There were assisted swimmers and carers, youngsters in the 300m Junior Swim, all ages and abilities in the 600m race around the Jetty, and serious swimmers challenging themselves with the round-harbour 2km swim.

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All showed nerve, excitement and a commitment to doing their best.

Given the extensive damage suffered by many local beaches over the past weeks, the organisers, Sawtell Surf Life Saving Club, were fortunate that the Ocean Swims in the harbour were not affected.

The event ran like clockwork in glorious conditions.

Sawtell Surf Life Saving Club’s Bruce McPhail said, “520 hardy souls, ranging in age from eight to 78, participated”.

“Most were more than happy to achieve their own personal goal in undertaking and completing the swim.”

Mr McPhail congratulated those swimmers who travelled from a distance, especially The Armidale School contingent, as well as the 52 “committed souls” who used their first swim, the 600m, as a warm-up for the 2km swim around the harbour.

While every swimmer was a winner, it was Abbie Yourell from Evans Head (27:54) and Saul Easman from Hydes Creek (25:48) who came out of the water first in both the 600m and 2000m.

An ocean swimmer since she was 10-years-old, Abbie, now 18, told News Of The Area, “My race plan was to go out hard and try and catch anyone who was in front of me.”

First back in the 300m Junior Swim were Indi Banks from Safety Beach and Archie Peters from Sawtell.

Racing for her 13th CCOS, Lorraine Booth, 78, was the oldest lady in the 600m event.

She achieved a time of 22:19.

“I feel fabulous and very happy to have accomplished it”, she told NOTA.

Getting lucky out of the water, Chris Grieve won the main random draw prize of two nights’ accommodation in an ocean view room at Charlesworth Bay Beach Resort.

Results for the event can be found on the Sawtell SLSC webpage, sawtellsurfclub.com.au/coffs-coast-swims/2025.

Also listed are the business houses and clubs who generously supported the event.

In her presentation to winners, Race Ambassador Brooke Hanson said that next year’s event will be “very special, being the 30th anniversary of the Coffs Coast Ocean Swims”.

By Andrea FERRARI