Hard to the power of sick!

Hard to the power of sick down The Mook or what!

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The weather turned pretty nasty down The Mook on Sundy but to the credit to of the organisers, they still held two of the three races. The 2km was the toughest bloody race that I’ve ever been in, even tougher than the B2B of ’07, where plenty of punters couldn't get out and had to do "the walk of shame", as me ol' mate Fergie calls it, back to Bronte.

A little after nine o'clock in the morning it looked like there was a real chance of them bailin out on the whole show; with a call for a show of hands at the first race briefing to see if "anyone wouldn’t be too disappointed if they called the races off." Whether it was down to peer pressure or sheer determination, nay a hand was raised. That's why I reckon youz're all hard to the abovementioned power; water safety personnel, volunteers and competitiors alike. None of us was there for a haircut!So they ran the kiddies’/novices/old farts’ warm-up 500m race first off the beach in worsening but challengingly manageable conditions, which I did as registered participant. A few parents went in it unrego’ed as well just to give the kiddies a bit of support and extra safety. Good on em I say!

By the time that was done and we’d been shuttled up the Northern end o the beach to start the biggie, the swell wind and rain had worsened considerably. But the organisers held their nerve, as did we. We set off tucked right into the corner of Banisters Head and caught the equivalent of the North Bondi Express out. Even so plenty of swimmers still got clobbered by a set or two on the way. Then it was simply the hardest 2km slog I have ever swum, against the increasing Sout-east ground swell and Southerly Buster wind. The rain squalls and mist were so bad at times you could hardly make out the shape of the southern headland, the only available point of reference, let alone see the buoys. Without a glimmer of exaggeration I reckon this race is probably one of the best and toughest dead reckoning navigation exercises any of us will ever experience at sea in our lives.

Thence upon return to the southern end o the beach, most of us got dumped by a 5-6ft sucky close-out beach break over a shallow bar. And it was still f!@#ing raining. I reckon there’ll be plenty more written about it on The Two Blob's Worth!

I reckon we should all get triple Hahn points just for completing it!

A massive thanks to the organisers and their seconds, loved the free sausage sizzle van out front o the Surf Club, just what the doctor ordered.

All up a great weekend. Fridy’s n Satdy’s weather was lovely. We (my wife n kids loved it too) will be back next year for a longer stay for sure. Plenty of pretty places around there to visit, and the Mook n Dulla itself is just gorgeous.

David Love.