Ocean Baths

Looking at Emmaslandscape a few weeks ago I followed her link to see the Leca Swimming pools in Portugal, designed by Alvaro Siza. In Australia, especially New South Wales, we have many ocean baths...and to be honest I have always taken them for granted. Like most things it's when you leave them behind that you realise how great they really are. Emmas blog inspired me to look on the web for images of my favorite ocean baths back home. They vary from small rockpools for children, to full length olympic size pools. The thing that suprised me most when looking all this up was actually how many there are in N.S.W. Over 100 pools along 1200km of coastline. I have probably been to 10 of these!

The Entrance Baths.This is one of the only listed pools, and the one I learnt to swim in. Sounds nice, but actually they used to make us tread water for 10mins, fully dressed in jumpers, jeans and shoes..in Winter! I hated every minute of it.








The Blue Pool, Bermagui. I love how this one has been sensitive to it's surrounding landscape















Bondi Baths. Maybe not so sensitively done, but I still love it. The surf gets so big at Bondi, that the water in the pool is constantly changed. This is the great thing about ocean baths. Sure beats the tepid, chlorine pool at my gym in London




This one is located near Bega. I have not been to it, but found it on google images. I love how the rock formations are actually in the pool

Next time I am in Oz, I am going to see these pools with new eyes. I can't wait to take photos of them all!