Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1913-12-18

souls who prefer the embrace OF "the
great sweet mother untrammsled by
the restrictions OF a picket fence
even though the fence is sharkproof
there is Sandringham beach and
Half Moon bay. few miles farther
along the coast. Here people have
their bathing boxes and battle in the
open with a wary eye open for the
appearance of the dorsal I'm of O
shark in the offing. A man who was
fond Of bathing on Sandringham as
sured me once, when asked him IL
he wasn't frightened of sharks, that q
shark would never tackle you in the
water II you splashed and kicked up
noise at Its approach.
But the great sight In the way of
sea bathing In Australia is the sum-
mer surfing carnival at Sydney. 1t is
a remarkable spectacle. II ever you
go TO Sydney Go not miss visit to
Manly or Bondi or Coogee-the three
places all within an hours access OF
Sydney-where the suffers hold high
reyel and make the seascape glad
with their merriment have seen
people battle from various lands I'm
many tides. but 7 have never seen
anything that resembled the joyous
abandon. grace and gayety of Sydney,
surf bathing.
Young people Of both sexes---a dog
en- or more together-go down to the
water hand in hand to swim out to
meet the breakers. Mother Grundy ID
banished from these sea revels. which
are conducted with harmless uncon-
vention and innocent freedom from
artificial sex restraint charming to see
and good to participate in. Every
body is welcome to the open sea, and
II you bump into your lady Nneighbor
as you are swept BACK to shore on the
breakers she accepts your apologies
as laughingly as you tender them.
Nor are introductions necessary IL
you wish to enter into conversation
Something OF the freedom OF the sea
takes possession OF you for the mo-
ment.
The sport has more than spark of
danger, but that seems TO add to It's
attractiveness for Sydney people. In
surf bathing you swim out to the
advancing biliow and dive into It
Just as II breaks--to be swept ashore
with bewildering ecstatic rush amid
the boom OF the surf. But II you are
caught in the powerful retreatiny un-
dertow you win be swept out to sea.
no matter how strong a swimmer you
may be. II that happens. as II fire.
quently does. the only thing is to lie
still and try and float. and wait till
member OF the life saving club
there are always several on duty--is
paid out to you on life line.
Often the victim OF the undercur-
rent is carried away too fast to be
rescued, and the Sydney evening pa
pers dismiss the tragedy Ia few
lines headed Another Fatality at
Surf Bathing" But the appalling Hist
of deaths every season is no deter
rent to the devotees OF surf bathing
They so joyously on with their surf.
In no wise checked by the thought
that they are playing with death.
Sydney surfing is marked by some
peculiar IedtuTcs VI lib OWN. AhVfo
Is the cult of getting brown. for In
stance. The surfer who can disMay
skin Of dark golden brown Is king
of his kind. Young mS--. put In lot
OF time lying about In the scantiest
bathing attire letting the sun dye. or
tan. their bodies the requisite lint
They deplore the slowness OF the
process, and greatly envy the fortu-
nate youth who has night Job of
some sort which permits him to lie
about the beach all day-gettins
brown. They bewail the golden hours
they have to waste in work, and tbs
moment they are free from the cares
Of office they dart by tram out to
their beloved Bondi to get little
Drowned before the sun sets.
Sharks do not bother the surfer
much. The shark in the open sea
prefers to let the deadly undertow
sweep his evening meal out to him.
Inside the harbor he has TO fend for
himself.