The Early Bird Sees the Best Fish

As we stood there in the cool dark, Evan asked me if I could ever have imagined thirty years ago (I stopped him there – twenty-six thank you very much)…

…if I could ever have imagined getting up at 4.30am to go and photograph my (then) teacher.

That my path would have taken me there.

The days I spent in the tiny classroom-with-a-darkroom next to the canteen, laughing about The Young Ones episodes from the night before and discussing our latest loves. Giggly high on the smell of the chemicals in my light blue tunic stained brown from developer.

Here I was now in the pre-dawn darkness at Manly beach with my fourteen year old son who is now, also, studying photography at school.

A surreal experience.

She was the coolest and nicest teacher.

Now I see her as the bravest (though she doesn't see it that way).

Thanks to the wonders of social media I have keenly followed Miss Edmonds' (Fiona's) early morning forays into the cold, inky blackness of the pre-dawn ocean with a mixture of fascination and awe.

I see her dreamy, underwater inspired artworks and wonder about what world she gets to experience down there.

As she documents the various sea-life (yes, even the big scary ones) that she encounters, and the sunrises that she greets, I look on slack-jawed.

I find it difficult to snorkel in bright sunshine without getting a little worried about what might be sharing the nearby space with me. Fiona goes out when it is still dark. Not just the water being dark, but the sky is still dark!

I find it hard enough to get out of bed at 8am, but she is swimming with the fishes before the sun rises.

And we are not talking about a shoreline paddle either. She swims between beaches!

And it's year-round!

No wetsuit. Mid-winter.

Every day of the year.

Incredible.

So, for these reasons I decided that the shortest day of the year – the winter solstice on June 21 – would be the day that I would get up before dawn and go and photograph this amazing daily journey.

Ultimately I was to be well rewarded with a beautiful sunrise and the pleasure of Fiona's company after all these years, but it was a pretty dark start.

The winter solstice made Manly Beach a busy place to be, and while we waited for Fiona we (I say "we", but it was more me – I think Evan was still asleep)…

…I was entertained with the spectacle of a decorative bunch of morning joggers getting ready by the light of the surf club…

When Fiona arrived, she was dressed for the weather.

There was no wind, so it wasn't freezing, but it was pretty damn cold.

And still really dark.

But then she put her cossie on,

And it was time to go.

She wears a flashing green light on her head to avoid getting run over by any kayakers. It was nice for me, because I could track her progress across the dark bay with it.

It really does amaze a sleepy-head like me just how many people are not only awake at this time, but exercising out in the elements!

Before the water got too crowded, Fiona was back on dry land, smiling and telling me about the beautiful creatures she had swum with. How she sees them in the dark is a mystery to me, and probably one I will never be brave enough to investigate myself.