Bondi postponed, Long Reef cancelled: what's a girl to do with no ocean swims this weekend?

Memories light the corners of my mind... Long Reef 2012

What a difference a year makes, 12 little months...

Long Reef 2012

Long Reef 2012

Sometimes the Bureau of Meteorology can get it wrong. It had predicted that a massive low travelling from northern NSW would bring with it rain and inclement conditions for the whole of last week. This weekend was going to be a doozy: big winds, massive swells and continuous rain.

Turns out, the bureau was a week out but spot on for the weekend.  

Last week held up surprisingly well and Sydney was lulled into that "she'll be right mate" false sense of security. Yesterday the wind picked up and all day was a guessing game. Would it or wouldn't it break?

Late Friday, the Bondi swim slated for Sunday was postponed. And this morning I checked out the oceanswims website - Long Reef CANCELLED.

The bureau predicts a combined sea and swell height of 4 metres for tomorrow, with winds roaring in from the south-east. This extends north to Byron Bay, where it eases off, and south to Batemans Bay.

Surfing websites say the surf is messy and currently around 6-8 feet.

http://www.bom.gov.au/forecasts/graphical/marine/nsw/sydney.php

So it is with an OCD twiddle of thumbs and wringing of hands that I consider my other foul-weather options: washing clothes, vacuuming, cleaning bathrooms, dusting everything...

With The Princess finally back from her extended tour of southern Asia - three months to the day - there will be more than usual to deal with. I'm already feeling the pinch as the Princess now adds "Penniless" to her moniker.

With no ocean swims on the calendar for the next two days*, it is indeed turning into a tres miserable weekend.

Reality sucks.

FYI, my brother-in-law Davo, who many moons ago used to be my swimming partner, sent me this link to a story in The SMH about crazy people who swim in icy waters.
 file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Owner/Local%20Settings/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/Content.IE5/GD7VK9KT/Ice%20maiden.htm 

February rain: backyard with Hills Hoist

 PS: There was a swim on today down south at Wollongong, a two-hour drive one-way from my place. No way would I tackle the hazardous road conditions - factor in semi-trailers overtaking in the rain (with diminished visibility) - to get there by 10am. And then there's the drive back. Stress by the bucketload.