Graham Joe is the owner of Gelissimo @ Freyberg, an outdoor cafe/kiosk right next to Freyberg Beach in Wellington. It’s a hub for morning swimmers who congregate there for coffee, scones, porridge and toasties. The post-swim conversations I have there every week, over excellent coffee, were the inspiration for this podcast.
Graham started getting in the sea a few years ago after an accident left him in pain and unable to run. He found that getting in the cold water helped his recovery so he kept doing it, slowly building in confidence and distance. Now early swims are a staple of his day, all year round.
If you're in Wellington, you should definitely check out Gelissimo @ Freyberg!
Gelissimo website gelissimo.co.nz
Gelissimo on Instagram www.instagram.com/gelissimo_gelato/
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:03):
Welcome to the swim chats podcast.
I'm Shona Riddell a writer, former journalist and ocean
swimmer from Wellington Al Tierra in New Zealand for each
episode. I'll feature a different guest
from our swim community. There'll be Dippers Adventure,
swimmers coaches and conservationists with one thing
in common. They all loved being in the sea.
(00:24):
So whether you're a swimmer yourself or just interested in
the stories about the oceans andpeople expanding their comfort
zones. I hope you enjoyed these swim
chats. Please hit follow or subscribe
so you don't miss an episode. Graham, welcome to swim chats.
Thank you and just to clarify you're the owner of Jalisa Mo
(00:45):
gelato and Wellington City. Yep.
So the owner of Jalisa Marie fryberg at Oriental Bay are
there any other jealous that I have missed?
No. No, thank you.
So I think coming to your Cafe at Fryeburg for about three
(01:06):
years now, which is about the time I joined Barb Watson's
group and all right. Yeah.
You're a fixture of my Sunday mornings after the swim we have.
And we catch up and so first of all, I wanted to say thank you
for all the coffees because It is such an important spot for
(01:27):
swimmers that we all we all do our swims, no matter how far we
go. But then we all come in and we
have our coffee and scan or porridge or whatever, and you
just learn so much about other people and it's a really good
opportunity to learn what other people are up to and what their
goals are. And you know, swap health and
safety advice especially as they're coming into winter.
(01:49):
Yeah. And everyone's always in good
spirits after a swim and a coffee as well.
So mmm really sort of positive vibe of sure.
Yeah, yeah. There's great.
So, when did you first? Probably.
(02:09):
About 14 years ago now. Oh, very long time ago.
Yeah, yeah. So you're looking a lot of
people coming and going on Sundays.
Yeah. Yeah.
The crowds changed quite a bit. Yeah.
I was just five or ten years we've seen.
This thing. Growth in terms of people coming
(02:32):
to the beach and different timesof the day as well.
Yeah, no. We give the swimmers in the
morning and we get sort of the caregivers and the little babies
and things around. Yeah.
But later in the morning and then just all changes throughout
the day. Yeah, that's a good point.
I'm just there. It's a fuk and yeah.
(02:53):
You'll be okay. And so once all the cold water
swimmers go, then you get the kind of the more same people.
well, they think they will say have you noticed?
You know, more and more people swimming into winter over the
last 10 years as well. Yeah, I probably already
(03:15):
started. Sorry, probably about the same
time as you about three, four years ago.
And I remember was I ran a lot. I used to run every morning.
That was why so morning? It's size that I turned up at
I'd run for Freiburg and run around the base of the dark. and
(03:38):
come back if there's always Google plus one of the two
others Sing there every day, waiting to go in the water about
to get in the water. And I think. when I first, I
guess some notice that it was probably a handful of people
(04:01):
that would get in early in the morning that I noticed during
the week. I used some run past or walk
past that stage and just go ah they're made buggers.
Yeah, don't cold. So dark, you know?
Yeah, and never never imagining that one day.
You would be one of those peopleI used to be a runner too.
(04:26):
And I think a lot of Runners become Slumbers, don't they?
I don't know if that was your reason for.
Yeah. And but for me, like, I had to
stop running because it was justgetting a bit painful on my
joints. Yeah, yeah, well, actually fluff
the roof of my house. Oh my goodness.
So four years ago and I was laidup for a whole summer, they're
(04:47):
sort of ruled my my running career so to speak. so, we went
through about six months of therapy and The things like that
and I'm crutches for for half a year.
Still limping around in the mud points.
After about nine months. there'sstill been a pain and legs and
(05:10):
things. And my physically said, well,
there's nothing more to do for you, set a toughened out and go
and run it they and go through rehab and they give your body
back east or the So that's what I sort of.
Tried to start running again. And then one more thing when I
(05:33):
was watching, those made people get in the ocean.
No, I thought maybe I'll just gofor quick tip.
Might be nice way to cool down and and some of the soreness on
the pain. So, I jumped in just my running
shorts. And for holy cow tender and
(05:54):
literally right back out again. But the league still feel a lot
better. And they're not just sort of
went from there. And every other side that every
day, I ran my reward would be togo for a dip in the sea.
See how long I could last afterwards?
So, that was my plan. I never plan to swim.
(06:18):
Because I grew up with a lifelong fear of drowning and I
never actually knew how to swim.But I quite comfortably got to
my chest. so, that's what I did.I'd run and, you know, enough
for my run a cool down in the sea.
(06:39):
And just see how long it lasts before I got too cold.
I ate the run back out again. And all the while I'm watching
these people go. Swimming past me and get out for
half an hour or whatever. you know, and then I don't know how
it happened but just sort of theslim or the tip, he came far
(07:04):
more enjoyable than the Run. So over?
Yeah. One took over at all the time.
Swinging. More than I'm running.
Yeah. And then I Tried to swim out, to
the Pontoon on The Big Year. To get there.
Without panicking and it's from there.
(07:27):
And Bob was a huge help. She, she's only giving me two
pieces of a dice. Over the course of a year or so.
And it just Helped heaps. And I just they're pretty much
self-taught and just for A little bit like running.
(07:48):
When you first start, you sort of get hooked.
And then you think I can go backfurther and go back further.
I don't feel that long ago. Don't feel that longer.
You know. Yeah.
You want to say what? You're okay, capable of.
Yeah, yeah. So that's all gone from there.
Do you remember what Bob's advice was?
You said she had two pieces of advice, yeah, she know, she'll
(08:11):
be in the car every single morning.
Taking those days in the morning, And I sort of the who
she was but didn't know who she was and my face.
And I'll be trying to get out tothe Pontoon bit. and, I've
always been like, I'm trying to get my exercise done before I
(08:32):
open. And then I'll be something on my
chair. Having my coffee watching the
sunrise. She walked past five morning and
she tapped me on the shoulder. and she said, stop.
She's in slow down. I said, oh, what do you mean?
She says, you look like your fighting the water.
(08:55):
Just slow everything down. And even just float there.
Without moving. Mmm, you know.
I said oh okay is she says you know he'll be watching you
rewarding. I can hear her voice saying
(09:18):
that. Yeah.
What are you slowed everything down here.
Yeah yeah so that was great in and then, About a week later.
(09:43):
She came out and she is all. He's a pair of goggles, this is
over the whole station. My car people that find them and
him and Like I'll give you paired goggle, make a world of
difference beside. I'd literally would just take up
my running gear and just run on the water.
(10:04):
So, it's going to be a pair of goggles.
And told me to put blue taken, my ears.
They stop the water, getting in my ears.
And and like a lot of difference.
And the next stage, she came down, he is a cap to get me
kick. And that was life changing.
You know, a swing campers are life changing.
(10:26):
It makes a huge difference, doesn't that I remember I had to
learn that too. But yeah, wouldn't have a swim
cap. I remember when I started which
was a few years ago. Yeah.
Getting a really cold head and not realizing what a difference.
It makes just putting yeah. Basically, yeah.
With the cold water on the doesn't get in here, it's not
(10:47):
getting a ears. If you feel so much safer this
little boy. Yeah.
All this irritated. So oh so that made a huge
difference in terms of My confidence as well.
So yeah, so it's from there. Just keep going and keep going
(11:11):
and yeah, eventually I acquired all the stuff that swollen said,
like a TOEFL and A little torch Fleet behead, they got from Barb
as well. And Yeah, so all these
accessories helped don't they? Yeah, yeah, so yeah, she's made.
She's gonna be a little bit of advice, but it's been enormous
(11:35):
where I am. Yeah, she said a guru of Open
Water Swimming ears. She is just.
Yeah. And so, do you help you swim
these days? And how far do you go when you
swim? I'm literally.
I've been there every day. Every day, possible. and really
(11:59):
comes from me, comes down to Tryto be out of water by civil the
plot but it depends on how earlyI can get down there.
But typically all Old swim anyway.
Between his shoulder's, 500 meters could be as long as one
half, okay? I feel sick.
And Oily, really good day and just swim around.
(12:26):
Pretty much to the first flooring back, if I can manage
it, most mornings here. That's awesome.
And so be coming in the dark. At this time of year.
Absolutely pitch black at the moment, isn't it?
Yeah, I just I was talking to Brett Richardson for the last
episode. Um, yes, so he's he's one who
(12:46):
swings on the dark, you know, tothe pre-dawn and he was saying
his inner now at the moment and it's still pitch black when he's
finished his swim. Yeah.
Yeah. I actually love the dark.
I prefer it. Oh, really?
Yeah, I think no. when you're running, he's sort of zone out
(13:09):
after a while and Empty here, brain and I think I'm now doing
that when I'm swinging. a small mouth is just sort of time to
just reset your brain and flush everything out and I quite like
the lights because I breathe on one side so never gate by
(13:30):
looking at the light in the city.
Believe when I sort of get out to a turnaround for, when I come
back, I can navigate with the lights, longer Oriental parade
and they sort of keep me occupied.
Yeah, but when a daytime, you know, have Those nice lights.
And, you know, I quite enjoy just Not Bank of not being able
(13:55):
to see what's around me as well.I actually quite enjoy it.
So yeah, and how do you find thetemperature at the moment?
I think it was like a year and ahalf to two years ago I decided
The fishy I stopped over winter and didn't really picked up
(14:16):
against all spring and then theywent off, I thought like I keep
swimming. I might notice the temperature
drop as much. so I swim through winter in a got colder and
colder, but a kit going in I really quite enjoyed it.
So but at the moment, it's about14 degrees.
(14:40):
I I just I've just been in Vietnam for the last week.
It was 37 degrees in the sea. Imagine yeah.
Unbelievable. And refreshing, you know we got
to swim. Yeah, I came back in yesterday
(15:02):
was the first day I jumped in since I got back.
And yeah, I've been for two days, cycling, myself up. 27 to
14 27th and 14. Yeah, 14 degree of 27 degrees.
And so, I jumped and it was really cold.
(15:25):
I think my hands are people likeme now?
Yeah. So that's right.
Yeah yeah. Just the faster and just keeps
coming to. I got warm.
Yeah but it's like got how far out to the first boy before?
My body saw her death of the game.
(15:47):
I thought too bad. I was quite nice.
Yeah, yeah. I'm the idea of it has Hader
than actually doing it as an appit is.
Oh yeah. Yes.
I mean last year got down those 8.3 was the coldest.
That's right. Yeah, I remember that day and So
(16:10):
I still got a long way to go butit's cold enough for me at the
moment. How enough I was gonna say you
write the water temperature on the wall of the cafe.
Yeah, which is, it's really a nice way to, you know, you get
out and have a look and it's like I swam and you know, 12
degree water today or something.And you see it going down as we
(16:32):
get through winter and then you set going back up again.
Yeah. And how do you, how do you
measure it? Do you have a special?
Well, credit to James that Adrian who Adrian came up?
One day, see me? Oh, we know she saw someone
around how to beat rights. The water temperature up on the
(16:54):
wall, we thought you could do the same thing as good idea.
she's, We've we've bought you a formula in a pickle if you put
another big a football. Oh it's great.
Okay, tie that around. tight to my shorts and Um, miserable
(17:17):
temperature they Up On the Pontoon and come back.
And it's quite hard reading for Monitor and the dark.
But yeah, I was gonna say, how do you, how do you do it?
I managed it for a few weeks. Yeah.
And then, on months one, the formats are broke.
I don't know how bright the cases here, but there's no
(17:37):
formats. So they probably so, but the
straw about that and then so nowat the moment I'm using the, the
environmental Wellington site seems to be reasonably accurate
because occasionally I get crossreference of closing those fancy
(18:01):
watches it He's just a temperature like a cross
reference of here. Say what I saw I was watching it
today. She'll have the same
temperature. Oh, that's a good Sunday swim.
So, yeah. I mean, the moment trying to
save up and figure out, If there's a really good watch out
(18:21):
there, that will visual water temperature while you sleeping,
maybe we should do some crowdfunding or something.
Yeah, absolutely. Some sort of device that we can
title upon too. Yeah just constantly update.
And transmits. Yeah.
Big. But then I gave itself, you'll
(18:43):
find something to see with the yeah.
And they can stay charged and all these thoughts.
So, it's a little bit of a challenge, but and also the
pontoons often get taken away atthis time.
If you don't Yeah, I think we gotta disappear fairly.
So for two or three months. Yeah.
So yeah, I just sort of not quite sure.
(19:04):
What would you? About the vitamins.
Is she quite accurate at the moment?
Yeah, that's good to know. Yeah, I'm sure the 50 meters
between the football team and the beach Is half a degree
colder than Beyond. Yeah, it's funny how sensitive
you can become to the temperature changes.
(19:25):
When you swim every day, you really notice like I have to
break and make a difference. Yep.
Yep. Definitely notice for drops
like, half a degree or even a whole degree is quite
challenging, you know. Yeah, I was gonna ask you about
the porridge, your porridge has come up in a few episodes
already. Oh yeah.
It's something you introduced. I think a year or two ago and
(19:50):
that's great way to warm up the core temperature of the body,
after after a big swim. Yeah, it's a bit of a work of
art but because, you know, you change the colors of the, the
decorations on top of the porridge, it's got flowers on
it. You know that Instagram where
they will have to share some photos on the episode show notes
for that. So that you're doing like do you
(20:13):
come up with the porridge flavors and you sort of tried,
dream up, something different from each week.
Yeah, just keep an interesting. I think it was, oh, he would
have been here at PhD. Gave us the idea actually
(20:34):
because we're looking for something.
Hot and filling then we could serve up to to the swimmers. and
the weekends and Their, we had tried a few things we tried.
Hot soups. We've tried.
It all sorts of things over the years.
(20:57):
And it's that little space whichis the size of a broom cupboard.
It's really hard to do anything and just saw them.
They some particularly really good.
Well I mean I played around withsome porridge speculation main
shop and thought Oh yeah we could we could probably do that
(21:18):
you know but a fart so In about two square feet.
Now we've got some of the standsthere and doesn't move the purge
together every every week in. And yeah, just try and I just
really hot. So we try and cook it each Bowl
(21:40):
on the spot or order. So it does come out.
Really nice and hot. And then obviously we try and
provide some options as well. People are dairy, intolerance or
the fair oats, or they have somesort of entrance.
We give them the option to buy the swap things out.
We can. Yeah.
(22:03):
So it's been quite popular. We were actually stop it for
summer and come up with something.
Probably less wintry for summer like a smoothie or something,
maybe things like avocado on toast and review them in playing
around with. A folded folded on toast.
(22:23):
Oh, yeah, you think might be quite nice but then, once the
cold weather never really stopped Last Summer.
So we're right with the cold weather.
Yeah. Christmas new year was her
shocking, wasn't it? Yeah, yeah.
(22:44):
That's a good point. It's very relative and
Wellington like, Summer is not necessarily hot.
Yeah, yeah. So we just continue with the
parts. I remember saying to, when the
girls And the middle of March when it was like quite hot quite
warm for week or two. I said, I Was supposed to stop
(23:06):
porridge before summer. Now, it's almost winter.
I think we're just keep going. I say, I suppose, even in the
summer, the water temperature doesn't usually get. 20 does it.
So, you know, if you've done A swim.
Still need warming up. Yeah, yeah.
I mean if it gets a 20 you Everyone's in the Water by them?
(23:31):
Yeah, for willing to So yeah, I think 1890 was tends to be the
temperature in Wellington. That's right.
Yeah. And the summer on a nice day,
like you have massive queues. Yeah.
And when to the q's might be a little bit smaller but you still
got your, your crowd of people who will come pretty much no
(23:53):
matter what and do it Sunday's one.
Yeah you haven't like there. I think there are times you
don't open but it's pretty rare isn't that you wouldn't open it
all? Yeah yeah normally we don't open
the Fitz. A gale force winds and
torrential rain that we have been known to to open on days
(24:16):
like that. Usually the ones that will get
us if it's really strong, Northerly or come straight
through our front door and we can't do anything about it, and
the straw is everything. If it's a southerly.
Even if it's raining, it's quiteopenable because for sale from
the Subway on the side of the Harbour, right.
(24:38):
So yeah, right. That's beautiful swimming
conditions in the subway. It doesn't actually yeah, nice
and flat. Yeah.
Yeah, I love goyard, that's lovely.
When you swim in pretty much anyconditions or the flat, I'm
still trying to learn how to deal with choppy water.
Yeah, I can relate and there's alittle bit of chop.
(25:01):
It's okay. I remember a couple of years ago
when I was still just getting beyond the Pontoon and there was
One of those really strong novelty days in the wave, so
huge. I thought I'll just go for
talking about scary but hey could be quite exciting.
I'll just go for pedal out to the Pontoon and back they got
(25:25):
out of the Stars upon team. And I thought I was going to
drown I literally, you know, their yipsy.
Then we panic in the water. Yes.
And then you lose all control ofwhat you should be doing.
Yes. Then you start to go under
because you don't relax. Yeah, panicking.
So I got that point just out by the pond tomb of these massive
(25:49):
waves. and thought I was gonna make it back and that's The, the
till myself, just calm down. Just calm down.
You know, and I got big butt. The sort of my challenge now is
(26:09):
to be there as a bit of a novelty is to go out, and to
challenge myself, to be able to swim into the ways and under the
ways, and yeah, in a fear distance out, and then turn
around and come back again. So I'm getting better at it.
Yeah. Into start feeling the rhythm of
(26:31):
a little bit. Don't you?
And yeah, learn how to position your body so it feels less like
your fighting and yeah. I totally know what you mean
about having to work on it. Yeah.
Yeah, it's hard to be, you know,we grab it a couple of mouthfuls
or sea water. You lose your Revival and you.
It's only panic and yeah but we'll see water.
(26:54):
The next ways hitting you lovely.
Oh no. No no.
You got that fight or flight response but you can't run away.
No you're not. You've got one of the best views
(27:14):
in town at Freiburg Beach. I reckon and fishing the atem in
the spring. You get this spectacular
Sunrise. Is there?
It just make enough for something.
Like there was a beautiful one just yesterday morning because
that's good. Okay, yeah.
You might get a sort of a feel for the seasons and all the, the
variations of the weather. Oh yeah.
Yeah I absolutely love the sun rises in this time of the years
(27:38):
great because the sun comes up alot later.
So we don't get out of the water.
So she Before Sunrise. In racing.
I get changed. as kid and try and grab a hot drink and just
send out there for 10 minutes and watch the sun, keep up over
(28:00):
the hills. So I really enjoy that and let
us really dark but you turn up in the morning.
I'm always taking a photo. So every day I'm down there,
I'll take a show from the same spot.
Yeah. So I've actually got probably
(28:22):
Oh, holy like six or seven hundred photos days with photos
now, my plan is this point. to do collage of 500 Days of Summer
or something like that. And just have The same view from
the same point, looking out intothe harbor, and then your
brother see the transition of the weather and the sunrise and
(28:46):
the light. For over a year.
And just see the person of how it changes.
Throughout the year. So there's that idea.
I love, that's brilliant. Yeah.
I like taking photos as well of my slime so I know.
Yeah I can imagine just how manyif accumulated and how every
single one would be different. Even though that's the same spot
(29:08):
because no day is the same and no swimmers the same.
No, You yesterday? Yeah, blocking the view but
yeah. But just need to be cleaned up
every now and then don't they. Yeah speaking of which I know
we've had some pretty incrediblestorms.
(29:30):
Won a couple of weeks ago. Yeah.
The better effect. You at all?
Yeah. Um aside from not being able to
open Know, it's been reasonably good.
We get a bit of flooding around there so we're not high tide.
Um, the water tables quite abouthigher.
(29:52):
And then the drains that are around that building don't drain
away quickly enough and quite often if it's a big downpour
like it was a couple of weeks ago.
They overflow here. They're very good to take some
of the drainage material back out again.
And if it's really bad, then we'll end up with water going
(30:16):
into our little kiosk as well. So if we know the weather's
going to be bad B, get everything off the floors, roll
up the Nets. and like, even lastweek, last Friday was a little
bit of a downpour We had a couple of scenes of water all
through the kiosk. So we've said to go down there
(30:40):
and sweep all the water out and did it dry out.
But quite used to it as he couldopportunity to the floor, really
good scrubbers as well, don't get sick right side benefit
that. We used to get flooded almost
every rainfall for a while. And so we figured out that a
(31:03):
couple of the drains on the roofof the building where a
completely blocked for about three years.
And then once the council found out, they needed to unblock the
trains occasionally. We have made such a big problem
now. So it's only when we have sort
of streams Thorns now that we may get combined up a high tide
(31:26):
if we may get a little bit flooded.
Yeah. Yeah that's better.
Yeah yeah it's not ideal that starter other major issue these
days. Yeah and we get quite a bit of
well occasionally we get marine life that comes into the harbor
like oh and I always seem to miss the okay but yeah have you
(31:49):
had the opportunity to sing themcome right in.
I think there were not too long ago like dolphins or something.
I completely missed that. you'veseen dolphins and orcas in the
past, with a big sea lion, Part that self on the beach.
For about a week that was yeah, I remember coming to visit that,
(32:11):
I mean, you have to stay, there's a rule where it's
cordoned off and you stayed in number of meters back because
they can be quite aggressive. Yeah that's right hang around
for a while, doesn't that? Yeah yeah I remember everyone
that was going out swimming its warp around it.
I remember going for my sperm. And just so looking back on the
(32:33):
beach one. I thinking I hope it doesn't get
in the water. Yeah yeah.
They I mean like they just really sleep on the beach.
Don't they they're resting aftertheir huge swim from Antarctica.
They they're fast in the water, so I wouldn't want to, I
wouldn't want to be something you want to be breakfast lunch.
Exactly. And I think we look at one time.
(32:57):
and, I was out for swimming. I came back and then she was one
of the Sunday summer sit on She's not swim about 20 meters
passed you. I said oh it's she filmed it was
me something back in the beach. And no behind me.
The full round of an orca. They come very close to shore.
(33:23):
Wow, that's me. Yeah, they do come in really
close and there are enormous something.
Yeah, I'm not sure how I feel about swimming with one.
Like it would be a privilege. But at the same time, if I was
caught by surprise, I don't agree.
So were you kind of relief that you didn't know?
Yes, yes I mean jellyfish are bearded up sometimes in the
(33:48):
summer, we're you know, you swimalong and there's big moon
jellies and we've occasionally, we just grabbed one of those my
hand and they always feel like they feel like someone's liver
or heart or less. This yeah.
Would you feel and that's quite freaky?
Yeah. I don't mind the little cells
(34:10):
that she quite enjoy. The little things I think, feels
like swimming through bubble teaor something like that.
Yeah, exactly. Yeah, they're quite.
So, I really quite enjoyed thosein the Funny as things was about
a year to go. I was out swinging in the pitch
black but this time of the year year and Out close to around the
(34:32):
first boy. And then, I feel something sort
of brushed past widely. What?
Oh, my God! That was a little bit of seaweed
the few anything like the seaweed or anything like that.
Jellyfish. you know, having a slight seeking to panic.
If I had this voice guy, oh sorry.
(34:57):
And it was a chap called Kevin. He used to go out swim in the
pitch, black is all solo by himself.
Much better than me. And he had some out these much
faster. He caught up to me.
Is slum into my league grabbed, my leg of his hand.
And I thought he was some sort of fish or something fish or
(35:18):
something, and I must think of anyway, however Friday,
especially in the dark when you play couldn't see him or like.
Oh sorry. Oh that's all right.
He goes, you Graham? You think the whole Harbor?
Yeah, exactly. Like this so much empty.
Empty water and yeah 6:00 in themornings.
(35:41):
Yeah. But it was quite bizarre, how
close? I don't give any close calls of
others. Oh a dog at one point.
Oh yeah. Even that like at the second or
second boy or something to come out quite far and like yeah, so
(36:03):
just don't know what's gonna happen.
It's amazing how big the ocean can be.
A two or three little. Spots or people creatures of
their you will collide with them.
Yeah, yeah. Trading to you this morning and
I I didn't know about your roof accident.
(36:25):
So like I'm really sorry that that happened and I'm glad that
you You found, you know, the ocean as a way to, you know,
help with the pain of in the information.
I know that a lot of people findthe cold water helpful for that.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah.
Well, certainly helps the whole rehab of the injury.
(36:46):
Yeah, I was sort of 99% back nowbut other one besides the video
they get back, that's all permanent scars on the injury.
But yeah, I don't see big and I'm running, you know, sawing a
game and oh, you're running too.That's great.
Yeah, yeah but older the outsidethe swing is being a real real
(37:16):
owners, I guess the whole stairsbecause I I remember the days
when I wasn't swimming and yeah that when you hit the sun is
coming in the morning and then the weekends gosh, they're all.
So happy is like one big party. You know, then.
(37:38):
When I start something, I saw they realize why people are so
happy. Because I know you just come out
of there. Such a positive frame of mind.
Yeah, it is huge groups. Now if you go down there,
similar clock on a Friday morning, there's one of those
Communities social groups, there's about 60 or 70 people.
(38:00):
They turn up just to go for to And then there's a trifling
group and then there's the usualsorts.
So its up to 10010 people, some warnings on a Friday morning.
clock all in the water and 34 years ago.
(38:21):
That just would you would never imagine, there would be the
case. so, I think it's somethingthat people are just finding is
A wonderful way to start the day.
I think it was challenging worldas well.
It's a nice way to Go into levelheaded every morning if you go
(38:43):
for a bit of a dip. Exactly, yeah, I've heard people
describe it as, like, a bit of areset.
Yeah, and also it's a break. Yeah, break from everything else
that's going on, you can't. Well, unless you got a
smartwatch or something, you can't take your phone with you
and water, which is one of the things I like about it.
Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
(39:04):
So yep. Just you the ocean really
There's lovely to just go out when I get my chin around.
I'll just Treat water for a while.
Just look at the light. Yeah.
Why am I back? Yeah, look at the stars.
(39:25):
All the sun coming up or something and see it.
It's incredible, isn't it? Yeah, that's lucky Wellington
and you must have gotten to knowpeople really well over the last
like, 10 to 14 years. Yeah.
Yeah. But it's, it's all the bonuses
that they mostly appreciate and understand.
Along my customers as well. And There is a sense of
(39:50):
commonality as well. And So I've been some wonderful
people can continue to do so. And the funniest thing is that a
lot of visitors, they come down to five big night in the
morning. Grab a coffee.
They, they come up and they see the swimmers going in.
The water coming out of the water.
(40:12):
Okay. Oh man, people come be crazy in
the morning, the early in the morning, and I've already been
for myself, it's quite nice. I think, you know, Each other.
(40:35):
That's always a little bit colder than they come from.
Yeah. Yeah.
That's always. People are crazy.
We know crazy. Crazy in a good way, maybe.
Yeah, awesome. Thank you, Graham.
Thanks so much for your time this morning.
(40:55):
Oh, you're welcome. Is there anything else you want
to mention that I haven't asked you about?
um, not really, I think if anyone's got any suggestions
they'd like to see because I guess over the 14th or so that
I've had the place we've just tried to refine and refining to
(41:17):
get as much as of what customerswould like.
Down there, specially our regulars.
So there's anything that People would like to see or think would
be useful that we could do, theywill do.
I'm being. Spinning.
(41:39):
The last few months or longer trying to Lobby the council to
get those outdoor showers, but more powerful. so, that's, a
very low priority thing for the council.
(41:59):
So yeah, so I'm trying to get the showers, thanks because I
use those shows every morning. and yeah, we were trying to Keep
changing rooms are toilets maintained properly as well.
So if any of the facilities around Freiburg, whereas the
(42:20):
grass, or the, or the building, if anyone's got any suggestions
ideas, Then just let me know andif we can, we'll go back and try
and Lobby the account to help us.
Invest them and do a few more things, that'll make it useful.
Okay. And likewise if there's anything
(42:43):
that the oceans, one Community can do to support you and your
business apart from just carrying on buying the cafes and
Then yeah, yeah. We've got the WhatsApp was
coming up actually. Yeah, when he first of June,
that's a Saturday. Which site at about.
Yeah. And we always try and do
(43:09):
something a little bit differenton that day. because again, it's
a lot of people that don't normally Run into the ocean will
come down and run into Aviation.Just yeah, they don't.
It's like yeah. Yeah.
On the shortest day. Yeah, often brings him mild
(43:29):
wine, which is pretty special. Yeah, yeah.
That's right. Yeah.
So he he Gatherings know, alwayshappy to the host of Tables,
whatever. For people to use, if they want
to you. Awesome.
(43:50):
Thank you Graham. Oh, that's good.
Tonight. Well, thanks again for your time
and I'll probably see you on Sunday.
Yeah. Probably Thanks for listening to
this episode of swim chats. Please remember to follow or
subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode and if you
(44:12):
enjoyed it you can leave a five star rating and review which
helps other people find it too. Enjoy the water and we'll see
you next time.
Welcome to the swim chats podcast.
I'm Shona Riddell a writer, former journalist and ocean
swimmer from Wellington Al Tierra in New Zealand for each
episode. I'll feature a different guest
from our swim community. There'll be Dippers Adventure,
swimmers coaches and conservationists with one thing
in common. They all loved being in the sea.
(00:24):
So whether you're a swimmer yourself or just interested in
the stories about the oceans andpeople expanding their comfort
zones. I hope you enjoyed these swim
chats. Please hit follow or subscribe
so you don't miss an episode. Graham, welcome to swim chats.
Thank you and just to clarify you're the owner of Jalisa Mo
(00:45):
gelato and Wellington City. Yep.
So the owner of Jalisa Marie fryberg at Oriental Bay are
there any other jealous that I have missed?
No. No, thank you.
So I think coming to your Cafe at Fryeburg for about three
(01:06):
years now, which is about the time I joined Barb Watson's
group and all right. Yeah.
You're a fixture of my Sunday mornings after the swim we have.
And we catch up and so first of all, I wanted to say thank you
for all the coffees because It is such an important spot for
(01:27):
swimmers that we all we all do our swims, no matter how far we
go. But then we all come in and we
have our coffee and scan or porridge or whatever, and you
just learn so much about other people and it's a really good
opportunity to learn what other people are up to and what their
goals are. And you know, swap health and
safety advice especially as they're coming into winter.
(01:49):
Yeah. And everyone's always in good
spirits after a swim and a coffee as well.
So mmm really sort of positive vibe of sure.
Yeah, yeah. There's great.
So, when did you first? Probably.
(02:09):
About 14 years ago now. Oh, very long time ago.
Yeah, yeah. So you're looking a lot of
people coming and going on Sundays.
Yeah. Yeah.
The crowds changed quite a bit. Yeah.
I was just five or ten years we've seen.
This thing. Growth in terms of people coming
(02:32):
to the beach and different timesof the day as well.
Yeah, no. We give the swimmers in the
morning and we get sort of the caregivers and the little babies
and things around. Yeah.
But later in the morning and then just all changes throughout
the day. Yeah, that's a good point.
I'm just there. It's a fuk and yeah.
(02:53):
You'll be okay. And so once all the cold water
swimmers go, then you get the kind of the more same people.
well, they think they will say have you noticed?
You know, more and more people swimming into winter over the
last 10 years as well. Yeah, I probably already
(03:15):
started. Sorry, probably about the same
time as you about three, four years ago.
And I remember was I ran a lot. I used to run every morning.
That was why so morning? It's size that I turned up at
I'd run for Freiburg and run around the base of the dark. and
(03:38):
come back if there's always Google plus one of the two
others Sing there every day, waiting to go in the water about
to get in the water. And I think. when I first, I
guess some notice that it was probably a handful of people
(04:01):
that would get in early in the morning that I noticed during
the week. I used some run past or walk
past that stage and just go ah they're made buggers.
Yeah, don't cold. So dark, you know?
Yeah, and never never imagining that one day.
You would be one of those peopleI used to be a runner too.
(04:26):
And I think a lot of Runners become Slumbers, don't they?
I don't know if that was your reason for.
Yeah. And but for me, like, I had to
stop running because it was justgetting a bit painful on my
joints. Yeah, yeah, well, actually fluff
the roof of my house. Oh my goodness.
So four years ago and I was laidup for a whole summer, they're
(04:47):
sort of ruled my my running career so to speak. so, we went
through about six months of therapy and The things like that
and I'm crutches for for half a year.
Still limping around in the mud points.
After about nine months. there'sstill been a pain and legs and
(05:10):
things. And my physically said, well,
there's nothing more to do for you, set a toughened out and go
and run it they and go through rehab and they give your body
back east or the So that's what I sort of.
Tried to start running again. And then one more thing when I
(05:33):
was watching, those made people get in the ocean.
No, I thought maybe I'll just gofor quick tip.
Might be nice way to cool down and and some of the soreness on
the pain. So, I jumped in just my running
shorts. And for holy cow tender and
(05:54):
literally right back out again. But the league still feel a lot
better. And they're not just sort of
went from there. And every other side that every
day, I ran my reward would be togo for a dip in the sea.
See how long I could last afterwards?
So, that was my plan. I never plan to swim.
(06:18):
Because I grew up with a lifelong fear of drowning and I
never actually knew how to swim.But I quite comfortably got to
my chest. so, that's what I did.I'd run and, you know, enough
for my run a cool down in the sea.
(06:39):
And just see how long it lasts before I got too cold.
I ate the run back out again. And all the while I'm watching
these people go. Swimming past me and get out for
half an hour or whatever. you know, and then I don't know how
it happened but just sort of theslim or the tip, he came far
(07:04):
more enjoyable than the Run. So over?
Yeah. One took over at all the time.
Swinging. More than I'm running.
Yeah. And then I Tried to swim out, to
the Pontoon on The Big Year. To get there.
Without panicking and it's from there.
(07:27):
And Bob was a huge help. She, she's only giving me two
pieces of a dice. Over the course of a year or so.
And it just Helped heaps. And I just they're pretty much
self-taught and just for A little bit like running.
(07:48):
When you first start, you sort of get hooked.
And then you think I can go backfurther and go back further.
I don't feel that long ago. Don't feel that longer.
You know. Yeah.
You want to say what? You're okay, capable of.
Yeah, yeah. So that's all gone from there.
Do you remember what Bob's advice was?
You said she had two pieces of advice, yeah, she know, she'll
(08:11):
be in the car every single morning.
Taking those days in the morning, And I sort of the who
she was but didn't know who she was and my face.
And I'll be trying to get out tothe Pontoon bit. and, I've
always been like, I'm trying to get my exercise done before I
(08:32):
open. And then I'll be something on my
chair. Having my coffee watching the
sunrise. She walked past five morning and
she tapped me on the shoulder. and she said, stop.
She's in slow down. I said, oh, what do you mean?
She says, you look like your fighting the water.
(08:55):
Just slow everything down. And even just float there.
Without moving. Mmm, you know.
I said oh okay is she says you know he'll be watching you
rewarding. I can hear her voice saying
(09:18):
that. Yeah.
What are you slowed everything down here.
Yeah yeah so that was great in and then, About a week later.
(09:43):
She came out and she is all. He's a pair of goggles, this is
over the whole station. My car people that find them and
him and Like I'll give you paired goggle, make a world of
difference beside. I'd literally would just take up
my running gear and just run on the water.
(10:04):
So, it's going to be a pair of goggles.
And told me to put blue taken, my ears.
They stop the water, getting in my ears.
And and like a lot of difference.
And the next stage, she came down, he is a cap to get me
kick. And that was life changing.
You know, a swing campers are life changing.
(10:26):
It makes a huge difference, doesn't that I remember I had to
learn that too. But yeah, wouldn't have a swim
cap. I remember when I started which
was a few years ago. Yeah.
Getting a really cold head and not realizing what a difference.
It makes just putting yeah. Basically, yeah.
With the cold water on the doesn't get in here, it's not
(10:47):
getting a ears. If you feel so much safer this
little boy. Yeah.
All this irritated. So oh so that made a huge
difference in terms of My confidence as well.
So yeah, so it's from there. Just keep going and keep going
(11:11):
and yeah, eventually I acquired all the stuff that swollen said,
like a TOEFL and A little torch Fleet behead, they got from Barb
as well. And Yeah, so all these
accessories helped don't they? Yeah, yeah, so yeah, she's made.
She's gonna be a little bit of advice, but it's been enormous
(11:35):
where I am. Yeah, she said a guru of Open
Water Swimming ears. She is just.
Yeah. And so, do you help you swim
these days? And how far do you go when you
swim? I'm literally.
I've been there every day. Every day, possible. and really
(11:59):
comes from me, comes down to Tryto be out of water by civil the
plot but it depends on how earlyI can get down there.
But typically all Old swim anyway.
Between his shoulder's, 500 meters could be as long as one
half, okay? I feel sick.
And Oily, really good day and just swim around.
(12:26):
Pretty much to the first flooring back, if I can manage
it, most mornings here. That's awesome.
And so be coming in the dark. At this time of year.
Absolutely pitch black at the moment, isn't it?
Yeah, I just I was talking to Brett Richardson for the last
episode. Um, yes, so he's he's one who
(12:46):
swings on the dark, you know, tothe pre-dawn and he was saying
his inner now at the moment and it's still pitch black when he's
finished his swim. Yeah.
Yeah. I actually love the dark.
I prefer it. Oh, really?
Yeah, I think no. when you're running, he's sort of zone out
(13:09):
after a while and Empty here, brain and I think I'm now doing
that when I'm swinging. a small mouth is just sort of time to
just reset your brain and flush everything out and I quite like
the lights because I breathe on one side so never gate by
(13:30):
looking at the light in the city.
Believe when I sort of get out to a turnaround for, when I come
back, I can navigate with the lights, longer Oriental parade
and they sort of keep me occupied.
Yeah, but when a daytime, you know, have Those nice lights.
And, you know, I quite enjoy just Not Bank of not being able
(13:55):
to see what's around me as well.I actually quite enjoy it.
So yeah, and how do you find thetemperature at the moment?
I think it was like a year and ahalf to two years ago I decided
The fishy I stopped over winter and didn't really picked up
(14:16):
against all spring and then theywent off, I thought like I keep
swimming. I might notice the temperature
drop as much. so I swim through winter in a got colder and
colder, but a kit going in I really quite enjoyed it.
So but at the moment, it's about14 degrees.
(14:40):
I I just I've just been in Vietnam for the last week.
It was 37 degrees in the sea. Imagine yeah.
Unbelievable. And refreshing, you know we got
to swim. Yeah, I came back in yesterday
(15:02):
was the first day I jumped in since I got back.
And yeah, I've been for two days, cycling, myself up. 27 to
14 27th and 14. Yeah, 14 degree of 27 degrees.
And so, I jumped and it was really cold.
(15:25):
I think my hands are people likeme now?
Yeah. So that's right.
Yeah yeah. Just the faster and just keeps
coming to. I got warm.
Yeah but it's like got how far out to the first boy before?
My body saw her death of the game.
(15:47):
I thought too bad. I was quite nice.
Yeah, yeah. I'm the idea of it has Hader
than actually doing it as an appit is.
Oh yeah. Yes.
I mean last year got down those 8.3 was the coldest.
That's right. Yeah, I remember that day and So
(16:10):
I still got a long way to go butit's cold enough for me at the
moment. How enough I was gonna say you
write the water temperature on the wall of the cafe.
Yeah, which is, it's really a nice way to, you know, you get
out and have a look and it's like I swam and you know, 12
degree water today or something.And you see it going down as we
(16:32):
get through winter and then you set going back up again.
Yeah. And how do you, how do you
measure it? Do you have a special?
Well, credit to James that Adrian who Adrian came up?
One day, see me? Oh, we know she saw someone
around how to beat rights. The water temperature up on the
(16:54):
wall, we thought you could do the same thing as good idea.
she's, We've we've bought you a formula in a pickle if you put
another big a football. Oh it's great.
Okay, tie that around. tight to my shorts and Um, miserable
(17:17):
temperature they Up On the Pontoon and come back.
And it's quite hard reading for Monitor and the dark.
But yeah, I was gonna say, how do you, how do you do it?
I managed it for a few weeks. Yeah.
And then, on months one, the formats are broke.
I don't know how bright the cases here, but there's no
(17:37):
formats. So they probably so, but the
straw about that and then so nowat the moment I'm using the, the
environmental Wellington site seems to be reasonably accurate
because occasionally I get crossreference of closing those fancy
(18:01):
watches it He's just a temperature like a cross
reference of here. Say what I saw I was watching it
today. She'll have the same
temperature. Oh, that's a good Sunday swim.
So, yeah. I mean, the moment trying to
save up and figure out, If there's a really good watch out
(18:21):
there, that will visual water temperature while you sleeping,
maybe we should do some crowdfunding or something.
Yeah, absolutely. Some sort of device that we can
title upon too. Yeah just constantly update.
And transmits. Yeah.
Big. But then I gave itself, you'll
(18:43):
find something to see with the yeah.
And they can stay charged and all these thoughts.
So, it's a little bit of a challenge, but and also the
pontoons often get taken away atthis time.
If you don't Yeah, I think we gotta disappear fairly.
So for two or three months. Yeah.
So yeah, I just sort of not quite sure.
(19:04):
What would you? About the vitamins.
Is she quite accurate at the moment?
Yeah, that's good to know. Yeah, I'm sure the 50 meters
between the football team and the beach Is half a degree
colder than Beyond. Yeah, it's funny how sensitive
you can become to the temperature changes.
(19:25):
When you swim every day, you really notice like I have to
break and make a difference. Yep.
Yep. Definitely notice for drops
like, half a degree or even a whole degree is quite
challenging, you know. Yeah, I was gonna ask you about
the porridge, your porridge has come up in a few episodes
already. Oh yeah.
It's something you introduced. I think a year or two ago and
(19:50):
that's great way to warm up the core temperature of the body,
after after a big swim. Yeah, it's a bit of a work of
art but because, you know, you change the colors of the, the
decorations on top of the porridge, it's got flowers on
it. You know that Instagram where
they will have to share some photos on the episode show notes
for that. So that you're doing like do you
(20:13):
come up with the porridge flavors and you sort of tried,
dream up, something different from each week.
Yeah, just keep an interesting. I think it was, oh, he would
have been here at PhD. Gave us the idea actually
(20:34):
because we're looking for something.
Hot and filling then we could serve up to to the swimmers. and
the weekends and Their, we had tried a few things we tried.
Hot soups. We've tried.
It all sorts of things over the years.
(20:57):
And it's that little space whichis the size of a broom cupboard.
It's really hard to do anything and just saw them.
They some particularly really good.
Well I mean I played around withsome porridge speculation main
shop and thought Oh yeah we could we could probably do that
(21:18):
you know but a fart so In about two square feet.
Now we've got some of the standsthere and doesn't move the purge
together every every week in. And yeah, just try and I just
really hot. So we try and cook it each Bowl
(21:40):
on the spot or order. So it does come out.
Really nice and hot. And then obviously we try and
provide some options as well. People are dairy, intolerance or
the fair oats, or they have somesort of entrance.
We give them the option to buy the swap things out.
We can. Yeah.
(22:03):
So it's been quite popular. We were actually stop it for
summer and come up with something.
Probably less wintry for summer like a smoothie or something,
maybe things like avocado on toast and review them in playing
around with. A folded folded on toast.
(22:23):
Oh, yeah, you think might be quite nice but then, once the
cold weather never really stopped Last Summer.
So we're right with the cold weather.
Yeah. Christmas new year was her
shocking, wasn't it? Yeah, yeah.
(22:44):
That's a good point. It's very relative and
Wellington like, Summer is not necessarily hot.
Yeah, yeah. So we just continue with the
parts. I remember saying to, when the
girls And the middle of March when it was like quite hot quite
warm for week or two. I said, I Was supposed to stop
(23:06):
porridge before summer. Now, it's almost winter.
I think we're just keep going. I say, I suppose, even in the
summer, the water temperature doesn't usually get. 20 does it.
So, you know, if you've done A swim.
Still need warming up. Yeah, yeah.
I mean if it gets a 20 you Everyone's in the Water by them?
(23:31):
Yeah, for willing to So yeah, I think 1890 was tends to be the
temperature in Wellington. That's right.
Yeah. And the summer on a nice day,
like you have massive queues. Yeah.
And when to the q's might be a little bit smaller but you still
got your, your crowd of people who will come pretty much no
(23:53):
matter what and do it Sunday's one.
Yeah you haven't like there. I think there are times you
don't open but it's pretty rare isn't that you wouldn't open it
all? Yeah yeah normally we don't open
the Fitz. A gale force winds and
torrential rain that we have been known to to open on days
(24:16):
like that. Usually the ones that will get
us if it's really strong, Northerly or come straight
through our front door and we can't do anything about it, and
the straw is everything. If it's a southerly.
Even if it's raining, it's quiteopenable because for sale from
the Subway on the side of the Harbour, right.
(24:38):
So yeah, right. That's beautiful swimming
conditions in the subway. It doesn't actually yeah, nice
and flat. Yeah.
Yeah, I love goyard, that's lovely.
When you swim in pretty much anyconditions or the flat, I'm
still trying to learn how to deal with choppy water.
Yeah, I can relate and there's alittle bit of chop.
(25:01):
It's okay. I remember a couple of years ago
when I was still just getting beyond the Pontoon and there was
One of those really strong novelty days in the wave, so
huge. I thought I'll just go for
talking about scary but hey could be quite exciting.
I'll just go for pedal out to the Pontoon and back they got
(25:25):
out of the Stars upon team. And I thought I was going to
drown I literally, you know, their yipsy.
Then we panic in the water. Yes.
And then you lose all control ofwhat you should be doing.
Yes. Then you start to go under
because you don't relax. Yeah, panicking.
So I got that point just out by the pond tomb of these massive
(25:49):
waves. and thought I was gonna make it back and that's The, the
till myself, just calm down. Just calm down.
You know, and I got big butt. The sort of my challenge now is
(26:09):
to be there as a bit of a novelty is to go out, and to
challenge myself, to be able to swim into the ways and under the
ways, and yeah, in a fear distance out, and then turn
around and come back again. So I'm getting better at it.
Yeah. Into start feeling the rhythm of
(26:31):
a little bit. Don't you?
And yeah, learn how to position your body so it feels less like
your fighting and yeah. I totally know what you mean
about having to work on it. Yeah.
Yeah, it's hard to be, you know,we grab it a couple of mouthfuls
or sea water. You lose your Revival and you.
It's only panic and yeah but we'll see water.
(26:54):
The next ways hitting you lovely.
Oh no. No no.
You got that fight or flight response but you can't run away.
No you're not. You've got one of the best views
(27:14):
in town at Freiburg Beach. I reckon and fishing the atem in
the spring. You get this spectacular
Sunrise. Is there?
It just make enough for something.
Like there was a beautiful one just yesterday morning because
that's good. Okay, yeah.
You might get a sort of a feel for the seasons and all the, the
variations of the weather. Oh yeah.
Yeah I absolutely love the sun rises in this time of the years
(27:38):
great because the sun comes up alot later.
So we don't get out of the water.
So she Before Sunrise. In racing.
I get changed. as kid and try and grab a hot drink and just
send out there for 10 minutes and watch the sun, keep up over
(28:00):
the hills. So I really enjoy that and let
us really dark but you turn up in the morning.
I'm always taking a photo. So every day I'm down there,
I'll take a show from the same spot.
Yeah. So I've actually got probably
(28:22):
Oh, holy like six or seven hundred photos days with photos
now, my plan is this point. to do collage of 500 Days of Summer
or something like that. And just have The same view from
the same point, looking out intothe harbor, and then your
brother see the transition of the weather and the sunrise and
(28:46):
the light. For over a year.
And just see the person of how it changes.
Throughout the year. So there's that idea.
I love, that's brilliant. Yeah.
I like taking photos as well of my slime so I know.
Yeah I can imagine just how manyif accumulated and how every
single one would be different. Even though that's the same spot
(29:08):
because no day is the same and no swimmers the same.
No, You yesterday? Yeah, blocking the view but
yeah. But just need to be cleaned up
every now and then don't they. Yeah speaking of which I know
we've had some pretty incrediblestorms.
(29:30):
Won a couple of weeks ago. Yeah.
The better effect. You at all?
Yeah. Um aside from not being able to
open Know, it's been reasonably good.
We get a bit of flooding around there so we're not high tide.
Um, the water tables quite abouthigher.
(29:52):
And then the drains that are around that building don't drain
away quickly enough and quite often if it's a big downpour
like it was a couple of weeks ago.
They overflow here. They're very good to take some
of the drainage material back out again.
And if it's really bad, then we'll end up with water going
(30:16):
into our little kiosk as well. So if we know the weather's
going to be bad B, get everything off the floors, roll
up the Nets. and like, even lastweek, last Friday was a little
bit of a downpour We had a couple of scenes of water all
through the kiosk. So we've said to go down there
(30:40):
and sweep all the water out and did it dry out.
But quite used to it as he couldopportunity to the floor, really
good scrubbers as well, don't get sick right side benefit
that. We used to get flooded almost
every rainfall for a while. And so we figured out that a
(31:03):
couple of the drains on the roofof the building where a
completely blocked for about three years.
And then once the council found out, they needed to unblock the
trains occasionally. We have made such a big problem
now. So it's only when we have sort
of streams Thorns now that we may get combined up a high tide
(31:26):
if we may get a little bit flooded.
Yeah. Yeah that's better.
Yeah yeah it's not ideal that starter other major issue these
days. Yeah and we get quite a bit of
well occasionally we get marine life that comes into the harbor
like oh and I always seem to miss the okay but yeah have you
(31:49):
had the opportunity to sing themcome right in.
I think there were not too long ago like dolphins or something.
I completely missed that. you'veseen dolphins and orcas in the
past, with a big sea lion, Part that self on the beach.
For about a week that was yeah, I remember coming to visit that,
(32:11):
I mean, you have to stay, there's a rule where it's
cordoned off and you stayed in number of meters back because
they can be quite aggressive. Yeah that's right hang around
for a while, doesn't that? Yeah yeah I remember everyone
that was going out swimming its warp around it.
I remember going for my sperm. And just so looking back on the
(32:33):
beach one. I thinking I hope it doesn't get
in the water. Yeah yeah.
They I mean like they just really sleep on the beach.
Don't they they're resting aftertheir huge swim from Antarctica.
They they're fast in the water, so I wouldn't want to, I
wouldn't want to be something you want to be breakfast lunch.
Exactly. And I think we look at one time.
(32:57):
and, I was out for swimming. I came back and then she was one
of the Sunday summer sit on She's not swim about 20 meters
passed you. I said oh it's she filmed it was
me something back in the beach. And no behind me.
The full round of an orca. They come very close to shore.
(33:23):
Wow, that's me. Yeah, they do come in really
close and there are enormous something.
Yeah, I'm not sure how I feel about swimming with one.
Like it would be a privilege. But at the same time, if I was
caught by surprise, I don't agree.
So were you kind of relief that you didn't know?
Yes, yes I mean jellyfish are bearded up sometimes in the
(33:48):
summer, we're you know, you swimalong and there's big moon
jellies and we've occasionally, we just grabbed one of those my
hand and they always feel like they feel like someone's liver
or heart or less. This yeah.
Would you feel and that's quite freaky?
Yeah. I don't mind the little cells
(34:10):
that she quite enjoy. The little things I think, feels
like swimming through bubble teaor something like that.
Yeah, exactly. Yeah, they're quite.
So, I really quite enjoyed thosein the Funny as things was about
a year to go. I was out swinging in the pitch
black but this time of the year year and Out close to around the
(34:32):
first boy. And then, I feel something sort
of brushed past widely. What?
Oh, my God! That was a little bit of seaweed
the few anything like the seaweed or anything like that.
Jellyfish. you know, having a slight seeking to panic.
If I had this voice guy, oh sorry.
(34:57):
And it was a chap called Kevin. He used to go out swim in the
pitch, black is all solo by himself.
Much better than me. And he had some out these much
faster. He caught up to me.
Is slum into my league grabbed, my leg of his hand.
And I thought he was some sort of fish or something fish or
(35:18):
something, and I must think of anyway, however Friday,
especially in the dark when you play couldn't see him or like.
Oh sorry. Oh that's all right.
He goes, you Graham? You think the whole Harbor?
Yeah, exactly. Like this so much empty.
Empty water and yeah 6:00 in themornings.
(35:41):
Yeah. But it was quite bizarre, how
close? I don't give any close calls of
others. Oh a dog at one point.
Oh yeah. Even that like at the second or
second boy or something to come out quite far and like yeah, so
(36:03):
just don't know what's gonna happen.
It's amazing how big the ocean can be.
A two or three little. Spots or people creatures of
their you will collide with them.
Yeah, yeah. Trading to you this morning and
I I didn't know about your roof accident.
(36:25):
So like I'm really sorry that that happened and I'm glad that
you You found, you know, the ocean as a way to, you know,
help with the pain of in the information.
I know that a lot of people findthe cold water helpful for that.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah.
Well, certainly helps the whole rehab of the injury.
(36:46):
Yeah, I was sort of 99% back nowbut other one besides the video
they get back, that's all permanent scars on the injury.
But yeah, I don't see big and I'm running, you know, sawing a
game and oh, you're running too.That's great.
Yeah, yeah but older the outsidethe swing is being a real real
(37:16):
owners, I guess the whole stairsbecause I I remember the days
when I wasn't swimming and yeah that when you hit the sun is
coming in the morning and then the weekends gosh, they're all.
So happy is like one big party. You know, then.
(37:38):
When I start something, I saw they realize why people are so
happy. Because I know you just come out
of there. Such a positive frame of mind.
Yeah, it is huge groups. Now if you go down there,
similar clock on a Friday morning, there's one of those
Communities social groups, there's about 60 or 70 people.
(38:00):
They turn up just to go for to And then there's a trifling
group and then there's the usualsorts.
So its up to 10010 people, some warnings on a Friday morning.
clock all in the water and 34 years ago.
(38:21):
That just would you would never imagine, there would be the
case. so, I think it's somethingthat people are just finding is
A wonderful way to start the day.
I think it was challenging worldas well.
It's a nice way to Go into levelheaded every morning if you go
(38:43):
for a bit of a dip. Exactly, yeah, I've heard people
describe it as, like, a bit of areset.
Yeah, and also it's a break. Yeah, break from everything else
that's going on, you can't. Well, unless you got a
smartwatch or something, you can't take your phone with you
and water, which is one of the things I like about it.
Yeah. Yeah, yeah.
(39:04):
So yep. Just you the ocean really
There's lovely to just go out when I get my chin around.
I'll just Treat water for a while.
Just look at the light. Yeah.
Why am I back? Yeah, look at the stars.
(39:25):
All the sun coming up or something and see it.
It's incredible, isn't it? Yeah, that's lucky Wellington
and you must have gotten to knowpeople really well over the last
like, 10 to 14 years. Yeah.
Yeah. But it's, it's all the bonuses
that they mostly appreciate and understand.
Along my customers as well. And There is a sense of
(39:50):
commonality as well. And So I've been some wonderful
people can continue to do so. And the funniest thing is that a
lot of visitors, they come down to five big night in the
morning. Grab a coffee.
They, they come up and they see the swimmers going in.
The water coming out of the water.
(40:12):
Okay. Oh man, people come be crazy in
the morning, the early in the morning, and I've already been
for myself, it's quite nice. I think, you know, Each other.
(40:35):
That's always a little bit colder than they come from.
Yeah. Yeah.
That's always. People are crazy.
We know crazy. Crazy in a good way, maybe.
Yeah, awesome. Thank you, Graham.
Thanks so much for your time this morning.
(40:55):
Oh, you're welcome. Is there anything else you want
to mention that I haven't asked you about?
um, not really, I think if anyone's got any suggestions
they'd like to see because I guess over the 14th or so that
I've had the place we've just tried to refine and refining to
(41:17):
get as much as of what customerswould like.
Down there, specially our regulars.
So there's anything that People would like to see or think would
be useful that we could do, theywill do.
I'm being. Spinning.
(41:39):
The last few months or longer trying to Lobby the council to
get those outdoor showers, but more powerful. so, that's, a
very low priority thing for the council.
(41:59):
So yeah, so I'm trying to get the showers, thanks because I
use those shows every morning. and yeah, we were trying to Keep
changing rooms are toilets maintained properly as well.
So if any of the facilities around Freiburg, whereas the
(42:20):
grass, or the, or the building, if anyone's got any suggestions
ideas, Then just let me know andif we can, we'll go back and try
and Lobby the account to help us.
Invest them and do a few more things, that'll make it useful.
Okay. And likewise if there's anything
(42:43):
that the oceans, one Community can do to support you and your
business apart from just carrying on buying the cafes and
Then yeah, yeah. We've got the WhatsApp was
coming up actually. Yeah, when he first of June,
that's a Saturday. Which site at about.
Yeah. And we always try and do
(43:09):
something a little bit differenton that day. because again, it's
a lot of people that don't normally Run into the ocean will
come down and run into Aviation.Just yeah, they don't.
It's like yeah. Yeah.
On the shortest day. Yeah, often brings him mild
(43:29):
wine, which is pretty special. Yeah, yeah.
That's right. Yeah.
So he he Gatherings know, alwayshappy to the host of Tables,
whatever. For people to use, if they want
to you. Awesome.
(43:50):
Thank you Graham. Oh, that's good.
Tonight. Well, thanks again for your time
and I'll probably see you on Sunday.
Yeah. Probably Thanks for listening to
this episode of swim chats. Please remember to follow or
subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode and if you
(44:12):
enjoyed it you can leave a five star rating and review which
helps other people find it too. Enjoy the water and we'll see
you next time.
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