Only 1.5km but it’s one of the world’s great swims. Manly to Shelly and return with the Bold + Beautiful group became a big part of my daily exercise routine through the winter of 2015

Another wake up to the alarm at 530am. Friday, the end of another week. The Australian ski season opens tomorrow. Good cover. Pitch dark and I lay there for awhile and stretched. Leg is always sore for the first couple of minutes when I wake up. The eczema and blood all over the sheets is long gone thank God. First thing I hear every morning is the surf crashing on the beach. It’s a beautiful noise. Like listening to a fine soprano at the opera. Put sports bag in the car as I felt I should do gym today although I didn’t want to. Drove down to Manly as I have to take car for service. Standard 6.30am Bold an Beautiful group. Most are wearing wetsuits but I stood and shivered in the darkness in 8°c air. Waiting is harder then getting in. No one from the BBC there this morning and didn’t recognise any of the people I know from B + B so did it on my own which is a bit unnerving. Water flat and gin clear – I have had a great run, not putting my leg at any risk from big surf getting  in or out. Could see the bottom all the way to the Bower and back. After lunch headed to the gym. Tried to do all the exercises Belinda showed me on Wednesday. Started with balancing on the Bosu ball and then did 20 of the rotten over and back exercises on the thing. That is the hardest exercise so far in the tibial plateau rehab program. It’s a painful son of a bitch, but it’s probably good for healing. Onto lunges holding the 5kg barbell with both hands under my chin. Thee sets of five on each leg. Moved to squats, 3 sets of 5 straight up and down using both legs. Moved to bench press 3 sets of 10 at 10kg, on my injured leg. Leg curls did 2 sets of 10 using 5kg and 1 set using 10kg, although the 10kg is a bit much at this stage. Surprised myself on the leg extension machine – 6 sets of 10 reps using 10kgs, lifting the bar with my left leg and holding then lowering with the right leg. I was pretty pleased when I realised I’d done 60 leg extension/lifts. Hard work and I was stuffed afterwards but felt a bit satisfied. I don’t know if I’ll ever ski again but it’s difficult to believe that my leg is not getting stronger