Pool bliss on way to end blizzard blues

This story has appeared in The Redland Times, Cleveland, Redland Shire, Queensland, Australia. Image from www.christianet.com

THE winter chill has frozen the thought of swimming out of most minds but the bliss of the freedom from weighty everyday ground-based hassles drives many of us through to spring.
A ‘lap zombie’ is tickling the keyboard right here this winter. And the respect for the health benefits of swimming led me this week to a Victoria Point couple with pool water in their veins.
Jill Morrison advertised in our Fast Find Services when the mercury was certainly up a few notches. Canadian-born Jill spent the warmer months giving private and group swimming lessons "at your home".
The venture has helped keep her busy while husband Jason Scofield worked as the Royal Life Saving Society’s State training and development officer, based at Gumdale.
The couple arrived in the Redlands last winter after five years in Toyko, where they met in 2002 while both were swimming instructors.

THAT same year, Jason, who grew up on the NSW south coast, and Jill, hailing from Edmonton, married in the Toshoji Buddhist temple.
They established their own swim school, teaching mainly the "ex-pats" of 17 nationalities. After having a few trips to Australia, the couple decided to move here and picked south-east Queensland mainly because
Jason’s cousins live in the region.
After renting for a few months in the Redlands, they bought at Victoria Point
Jason says he has a tough battle sticking to the Buddhist principles in contemporary bayside suburbia but Jill is having better success at this, having refreshed her understanding by visiting Japan.

SO there! All those who think lap swimming is a mindless pastime can note where it has led me – deep into
a community of interest enriched by experience in cultures far from our chilly winter.
Jill and Jason, of course, are a cut above the average obsessed freestyle "splashers".
Jason is now developing a business including livesaving, first aid and CPR for corporations and any private individuals who need the skills.
"A lot of companies require their employees to have these skills so it is a hot business at the moment,’ he says.

NOW 32, Jason was a Shellharbour City Council lifeguard before his Japan stint. Also in the surf club scene, he trained and competed with Coledale on the Wollongong northern beach strip.
Jason is yet to decide a business name but he reckons the announcement could be close and opportunities are arising for his skill set.

THANKS for joining me to meet the great people in the marvellous community of classified advertising.