The Narooma LifeSaving Energy Big Swim
After the success of the Jindabyne Big Swim, there is growing interest in the Narooma LifeSaving Energy Big Swim, to be held in the Wagonga Inlet on 20/4/08. Here is the plan: The 7km swim will start at Taylor’s fish and chip shop in Narooma at 8am on Sunday 20/4. Entrants will swim into the bay, around a bouy that will be clearly marked, then down the Wagonga Inlet (with the tide) to finish at Little Bar Beach. There is no entry fee, but swimmers will be asked to look for sponsorship, to go towards funding renewable energy for the Narooma and Bermagui surf clubs. A 2km swim will be held on the same day, starting from the bridge, and finishing at Little Bar Beach. Swimming with the tide will make this swim a quick one. An entry fee for the shorter swim will be asked for.
There will be a surf boat race starting at 1200hrs, following the 7km swim course.
Water safety will be provided by the Narooma and Bermagui surf clubs, and there will be live music at the finish.
How much money does this swim need to raise?
We get an $8000 AGO rebate, and the Bega Valley and Eurobodalla councils have agreed to fund LifeSaving Energy dollar for dollar with community donations. The Narooma and Bermagui surf clubs have already started fundraising.
If you put that all together, if we can raise about $8000 with this swim, then we get the Bermagui and Narooma surf clubs set up with renewable energy. We get solar panels and a wind turbine onto the roof of the Narooma surf club in June, and we wait for Bermagui to get a clubhouse. We can instal the renewable energy at Bermagui as a free standing set up, on the site of the surf club, and it can immediately start saving money for the Bermi club.
This swim is also looking to raise some much needed funding for the Narooma swimming club. The swim club are an intergral part of this event, which is evolving into a stong partnership between Clean Energy For Eternity and the surf clubs of SE NSW.
The Jindabyne LifeSaving Energy Big Swim raised nearly $20000 for the Jindy surf club, and renewable energy will be installed on the roof of the surf club on 3/5/08.
The next LSE Big Swim will be in the Moruya River (another 7km swim) on 11/5. This will be to raise money for the Moruya and Broulee surf clubs. Both surf clubs are well underway with fundraising. This event will be open to experienced swimmers only.