In the realm of local government projects, cost blowouts and logistical difficulties are par for the course. But few have been quite as colossal a failure as the redevelopment of North Sydney Olympic Pool, a storied landmark in the heart of the city’s northern suburbs. The project, which was supposed to have been finished in 2024, has been hit by delays, budget overruns and a host of unforeseen challenges, including the Covid pandemic, La Nina and a massive steel frame that had to be torn down after it was discovered to be rotting faster than expected.

The saga has drawn comparisons to another iconic Sydney attraction: the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Yet even this saga pales in comparison to that of the city’s seawater pools and rock pools, which have been loved by swimmers for generations.

“Sydney’s big collection of ocean pools in one city is unique,” says Marie-Louise McDermott, an expert on the pools who has written a dissertation on them and maintains a blog that provides a wealth of photos and information. “These pools are a special way to experience the beach and the sea.”

In his quest for the perfect ocean swim, Mr Baker has visited many of the city’s iconic pools, from the infinitely Instagrammable Bondi Icebergs to the more hidden ones at North Curl Curl and Bilgola, where neighborhood children spend summer days swimming with their parents and grandparents. He has also visited the women-only public pool at Palm Beach, a historic enclave where wealthy residents relax on loungers and where the venerable 77-year-old John Carter continues to teach a third generation of swimmers. He has swum at the cliff-top pools in western Sydney where refugees and asylum seekers gather to let off steam and have a good time.

He has observed that there is something in our genes that compel us to seek comfort and community in the water, whether we are infants in the womb or grown-ups in the midst of a hectic world. Certainly, the water is where we go when we want to escape, and that’s why Sydney pools and beaches remain such treasured spaces.

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