This gorgeous book celebrates not just an illustrious swimming club on one of the most beautiful spots on Sydney Harbour but also the joy to be found in swimming itself. And while there can be few sensations more immediate and invigorating than diving into cool water, it invites us to think about those that have swum before.

Swimming with The Spit encourages readers and swimmers, young and old, to think about their ambles down to the beach, their invigorating morning swims and refreshing afternoon dips on sultry Sydney-summer days, with an eye on their history. Passion for a sport in the present can overshadow its fascinating past. Historians Tanya Evans, Iain McCalman, Ian Hoskins, Kate Fullagar, Leigh Boucher and Nancy Cushing, as well as volunteer researchers, local students and current Spit club members, hope to persuade readers to don their bathers, dive into the ocean and involve themselves with dynamic community organisations such as the Spit Club by celebrating its centenary.

‘I am confident that those who love Sydney will love this community history of swimming in our fair city as much as I did. The fine historians and local swimmers who put it together can be proud.’ PETER FITZSIMONS