When: November 28th – December 3rd, 2023
If you have never been to Australia this may be your trip of a lifetime. If you love to open water swim and savor local dining experiences then you will enjoy every minute! Jim Montgomery, 1976 Olympic triple gold medalist, will be your celebrity host and coach. The first person to break the 50 second barrier in the 100 meter freestyle, Jim has coached hundreds of open water swimmers and participated in open water events for over 40 years around the world. Five of those previous trips have been to Australia alone.
With dozens of beaches to choose from, Jim has handpicked the absolute best beaches to train and prepare for the Bondi to Bronte Beach swim on Sunday December 3rd.
Safety and support are paramount during the training swims so that’s why I have the most experienced open water beach lifeguards and swimmers in the world escorting you on your training swims. The Bondi Beach lifeguards are world famous and will be alongside you every step of the way.
Some of the beaches we will visit are famous worldwide and draw big crowds on warm summer days, which is why we start and finish most of our swims from Bondi Icebergs Club with a warm down in their iconic 50 meter pool. Grab a quick bite to eat at the Crabbe Hole located just off the pool deck, one of the most scenic spots on Bondi overlooking the pool and beach.
Accommodations: The hotel I recommend everyone stay at is the Adina Apartment hotel. I have stayed there many times when visiting Bondi because of its excellent location, a 5 minute walk to Bondi Beach right in the heart of the best coffee shops, bars and restaurants in Bondi. The Adina offers studio, one-bedroom, and two bedroom apartments and is reasonably priced. Adina Apartment Hotel Bondi
Itinerary:
Tuesday November 28th – 2 PM Swim Bondi beach 2K over and back and finish swimming in Iceberg outdoor 50 meter pool. Swim distance total 2.5 – 3 K
Wednesday November 29th – 9 AM Swim Bondi Beach 2K over and back and finish swimming in Iceberg outdoor 50 meter pool. Swim distance total 2.5 – 3 K
Lunch in Bondi Location TBD
2 PM Travel by van to Coogee Beach swim 2K – 2.5K
Coogee beach, often referred to as the smaller version of Bondi Beach, is a characteristic 400m long strip of sand facing Coogee Bay south of Bondi Beach. The water is usually very suitable for swimming, but perhaps the best way to get there is via the popular Bondi to Coogee walk. It’s a beautiful 6 km coastal walk with stunning ocean views from start to finish.
Dinner at the Coogee Pavilion 6:30 PM – I have dined here many times. The restaurants are superb with great food and fantastic views of Coogee Bay.
Thursday November 30th – Leave hotel at 6 am Van to Rose Bay and take the Harbor Ferry over to Manly for 7 am Manly to Shelly Beach and back swim. Breakfast in Manly, ferry back to Rose Bay, van back to Bondi.
It’s a ritual that happens most days of the year for the enthusiastic group of swimmers that gather outside the Manly Surf Club at 7am every morning.
Members of the Bold and the Beautiful Swim Squad mill around the club exchanging pleasantries before heading to the water, and donning their distinctive pink caps, for a 750-meter swim to Shelly Beach where, after a five or 10-minute breather and a bit more social banter, then dive back into the Tasman Sea and return to Manly.
The swim takes about 15-20 minutes each way with a group of 100-200 swimmers scattered across the sea.
1 pm travel by van into the Sydney City Center lunch at the Fish Market. One of my favorite lunch venues, I visit every time I am in Sydney. Sydney Fish Market.
Here we can split up as a group for the afternoon and you can choose the many options Sydney has to offer. We will meet back up for happy hour in the oldest pub in Sydney, The fortune of War, in the Rocks District.
My number one recommendation is the Sydney Harbor Bridge Climb. This takes approximately 3 hours start to finish. I have done the bridge climb twice and if there is one “Touristy” thing to do it’s this.
Other afternoon options are: Sydney Harbor tour by boat (2-3 hours) or helicopter (30 min), Sydney Opera house (1 hour), Sydney City sightseeing by bus or bike (3 hours) , The Rocks walking tour (1-2 hours).
Dinner: Asian cuisine. Sydney is home to some of the best Thai and Chinese food in the world. Location:TBD
Friday December 1st – Spend the day at the beaches north of Sydney
AM Palm Beach swim 2 – 2.5 K
The water at Palm beach facing the ocean can be a bit rough at times due to strong winds so the alternative if ocean conditions are too rough is the smaller beach facing Pittwater, also known as Station Beach, on the other side of the peninsula, has much quieter waters and is perfect for a swim training.
Lunch at The Newport/Merivale
PM Whale Beach Swim 2- 2.5 K
Whale Beach is a picturesque strip of sand located just south of Palm Beach. Perhaps not as well known as its bigger neighbor, Whale Beach is usually much quieter than Palm Beach, and has a pleasantly secluded atmosphere. Whale Beach also has a man-made 25 meter rock pool located at the southern end of the beach.
Dinner at Bondi Beach location TBD
Saturday December 2nd – AM Bondi Beach swim over and back across the bay 2K finish warming down in Iceberg 50 meter pool total 2.5 – 3 K
Lunch and afternoon free to explore on your own.
Sunday December 3rd – AM Bondi to Bronte open water swim. Register here!
If you are interested in attending this trip please contact Jim by emailing masters@jmswim.com
See you in the pool…or ocean!
Coach Jim