When a friend asks you to join them on a mother-and-daughter swim adventure from Fremantle to Rottnest Island, who can say no?
Sadly, my daughter had just started a new job, so she was out. My sister’s daughter couldn’t make it either, so after a few text messages, we had an all-women’s team of six—named East to West....Committed to tackle the Port to Pub challenge!
Our Western Australian teammates superbly handled the strategic planning—organising our boat, skipper, and two paddlers.
Our job? Organise the restaurants and swimsuits. Our Wave Diver X Budgy Smuggler swimsuits were the perfect choice—bold colours that popped against the turquoise waters of WA. Restaurants? Tick.
Before we knew it, we were sitting at Madalenas Bar, sipping Campari Spritzes and enjoying Western Australian seafood. The next evening was spent at Emily Taylor’s, a delight of dumplings—perfect for preloading. With the Sydney time difference, we were all exhausted and ready for an early night’s sleep.
Sadly, The National Hotel’s open mic night meant we didn’t get to sleep until 1:30 am.
With Team 717 tattoos applied and Macca’s coffee in hand, we were ready to board our boat, named Over Dhu. Our Captain WACA had decorated it with two flags—WA and NSW—so we couldn’t be missed by our first swimmer.
A little FYI for the non-swimming readers....
Port2Pub originated in 2016, following the popularity of the Rottnest Channel Swim. For those in the swim community, “Rotto” is iconic—it’s an international event, and just getting into it is a battle in itself. Registrations sell out in minutes once they go live. Port2Pub was born as a more community-minded, chilled event. Nevertheless, it covers the same waterway and distance.
Cloudy and dark. The boat headed off down the coast with an army of other boats it was like a scene from Dunkirk.
Over the radio came.... Elite swimmers are in the water and then the rest of the teams followed. With a shore dump at Leighton Beach our paddler stayed afloat as he led Swimmer 1 out through the chop.
All eyes on the boat were on the first buoy, to locate our and paddler and swimmer.
At the 1 km mark, we spotted our paddler with our first swimmer in tow. High fives all around as our second swimmer jumped in. Our captain had organised a fabulous changeover method, which took us a few turns to master. The swimmer entering the water had to jump in with a floating ring and hand it to the swimmer in the water with a high-five above the surface. Then, we’d be pulled back onto the boat.
Our changeovers were set at 10 minutes: swimmer 2, then 3, 4, 5 and 6, on continual rotation. A 2-metre swell and 80-knot winds were favourable, but not easy. As the kilometres ticked by, we gobbled Vegemite sandwiches, jelly snakes, and salt and vinegar chips—washed down with Gatorade. The diet of champions, all while bopping to “Sweet Caroline” on our boomer playlist, thanks to Captain WACA.
As our confidence grew, so did our flair for entering the water. Swimmer 1 nailed a backflip that won the unofficial award for most spectacular entry! Rotations dropped to 8 minutes as we passed the Costco shipping container.
Everything was going smoothly—until the 13 km mark.
Swimmer 4 was in the water when the radio buzzed with the announcement no one wanted to hear. If you’ve never done an ocean swim, I'll let you know that the radio is filled with chatter between skippers and HQ—often entertaining, sometimes inappropriate, but always good banter.
Then came the call:
“Shark sighted, boat 124.”
Silence. We looked at each other: Is this real?
HQ responded:
“Please confirm your position, boat 124.”
We all leaned over the edge of the boat, scanning the water, yelling for our paddler to bring Swimmer 4 closer. Then, another call:
“Boat 613, confirmed sighting. A 2-metre shark just passed our boat.”
What to do?
Swimmer 4 was safely back on board, and Swimmer 5 bravely entered the water, staying close to the boat. HQ confirmed:
“2-metre shark, likely a white or bronze whaler.”
More chatter. Some boats and teams began to withdraw their swimmers from the water.
As swimmer 5's swim was nearing completion Swimmer 6’s turn was impending. Helicopters hovered overhead, jetskis tracked the shark about 1 km away...
Being Swimmer 6, I can comfortably say a lot was going through my mind. What am I doing? Is this the #SwimIMayRegret... pun intended. I jumped in!! I swam so close to the paddler, hoping his paddle would fend off any action. It was the longest 8 minutes of my life.
Back on board, adrenaline was pumping. Swimmer 1 jumped back in, and HQ announced:
“Race will continue. A 2-metre shark is not considered a significant risk.”
Only in WA would that be OK!
With Rottnest Island in sight, 2 km to go, tunes blaring, we were back on pace. Swell building, currents pushing us south. Rotations down to 5 minutes—we were flying.
At the 19 km mark, we all jumped in and swam the last kilometre together. Funnelled into the finish chute, we joined hands and ran up the beach. Our cheer squad announced we’d won the Veterans Category—6 hours 28 minutes, not bad for a team with an average age of 52!
Beers on board, pizza at the Rottnest Pub, followed by a trip to the dance floor. It was only 7:30 PM but felt like midnight. Off to our glamping tents for a well-earned rest.
The Next Day
A recovery swim at Pinkies Beach was followed by a day exploring Rottnest Island by bike. We headed to Salmon Beach for a swim, with lots of stops along the way. The photos say it all.
After a 10 km ride, we settled in at Havza, a pop-up restaurant with Euro vibes. Must-try cocktails: a refreshing Capri grapefruit over ice. Beaded whiting fillets, olives, and spanner crab cheese. More swims, then back to our beachfront tent for a Western Australian sunset.
Dinner at Isola - a touch of Italy, party hats and streamers to celebrate a significant birthday.
The team farewelled each other in Fremantle, and I ventured off to my next adventure: Margaret River—to hide from the significant birthday milestone.
Highlights from 3 Days in the Margaret River Region
The coast: wilderness meets luxe. The Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park stretches endlessly, with a rugged coastline. Wild and exposed when the wind blows, calm and picture-perfect when it doesn’t. Hidden gems—restaurants, wineries, olive groves, and farm stays.
Swimming spots:
- Smiths Beach – Rugged and remote
- Yallingup – Gorgeous swimming hole protected by a reef, with a surf break beyond
- Bunker Bay – Paradise at the south end
- Canal Rocks – Jump between rock formations and swim under the wooden bridge
Stay
- Luxe: Smiths Beach Resort
- Budget: Tasman Holiday Park
Restaurants
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Ilma Beachhouse
Nestled in this serene oasis, a luxurious seaside retreat. With a sun-kissed setting and views of the Indian Ocean, it’s a place to take a moment to pause and unwind while enjoying one of life’s greatest pleasures; beautiful cuisine all the while listening to the song of the sea
- Lamont’s ..after visiting the store in Cottesloe "A gem of a bistro inside a boutique wine store" we had to try the restaurant which was conveniently at the hotel. The Abrolhos Island half shell scallops | nori butter | jamon bits followed by Roasted Exmouth prawns | sambal | kaffir lime ...
- Meeup Farmhouse home to a family of Alpacas, silkie chooks, Mila the Farmhouse dog, our hairy coos Lizzie.
Wineries
Wellness
3 days of bliss. WA, you surpassed all expectations. I will be back.