Bathed in glory — Local Paddo

Some mornings at Bronte it feels like the whole suburb is down at the beach. Along the boardwalk people are peeling off clothes and untying shoes, placing them in neat piles next to others who are retrieving bags after a dip or a workout. Dogs are tied up, eagerly awaiting a familiar face to return from the water, watching them like a personal lifeguard. It’s barely 6.30am and this place is alive.

Past the enclosed Bogey Hole, formed by an enclosed semicircle of rocks, and the public toilet block at the south end, is the oval-shaped 30-metre ocean bath. Like many ocean pools, Bronte’s is discreetly tucked into the landscape, a honey-coloured sandstone wall divided by a white fence that winds up and around. Spots to drop your towel are tight but plenty, somehow there’s always space for yours.

Stainless steel railing guides you down into the sparkling water. Bronzed bodies enter and exit like they’re tapping on and off public transport. Some head in for a quick dip, while others linger at the sidelines, looking out over the edge to meditative views of Tama and Bondi.

Older locals discuss the water temperature but hardly flinch on entry, no matter how cold the plunge or pink their skin. This is a daily ritual that for some includes wearing lipstick to waddle around in the shallows, hardly getting their hair wet. Various accents, laughter and the question ‘got time for a coffee?’ are familiar soundbites to this enlightening morning setting.

In the water a distinctive wooden post at the centre of the pool separates the splashers from the lappers, creating a slippery, submerged playground for kids who cling and jump from it. Without lane ropes, swimmers careen across the surface — our tip is to keep your head above water to avoid a head-on collision. When the swell is big, people hang from the chains on the perimeter, waiting for a wave to blast them back into the pool. On these days, surfers skate around the slippery edge, jumping off the rocks to avoid the paddle back out from the beach.

Almost every day at Bronte Baths feels like the backdrop to some kind of photo shoot. It’s not uncommon to see photographers jostling for position, while subjects pose along the infinity-like pool wall at sunrise. It’s no wonder, as both the setting and the scene make it an utterly picturesque place to swim.

Local knowledge

The showers inside the change rooms have hot water (a rare treat at a free public pool), though you may have to queue to get one (worth it). Look out for the bird’s nest above if you are in the women’s change room.

Nearby

Bogey Hole Cafe

473 Bronte Rd, Bronte

Straight out of the pool and ready for breakfast? We struggle a bit for good coffee on the strip of Bronte Road near the beach, but the good food and vibes are right here at the Bogey Hole. It’s a compact cafe with ocean views from streetside tables, and they make light fruity breakfasts, egg dishes, the famous Bogey Hole Benny, and a selection of homemade cakes and muffins. If you’re not ready to leave the beach yet, this is the spot.

Iggy’s Bread

131 Macpherson St, Bronte

Our best tip is Iggy’s. Owned by Ludmilla and Igor Ivanoic, Iggy’s Bread opened in Bronte in 2008, and now has a cult following. It specialises in kosher sourdough, whole-wheat and rye breads, that come in a variety of giant round loaves, long, crusty bread sticks and rolls. People queue and they often sell out by mid-morning. While you’re here, stop into Iggy’s croissant shop (Fri, Sat, Sun) a few doors down, grab a filter coffee and a buttery chocolate croissant that will rival any other you’ve eaten before – with two rows of chocolate, this is decadent.

Three Blue Ducks

41/143 Macpherson St, Bronte

The guys at TBD have long been part of the Bronte community, turning a shabby, old convenience store into a rustic cafe and now a slick, casual restaurant. They serve breakfast through to dinner, and have expanded to Brisbane, Byron and Rosebery. Celebrating ‘real’ food with good friends, they grow a lot of what they serve in their veggie garden out back. They do a roaring breakfast trade on weekends, with dishes like scrambled eggs, black sausage, pickled pear and herb salad. Set close to the sea, this is a place for a long, lazy breakfast after some laps.

Extracted from Places We Swim Sydney by Caroline Clements and Dillon Seitchik-Reardon (Hardie Grant, $39.95).