Australia 2009/10
All images copyright Keblawben 2009/10
February continued
15th February 2010  It's Rottnest swim again. 2,300 swimmers plus all their support undertake the largest open water swim in the World A 19.2km ocean swim from Cottesloe Beach to Rottnest Island |  We are up at 5am and on the beach by 5.30 |
 The first swimmers leave at 05.45 and the preparations are well under way. That's wool fat...yuk! |  The support boats are gathering. There will be 750 in total. |
 Slap it on! |  |
 He's expecting a sunny day |  |
 |  The air is thick with helicopters |
 Several national teams attend from as far as Japan and Canada |  |
 |  It's a challenge for the support 'paddlers' to spot and rendezvous with their swimmers so all manner of identification is adopted. The paddlers are not allowed with 500m of the beach and the boats 1km. |
 |  The event is well covered by the media |
 The Leeuwin is moored to watch the event |  Dictionary.... Budgy Smuggler....Australian slang term for men's tight-fitting Speedo-style swimwear. The 'lump in the front' apparently resembles a budgie when it is stuffed down the front of someone's shorts. Ah, those crazy Aussies!! |
 The 'shark spotter' helicopter is out. |  Photographers planning their shots |
 |  The first wave are off. It will take the winner well over 4 hours to do the swim, some will be in the water over 8 hours. |
 The things that some people will do for a photo! |  Colin Barnett..WA Premier is the starter |
 More identification... it's OK it'll wear off after a couple of weeks! |  |
 The world famous Bondi Icebergs Club is located above the Bondi Baths swimming pool at the south end of Bondi Beach. That's 4,000 km away! |  'Shaka' is the Hawaiian 'hang-loose' greeting gesture |
 The average age of entrants is 41. |  The party at Thompson Bay when the swim is completed consumes 180 kegs of beer. |
 |  Colin Barnett the Premier of Western Australia |
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 The youngest swimmer is 13, the oldest 73. |  |
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 |  a veritable flock of budgies! |
 The Bondi Rescue team are here. This is Dean Gladstone |  |
 The last wave leave at 07.30. It's the 20th anniversary so the party tonight will be something. Asked why he did it one competitor responded that "nothing makes beer taste that good" |  Freshened up after watching the swimmers, we meet Jackie our personal trainer from 2006, for coffee. |
 We meet one of her students, Danni |
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