Devonport Swim Club

Swim News – Term1 2015

Hi everyone –

Belated welcome back to swimming for a new year. There is quite a lot to report…..

DEVONPORT SWIM CLUB 20 YEARS OLD!

Not a wrinkle in sight but this year the club turns 20 … and so we have decided to throw in a few celebrations, starting with two open water swims and a family picnic while the water and air temperature stay high.

Later in the year (date to be advised) we plan to hold a celebratory dinner. Watch this space…

Our two open water swims are fast approaching:

THE ANNUAL CHELTENHAM SWIM is scheduled for 21 March. Most of you will have already received notification of this – details are at

If you can help out on the day please can you contact me (we need kayakers and beach help). We would also be grateful if anybody can please donate a spot prize –please contact the lovely Jane Goddard at

It would be great to see as many club members as possible competing in this swim. The water is warm and Ian promises a glassy sea.

THE CHELTENHAM CHARGE

Likewise you will see I sent an email about the forthcoming Cheltenham Charge and family picnic on Saturday 28 March. I got a bit ahead of myself and said this was part of our 25th anniversary celebrations (it’s 20 years!). All the same – this promises to be a fun race forunder 18s and we encourage all of our junior swimmers (and friends) to have a go.

OBJECTIVES THIS TERM

You will no doubt have already noticed that this term, masters and orca sessions have added in some open water skills. In the juniors and intermediates we continue to work on starts, turns and short fast swims as well as technique and fitness.

HOLIDAY TIMETABLE

Easter and the first school holidays are fast approaching, so for two weeks over the period April 7 to April 16 the following timetable will operate (there will be no coached swimming over the long Easter weekend 3 – 6 April but masters can “buddy” swim during our allocated hours * see timetable at

**To avoid evening congestion we are splitting orcas between groups. Please ensure you are familiar with the group you should be swimming with (Marjo will let you know).

JUNIOR SQUADS EVENING / 6.20 EVENING SQUADS / 7.00 EVENING SQUADS
TUESDAY 7 April / 5.25 JUNIOR/INTER/NOMINATED ORCAS** / 6.20 40MINS/LATE MASTERS / 7.00 EVENING/LATE MASTERS/NOMINATED ORCAS**
THURSDAY 9 April / 6.00 MORNING MASTERS / 5.25 JUNIOR/INTER/NOMINATED ORCAS** / 6.20 40MINS/LATE MASTERS / 7.00 EVENING/LATE MASTERS/NOMINATED ORCAS **
MONDAY 13 April / 5.25 JUNIOR/INTER/NOMINATED ORCA S** / 6.20 40MINS/LATE MASTERS / 7.00 EVENING/LATE MASTERS/NOMINATED ORCAS **
TUESDAY 14 April / 6.00 MORNING MASTERS / 5.25 JUNIOR/INTER/NOMINATED ORCAS** / 6.20 40MINS/LATE MASTERS / 7.00 EVENING/LATE MASTERS/NOMINATED ORCAS**
THURSDAY 16 April / 6.00 MORNING MASTERS / 5.25 JUNIOR/INTER/NOMINATED ORCAS** / 6.20 40MINS/LATE MASTERS / 7.00 EVENING/LATE MASTERS/NOMINATED ORCAS**

LATENESS

A plea from the coaches to masters: PLEASE TRY TO ARRIVE TO SESSIONS ON TIME. If you are late, please don’t get in and do your own thing. Ask where your lane is up to and join with them. COACHED SESSIONS ARE NOT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FREEDOM SWIMMING. There is some flexibility for coaches to accommodate swimmers with injuries/ conditions. But if you don’t want to or can’t do the programme at all we ask politely for you to swim in your own time on a buddy basis.

GEAR

Lately swimmers have been forgetting to turn up with fins. Please remember to bring NAMED fins to EVERY session.

SOME FINS HAVE BEEN LEFT POOLSIDE. WE WILL NO LONGER HOLD LOST GEAR LEFT LONGER THAN A WEEK SO PLEASE COLLECT IT OR WE WILL FIND IT ANOTHER HOME. In particular we are holding:

-Orange and Black fins – Lois Butler

-Large black “hot buttered” fins- can’t read name

-Very short blue fins ( been there for many months) – no name

-Green / blue fins- no name

Both Aqualine ( Swim T3 offer discounts to club members. Aqualine is a great source of swim basics like goggles while Swim T3 offers a wide range from accessories to fancy wetsuits.

DSC logo swim caps are available for purchase poolside (ask a coach) for $10 each.

OTHER OPEN WATER SWIMS

A few other open water swims that may interest you are:

Saturday March 14 - Cathedral Cove Swim that starts and finishes at HaHei Beach.

Easter Friday on April 3 - MagicalMangawhai 3km swim

May 9 is the Achilles Point Swim (2,4 and 10km distances) at St Heliers.

Registration is on the day but please check for more details.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

The Club maintains a First Aid / Accident / Injury Register. If you attend a coached session please make sure the coach is made aware of any incident so the register can be filled out.

If a First Aid / Accident / Injury incident occurs during a buddy swimming session, any club member involved in or at the incident should report the incident by email to .

In the event of an emergency at the Devonport Naval Base, members and Coaches are to follow the emergency procedures of the Devonport Naval Base. Those procedures are outlined at various locations around the Base including within the swimming pool area.

CONTACT/FEEDBACK

For any general comments, queries or suggestions email me .

For membership, payment or account enquiries -

For Health and Safety issues -

Remember to “like” the facebook page at to keep up with other news.

Robin Harrington

President