Saltwater Sisters make a splash at Sydney’s ocean pools

Résumé détaillé

A lively group of middle-aged women from the North Coast are on an Oddysea to swim every ocean pool in Australia.

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If you happened to swim at one of Sydney’s ocean and harbour pools this past week, you couldn’t have missed the joyful Saltwater Sisters of Byron Bay.

Crowned in vibrant swimming caps and accompanied by laughter, chatter and salutations, the salty seven descended on 53 city swimming spots, from Lilli Pilli to Palm Beach, and Balmain to Bondi.

United via a Northern Rivers morning swim group, the women decided to swap their regular routines for a coastal adventure to celebrate friendship, community and finding your tribe later in life.

“It’s been wonderful,” says Jenny Cruden, the group’s most exuberant member. “We’re having a lot of fun. Our caps are a great talking point – everyone stops us to ask about what we’re doing, so we’ve been meeting all sorts of people.”

Chilly water temperatures early in the week didn’t put off the northern visitors, who proudly swim year-round, rain, hail or shine. “We always get out with a smile on our faces,” she says.

The women say they’ve formed strong connections through swimming over the past two to four years and these have deepened, with physical, mental and social benefits.

Research supports this: a University of Queensland study of more than 7600 women in midlife found those with lower relationship and friendship satisfaction had a higher chance of developing chronic diseases including heart disease, diabetes and depression.

The idea for their “Ocean Pool Odyssea” originated from a birthday gift that Helen Blair bought for fellow member Kath Vaubell.

Début de l'article, extrait de The Sydney Morning Herald. Pour lire la suite, ouvrez l'article chez le média.