The Blue Room

The Weedy Seadragons swim at Kingston Beach, south of Hobart every Saturday. In summer, some members swim from Kingston Beach to Blackmans Bay and back - about five kilometres. Harold Gatenby is one of the founders of the group, and he sat down with the Blue Room's Sabra Lane for a chat about the group, and about the addiction that is ocean swimming.Features:Harold Gatenby, founder of the Weedy Seadragons.Sabra Lane - the Blue Room host.Themes:ocean swimming, open water swimming, cold water swimming, swimming for fun and companionship, mental health, community, connection, friendship, Kingston Beach, Tasmania, adenture swims, Devil of a Swim, Bicheno, Shane Gould, confidence in swimming.

This is family. Meet the Weedy Seadragons of Kingston Beach, where swimmers become buddies, form life-long friendships and many feel this tribe is family.The Blue Room speaks with some of the Weedy Seadragons to find out how they got into swimming, how they discovered the Weedys - and what this group means. This Tasmanian tribe is special too for the Blue Room host Sabra Lane, as it's her regular Saturday morning swim group.Interviews:Weedy Seadragon members - Andy, Grainne, Anita, Rachel, Simon, Sandra, Kylie, Tamara, Rhona and a special guest appearance by Elle. More information:https://theblueroom.au/swim-groups/weedy-seadragons-ocean-swimming-group/

The Blue Room's Sabra Lane joins artist & swimmer Catherine Stringer in her studio for a chat about her art and swimming. An exhibition of Catherine's work is about to open - it's called Below and Beyond. Catherine is now 71 years old, she started swimming with tribes seven years ago - and started her working life as a doctor. Water is a big part of her art - we talk about that and being in the Blue Room.Features:Catherine Stringer - swimmer and artistSabra Lane - TheBlueRoom.auMore Information:Catherine Stringer's website:https://www.catherinestringer.com.au/The Social Gallery at Salamanca Arts Centre:https://www.sac.org.au/events/below-beyond/Podcast themes:swimming, tribes, swim groups, inspiration, mental wellbeing, art, seaweed paper, diving, underwater, kelp, giant kelp, seaweed, Tasmania, Indonesia, King Island, the Neva, courage, fitness, physical wellbeing, University, study.

Dr Vanessa Pirotta spends a lot of her time in The Blue Room, or what she calls our Blue Backyard. As a kid all she wanted to do was to become a dolphin trainer - she's now a whale scientist and become a regular contributor in the media, explaining science. Vanessa talks with the Blue Room's Sabra Lane about her fascination with the ocean, whales and science. We also discuss the approaching 70th meeting of the International Whaling Commission - and what YOU can do to help protect whales.Features:Dr Vanessa PirottaSabra Lane, The Blue Room.Extra Resources:Dr Pirotta's website: https://www.vanessapirotta.com/Instagram: @drvanessapirotta"Humpback Highway" - Dr Vanessa Pirotta:https://unsw.press/books/humpback-highway/Themes:The Blue Room, the Blue Backyard, oceans, whales, dolphins, killer whales, Orcas, research, science, STEM, swimming, snorkeling, diving, university degrees, courage, adversity, "Humpback Highway", Tonga, Humpback whales, dolphin trainer, Rosa Pirotta, women in science, whale snot, drones, krill, International Whaling Commission, krill supplements, keystone species.

The Blue Room's Sabra Lane interviews marathon swimmer Joanne Norman on becoming the first Australian woman to complete the Oceans Seven Challenge. What makes Joanne's story truly remarkable is that she was bitten by a Cookiecutter shark on her first attempt at the Molokaʻi channel. She recovered and successfully swam it a year after the attack. What makes her tick, why did she start marathon swimming - and Jo reveals she swims with her eyes closed - all of the time.Features:Joanne Norman, Marathon Swimmer.Sabra Lane, The Blue Room - theblueroom.auJoanne Norman on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/jo_norman_swims/Themes:Courage, open water swimming, marathon swimming, Oceans Seven Challenge, inspiration, inspiring swims, surviving a shark attack, cookiecutter shark, English Channel, Catalina Channel, Strait of Gibraltar, North Channel, Kaiwi Channel, Cook Strait, Tsugaru Strait, Dubai, Abu Dhabi. Film, "Don't be Prey", Mark Sowerby, Rob Woodhouse.