Long Reef 2011: seagrass and sandbars

This time last year the citizens of Chile were recovering from an earthquake. It's darkly ironic that 12 months later, the earthquake that hit Christchurch, New Zealand, on Tuesday has so far claimed the lives of 147 people with more than 50 still missing.

It makes my heart heavy.

Driving out to Long Reef today, I recalled that sunny day last February when all the beaches along Australia's eastern seaboard were closed because of fears that a tsunami was heading our way. The Long Reef swim was cancelled. When I arrived at the beach it was as flat as a tack and, being an eejit , I went for a swim half expecting to be sucked out to sea. But nothing happened.

Today, the weather was muggy and overcast and the swell was mild at less than a metre. 

A sandbar that stretched for a good 50 metres greeted swimmers at the start and end of the swim.  

The nice thing about this swim is that it never gets too deep so you can see the ocean floor. For a lot of the course, you're swimming over the reef. If I'd had the time I would've slowed down (it could be argued that I was already slowed down) but I didn't get a chance to appreciate the view of wafting seagrass because I was busy trying not to finish last. 

As I swam to the shore, the timing-chip's velcro band loosened and fell of my ankle. By the time I reported it lost I was probably coming last!

Ya gotta laugh. It's better than crying.

Photos: Top - swimmers in the 1 km swim wading in over the sandbar; Bottom - a dedicated ocean swimmer

Long Reef Beach ocean swim is a no-go while the tsunami is a no-show

When I hopped in the car to drive to the northern beaches this morning the Long Reef SLSC ocean swim was still expected to run, despite a tsunami warning issued to the east coast of Australia following the earthquake in Chile.

That was at 8.30am. By the time I got to the beach at 9.15am, all the beaches along the east coast of Australia were closed and the swim postponed.

What a bummer. The surf was gentle with no chop. The conditions were calm and inviting. It would have been a fantastic swim.

Lots of people ignored the 'Beach closed' sign and took the plunge anyway. I went in for a quick dip and, would you believe it, got dumped by the tiniest wave! How embarrassing. I just hope to god no one was looking when it happened.

It's funny though, while I was in the water it did cross my mind that if there was a tsunami I could be sucked out to sea like tapioca pearls up a straw. I blame a diet of disaster movies since my teenage years for this irrational thought.

Some of the hardcore ocean swimmers weren't scared and about half-a-dozen big boofy blokes dived in and headed north. Good luck to 'em.

Unfortunately, the Long Reef swim has been moved to April 11, the same day as the Mollymook destination swim on the South Coast. I'm heading south.

I hear that so far over 250 people have died in Chile, and Santiago looks like it's been jackhammered by 'roid-rage giants.

My heart goes out to the people in Chile.

PS: This pic of Long Reef - what tsunami? - comes from the phone of Mr Os.c, the force behind www.oceanswims.com

Go there to find out all the latest ocean swimming news.