In the swim – Kandy Shepherd

They say an author reveals more about her or himself in what they write than they might realise. I have to say that I find this true of myself. For example, it surprises me how often my love of water and swimming seems to sneak into my stories. I’m not doing this on purpose—it just happens!

Curl Curl beach in Sydney on a flat surf day

 My first three books for Harlequin Romance are set in the fictional beachside town of Dolphin Bay (to be published together as an anthology Heart of the Bay by Harlequin Australia on December 12 in Australia and New Zealand.) Beaches and swimming pools, Sydney Harbour, the Yarra River, a fountain and even a bathtub have been significant in other stories, too, whether set in Australia, Indonesia, Greece or a fictional European principality. That the hero and heroine are usually not wearing much in the way of clothing while they’re in the water or on the beach adds to the sensuality of the story too!

North Sydney Pool, a favourite place to swim laps

 I’m not long back from enjoying a fabulous swimming holiday in Crete—my second with a company specialising in Greek open water swimming holidays. It’s an organised tour where you swim with a fully supervised group, divided into smaller ability groups, in the most glorious blue seas. The swim averages five kilometres a day, divided into two swims before and after lunches in Greek tavernas reached only by sea. (The group is The Big BlueSwim if anyone is interested.)

The beautiful blue waters of Crete

 People tend to react with shock when they hear this as I tend to be a somewhat indolent person, happy to loll about reading at any opportunity. Then they wonder if I’m a fantastic swimmer. I’m not. But I’m competent, can stay in the water a long time and am not frightened of deep water. On both the swims I’ve been in the slowest of the groups and very happy with that.

I swam with other swimmers from the US and Israel but mostly British folk where the swim holiday seems to be very popular. Why would an Australian want to swim in Greece they ask? No sharks or other scary creatures is one reply—another is that swimming in such a history soaked country as Greece is something special. I can’t wait to go again!

I couldn't stay out of this hotel pool on the Gold Coast, Queensland

But in the meantime the weather is heating up Down Under and there is no shortage of wonderful places to swim here at home.

How about you? Do you like swimming? Or have another favourite summer activity? Or winter activities? I’d love to hear your comments!

When girls go wild -- well, on holiday, anyway...

I'm just back from a girls weekend away in Queensland with two of my besties. It's the first time in a long time I can remember getting a on a plane for totally non-work reasons.

One of my dear friends moved to Queensland a year or two ago. She used to live in the next suburb over. That was quite a loss. My other friend has lived interstate for many years now, so we've adapted to the distance thing. But getting the three of us together is rare and very special.

What did we do?

Not much, to be honest.

Even my feet got to relax.

There was a lot of talking. And eating. And some drinking too: cups of tea out in the backyard under the shade of a tree with books (or Kindles), then a late afternoon gin and tonic.

It seems that in any girls' gathering I'm involved in, I somehow end up adopting the role of bartender. I don't know why that would possibly be. ;) But I perfected two new drinks this trip. One, a refreshingly icy cocktail I'm definitely going to be making more of this summer. Mix roughly the same amounts of vodka (or gin), lime juice and elderflower cordial in a glass over ice. Top up with soda water. Drink. Yum!

Lest you begin to think it was a total booze fest, I also made a wonderful non-alcoholic fruit punch.

I can't be held responsible if someone "accidentally" tipped a little
gin into it while I wasn't looking, can I?

We did do a little sight-seeing too. There was plenty of beach and sea to look at, which is always wonderful. And an amazing array of other people's homes to view and discuss and critique and lust after. There were several waterfront properties that I'd quite happily call home, should Mr Tattersalls ever decide to bless me with a jackpot.

And, being Bundaberg, we of course had to visit its most famous export.

I think I'm meant to be tickling his tummy. That's
what polar bears like, isn't it?

Can't say I've ever been a fan of the stuff, but the marketing is out of this world. There was an entire shop of stuff that has this critter on it in some shape or form.

Now, the hardest part following a week of fun like this is getting back into the swing of things! Luckily Melbourne has decided to put on some warm weather, so I'm not having too much trouble adjusting. Although my out-of-control "to do" list might tell a different story!

The Lure of Old Fossils (Part 1)

 

Detour for a Crocodile's Smile!

by Sharon Archer

• Toothy smile from the past - Model of Isisfordia duncani

I can't help it - fossils and dinosaurs fascinate me!  Which is why, when I read an article about Isisfordia in a tourist brochure we picked up on our travels... well, we just had to detour to Isisford to meet this great-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-grandfather of crocodiles.  And here he is...

 

His fossilized remains were discovered by Ian Duncan and this replica is proudly displayed in The Outer Barcoo Interpretation Centre in Isisford.

He's much smaller than I'd expected... measuring in at a modest 1 metre in length and weighing in at about 4 kilograms.

• Close up of Osteoderms (the bones that would have been in the skin covered by scales) and the right thigh bone.

• This is him compared to a large, present-day (1000 kg) estuarine crocodile

• I. duncani compared to the width of that big saltie.

The Australia that this little crocodile inhabited was vastly different country to the one we know today. When he lived, 98 million years ago, lakes and swamps and rivers covered the huge basin that had once been the Eromanga Sea.  

Isisfordia duncani was our introduction to Outback Queensland's fabulous fossils and we were delighted to be travelling with no particular itinerary so we could detour to discover these unexpected treasures.
The area is a dinosaur-lover's paradise... and I'll share more of our discoveries in the months to come.

So how about you, are you interested in fossils and dinosaurs?  Do you like travelling with a firm itinerary or do you prefer to wing it and see what turns up?



PS this is us camped on the banks of the Barcoo River at Isisford...