclosure

Redleaf Pool (Double Bay)

Dawn Fraser Baths (Balmain)

Chiswick Baths

Cabarita Pool

(I included Cabarita Pool because it is river fed and saltwater and heated - I was cold by this point. I was going to include The Boy Charlton Pool because it's saltwater and because i love it, but when I got there I forgot I had no money for the parking meters, so I could only take a photo and run.)