WalkaboutsVerse: WALKABOUTSVERSE 5 OF 230

Poem 5 of 230: STATE TO STATE

(TUNE - IN THE KEY OF C MAJOR:

C2 F2 G2 F3
C2 F2 G2 F3
C2 F2 G2 F3
C2 F2 G2 F3
F2 G2 F2 C3
F2 G2 F2 C3
F2 G2 F2 C3
C2 F2 F2 F3 -

slow then fast)

From Sydney Town,
    In uni. break,
I drove south-west
    To earnings make
Onion picking,
    On the fields
Of Echuca,
    That year’s yields.

                                           After day’s work,
                                               From Y.H.A.,
                                           A group of us
                                               Would not delay
                                           To walk on down
                                               To the dirt rim
                                           Of the Murray -
                                               For a cool swim.

On one such day,
    I do declare,
Some three of us
    Had a big dare
To swim across,
    From state to state,
The wide Murray -
    I took the bait.

                                           Yes, foolishly,
                                               I took the bait -
                                           A choice that I
                                               Would come to hate,
                                           For I almost
                                               Did drown that date,
                                           Making the swim
                                               From state to state.

(C) David Franks 2003
Hear here - http://www.writeoutloud.net/public/blogentry.php?blogentryid=28897

Youth Hostel Association stamp,
from January-February 1987

Location on Google Maps (new tab)

And some extra info. here (new tab):

swimmingholeheaven.com/nsw-murray-moama-beach.htm

My sister having helped encourage me back to swimming during 2015, by 2020 I found I'd reached similar conclusions on wild swimming (if not on everything) to Roger Deakin in his brilliant book Waterlog; below are some photographs of other scenic "swimabouts" - with glasses/without wetsuit - in my 50s (when my clubfoot began to strain on walkabouts); and here are a few tips: when swimming across a river (as above), make it easier for yourself by walking a bit upstream of your intended landing point, or swim upstream first (the current should be less strong closer to the banks) & drift back to your starting point when more tired - and always check if there has been much rain upstream; instead of swimming out to sea, swim along a coastline so, if cramp or fatigue set-in, you are never too far from the safety of land (that said, I've practised coping with cramp & do risk swimming out); with a big hat and head-up breaststroke, you can swim for a long time without getting sunburn; if concerned about leaving belongings or a pool is packed or small, get some good exercise by simply treading water; and, if in shallow water, use backstroke...

Buracona & Salinas, Cabo Verde; 16/12/23

Shelley Beach Pool, Cronulla; 13/11/15 &
23/10/23 - swam several times with sister

Gunnamatta Bay Baths taken 13/11/15 and
swam end-to-end and back in Dec. 2019 -
if calm, doing (naturalists') breaststroke,
you may see fish ahead on your bow wave