Mandy completed the swim on Sunday 20th March 2011

Monday, March 21, 2011

The Big Swim - Day 5 - Sunday 20th March 2011


Sunday 20th March was a beautiful day. With blue skies, plenty of sunshine and flat water Westernport Bay looked beautiful.  Mandy started her swim at 10am from Rhyll Inlet and we all estimated she would finish at 2.30pm on Sunday. It turns out the tide was seriously in Mandy’s favour and she was swimming too fast, so she had to slow it down so as not to get to San Remo too early.



I was with a number of other people on the Kasey Lee following Mandy as she swam underneath the bridge. With the 80’s and 90’s blasting from the now familiar Swim for Life boat and Mandy powering towards the finish line the atmosphere could not have been better. It was around this time that the Channel 7 helicopter showed up to get some footage for the news that night.







As Mandy passed the finish line at San Remo all of her supporters were clapping, beaming and yelling. The amount of support that locals and people from all over Victoria have given Mandy has been fantastic.






After jumping out of the cage, giving medals to all of the volunteers who had helped her along the way Mandy gave interviews to the TV crews and people from the local paper.





After all was said and done Mandy went home and returned to normal life preparing for university on Tuesday and nationals in a few weeks. She is the same as each of us with our day-to-day routines and challenges. The difference is that Mandy chose to make a difference. She completed an amazing feat on Sunday and became a local hero.

So please do what you can to support Swim for Life and help Phillip Island get a 24 hour medical clinic.

The Big Swim - Day 4 - Saturday 19th March 2011


On Saturday morning Mandy and her support crew had an early start from Grossard Point.  The pressure was on the reach Cowes where numerous supporters were waiting to greet Mandy on the jetty.  The number of people who came out to applaud Mandy and donate to Swim for Life was fantastic. Once at the pier Mandy departed with the Turtle Smugglers (the local swimming group) heading eastwards towards Rhyll. They set a cracking pace but nothing compared to the pace that Mandy had maintained over the three previous days.

From Cowes Mandy continued to swim towards San Remo pier. Local MP Greg Hunt showed up and swam along with Mandy for 25 minutes. From there she continued for a few more hours until reaching Rhyll inlet where she was swimming against the tide. Seeing first hand the huge impact of the tide. When it was in her favour Mandy swam up to 10km/hr but when she was swimming against the tide she slowed to 1km/hr. On Saturday Mandy swam over 15km leaving 13km for her finish on Sunday.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Congratulations Mandy! You made it!!!

Thank you for everyone who came out to San Remo Pier today to see Mandy complete her swim! It was great to see so much support!

Blog and pics from the weekend to come!

Friday, March 18, 2011

The Big Swim - Day 3 - Friday 18th March 2011


Mandy had another great day in the water. The sun didn’t manage to get out but she swam over 15km. She started back at Cape Woolamai (where she finished on Day 1) and swam along Woolamai Beach past Smiths Beach and Pyramid Rock to her finish point from Day 2.  It was a slow start in the morning but by the arvo things were looking up.

She swam at an average speed of 3.5 – 4 km per hour with the tide.  Some curious dolphins and seals came to see who was swimming in their waters around Pyramid Rock.

Tomorrow it will be another early start leaving from Grossard Point. From there Mandy will swim towards Cowes where she has invited anyone and everyone to come and swim a leg of the race for a $20 donation to Swim for Life. If you are keen come down to Cowes Main Beach at 11am on Saturday.  




Olympus will donate $1 for every person who "likes" this YouTube video

Swim alongside Mandy at Cowes Tomorrow

For anyone who is going to be around Phillip Island tomorrow come and have a swim with Mandy as she swims past the pier. Donations of $20 per swimmer.

Hope to see you there!

For all those on twitter!

If you have a twitter account and want to donate to Swim for Life  go to this link and retweet the comment below. For every retweet Olympus will donate another dollar towards Swim for Life

http://twitter.com/olympus_au

Olympus pledges $50 per km ($3250) plus $1 for every RT of this message (to $2000) to Swim for Life http://bit.ly/gavTyo

Thursday, March 17, 2011

The Big Swim - Day 2 - Thursday 17th March 2011

Mandy swam a massive 15km today and passed through one of the major checkpoints at The Nobbies.  A few curious seals came to check her out but otherwise it was smooth sailing.  She started at Grossard Point and swam anti-clockwise past The Nobbies past the Penguin Parade and towards Pyramid Rock. Again when Mandy was in the open ocean the swell slowed everything down but when she was swimming in protected waters she powered along swimming at a strong 6km / hour. 


Tomorrow the seas are meant to be kinder and Mandy will start off from her finish point from Day 1 and swim towards Pyramid Rock. It is a 12 - 13km swim in the open waters and then all things going well she will head back to Grossard Point to swim towards Cowes.


Again a big congratulations to Mandy for another great effort.



The Nobbies




Steve Price Breakfast Show Interview

Click here to listen to the Interview

Paralympian Amanda Drennan attempts epic swim around Phillip Island - Herald Sun



Some Background Info on the Closure of Warley Hospital in 2008

"Closing its doors for the last time"

Herald Sun, January 31st 2008
Written by Greg Hunt Local Member for Flinders

LATER today, Warley Hospital on Phillip Island will close its doors for the last time. 
The last patient has already left. The last nurse will sign off for the final time. The doors of the hospital will be locked forever.

There will be no more births or recoveries. No more palliative care
for residents wishing to spend their final days close to their homes and their families.
There will be no more hospital-based accident and emergency service for parents of toddlers or seniors with urgent conditions.

After 84 years, Phillip Island will cease to have a hospital. The not-for-profit bush nursing hospital will simply die...


read more

Mandy in The Star

View the Article here

Mandy in The Age

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The Big Swim - Day 1 - March 16th 2011

 Day 1 of the swim (Wednesday 16th March) began with clear skies, light winds and lots of people gathered around San Remo Pier.  As can be seen below plenty of people came to support Mandy as she began her adventure at 9am.

With the tide in her favour Mandy powered through the channel to reach Cape Woolamai by 10.30 am after swimming approximately 7km.

Once she rounded the Cape the protection of the channel was long gone and she was met with some challenging conditions. The 2km slog parallel to Woolamai Beach was rough.

Mandy swam approximately 9km in her first day. Unfortunately the conditions for Thursday and Friday look like they will continue to test Mandy's endurance as 1-2 metre waves are expected. 

Her goal over the next couple of days is to set a good pace and swim through the agitated open waters before reaching the Nobbies where the sea conditions and the added danger of sharks around the seal colony will be more than enough to keep her occupied... 

Fingers crossed once she turns the corner and starts heading to the northern side of the island the conditions will be more favourable. 

Well done Mandy on a great first days swim.



Well wishers at Sam Remo Pier




Ben and Mandy

Getting organised with the shark cage


Mandy in the shark cage

Swimming around Cape Woolamai

Mandy in the shark cage


Mandy's progress on Day 1

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Less than a week to go!

Everyone spread the word about Mandy's swim. She starts next Wednesday. To donate click on the link below

Donate to Swim for Life here!!!