Five years ago, a group of women waded into the cold waters of Tasmania and found something much bigger than a swim. Meet the Kingston Beach Sea Hags: a bold, joyful community bound by saltwater, courage, and connection. This podcast dives beneath the surface of “just a bobble” to explore the magic of cold water, the rhythm of “chat-stroke,” and the quiet power of showing up for one another—again and again.

Through choppy mornings, laughter-filled dips, and the kind of friendships that buoy you long after you’ve dried off, the Sea Hags have built something extraordinary. This episode is about bravery in its many forms—stepping into icy water, stepping into community, and stepping up for each other.

If you’ve ever wondered what draws people into the sea at dawn—or what keeps them coming back—this is your invitation to find out.

Because sometimes, the coldest water creates the warmest bonds.

Features:

Annie Wolfe

Jacqui McElwee

Jayne

Helen Kwiecien - co-founder, Sea Hags

Janine Beck, Original Sea Hag

Joanna Butterley

Mentions:

The Sea Hags, Kingston Beach, courage, cold water swimming, ocean swimming, ocean bobbling, chat-stroke, inspirational swimmers, inspirational women, health.

At just 20 years old, Miu Tanaka is balancing university life in Sydney with record-breaking achievements in marathon swimming. The elite open water swimmer has already secured a series of remarkable firsts in Australia’s most challenging aquatic challenges.

Miu Tanaka is the first woman to complete the demanding swim from New Norfolk to Bruny Island in Tasmania. She also became the first woman to conquer Tasmania’s Great Lake on the Central Highlands Plateau—one of the region’s most challenging cold-water swims.

In an extraordinary milestone, Miu is also the first woman to complete the Australian Triple Crown of marathon swimming in a single season, cementing her place among the country’s top endurance swimmers.

In an interview with Sabra Lane on The Blue Room, Miu shares insights into her marathon swims, what drives her to push physical and mental limits, and how she stays focused during long-distance challenges. She also reveals why swimming at night is her favourite part of the sport.

Discover how Miu Tanaka is redefining marathon swimming in Australia through resilience, passion, and record-breaking performances. And what is her next marathon swim?

Brendan Cullen works on an outback sheep farm near Broken Hill in NSW. In 2015 he sought help at the local hospital, not knowing what was wrong with himself. He was diagnosed with severe depression. Also that same year, he watched his brother compete in an open-water swim and he thought; "I want some of that". But how do you train for marathon swims, like the English Channel, when you live 600km from the nearest coast? Brendan's just published a book about his life, and how he trained to swim one of the world's most famous stretches of ocean. Brendan talks with the Blue Room's Sabra Lane about the book and his inspirational life.

Content warning: there is some swearing in this episode and we discuss mental health. If you need to talk with someone about poor mental health, you can call Lifelife on 13 11 14.

Topics:

Swimming, English Channel, joy, inspiration, ocean swimming, open water competitions, training, severe depression, friendship, swimming tribes.

Save Phillip Pool is a Canberra community group that's just had a big win. The ACT government has backed down on plans to replace a 50m outdoor pool with a 25m one. Canberra woman Sarah Ransom got in touch with The Blue Room about the long-fight to save the pool. The story is one of grit, courage and determination by a group of everyday Australians who persuaded the territory government to do the right thing by its community.

Surf Life Saving Australia estimates 40 per cent of public pools will close by 2030. So the lessons learned by the Save Phillip Pool grassroots campaign might be inspirting and enlightening to others around the nation.

Featured:

Sarah Ransom - Save Phillip Pool campaign

This issue explores: Phillip Pool, swimming, pool swimming, mental health, community swimming, access to public swimming pools, ACT government, independent MP Fiona Carrick, urban development, ACT Aquatic strategy.

More information:

Save Phillip Pool - Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/savephillippool/

Royal Surf Living Saving Australia - 500 Pools may Close

https://www.royallifesaving.com.au/about/news-and-updates/news/2024/mar/500-public-pools-may-close-without-strategic-investment

The Blue Room is on tour visiting Victoria's Bellarine Peninsula during Christmas 2025. And what better way to experience the coast here than swim with the famous Salty Bitches? This is a tribe of fun, inspiring and brave women (mainly) who love celebrating life by dipping daily in the sea off Indented Head. This tribe's joined up with the local Indented Head yachting fraternity and won a government grant to refurbish the ageing club. For the swimmers that means a great place to change, get warm with a hot shower, coffee and toast and importantly, chat post-swim. The teaming up of these two community-based groups could provide lessons to other towns around Australia on how to collaborate and benefit the whole community. This episode also includes a beautiful piece of creative writing by Gabrielle Maloney on what swimming means to her.

Features:

The Salty Bitches

Roslyn McIntyre

Gabrielle Moloney

Heather Bisset

Guest interviewers: Amanda and Nina

The Blue Room is back for another season, to talk with swimmers and dippers about the joys of getting into the ocean. They're all inspiring stories, about overcoming challenges, setting personal goals to achieve, and finding awe in the sea. In this episode podcast co-founder Sabra Lane interviews Alyssa Seckinger-Crow who is a Tasmanian by choice. The 21 year old has just finished the Tasman Bridge to Ironpot swim - a great feat. But she's already achieved a number of big swims, including the English Channel. How does she do it, what does she think about when she swims, does she get tired and cold?

Rob Brander is Dr Rip - he's a coastal scientist at the University of NSW in Sydney. He's been educating beachgoers and kids about the surf for more than 25 years. He's written "Dr Rip's Essential Beach Book" sharing his knowledge about beaches, sand, surf and rips.

He is Australia's best known beach scientist, he has an AM for it - and the Blue Room's Sabra Lane talks with him about safety, his favourite beach and what he would if he was PM for a day, to improve beach safety.

More information:

"Dr Rip's Beach Book" - New South is the publisher.

Dr Rip's website "Science of the Surf": https://www.scienceofthesurf.com

A special episode of the Blue Room, recorded days after the terror attack at Bondi Beach. Three days after that, Bondi swim clubs held a swim circle - to remember the dead, pay tribute to those who saved lives - and reclaim their space.

Swimmer Lulu Cooper from the Bondi Great White Swim club helped organise the event, and spoke with podcaster Sabra Lane about the day, and what the swim tribes mean.

The Great White Swim Club:

https://www.instagram.com/greatwhiteswimclub/?hl=en

On Tasmania’s east coast, the Bluebottles of Spring Beach bring together courage, sass, fun, fitness, and a carefree spirit. Podcaster co-founders Sabra Lane and Julia Mansour join the gang for a swim and find an uplifting group who swim, travel and live life together and warmly welcome visitors. From the yowling on Sundays, to sharing stories and supporting one another this group is all about inclusion and community.

Features:

The Spring Beach Bluebottles

Jules Scarlett

Plans are underway to return Hobart to being a Swimmable City. For thousands of years the Derwent's been used by people for swimming, bathing and fishing. In the 1800s there were a string of public pools in the the river with convicts and the gentry encouraged to bathe regularly. What is the plan? Why do it? Blueroom host Sabra Lane interviews the two people leading the campaign to return Hobart into a Swimmable City.

Allison Anderson works in Tourism and swimming is a part of her life, from being a child swimming in the Derwent. Mat Hinds is an architect - who can not imagine his life without regular emersion.

Guests:

Allison Anderson - Director, episteme.

Mat Hinds - Architect.

Swimmable Cities Hobart information:

https://www.episteme.com.au/swimming/project-one-f5w4d-tlljgpdf

Swimmable Cities Melbourne Information:

https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/news/return-river

The Swimmable Cities Movement:

SwimmableCities.org