Every morning at the crack of dawn, the Salty Bitches brave a cool ocean swim.
But while the seawater is salty, their attitude isn't.
Founder Sarah Fenton says anyone is welcome to join the group, which swims daily along the Bellarine Peninsula on Victoria's coast.
Ms Fenton, from St Leonards, started swimming during lockdown in October 2020.
"It came from necessity," she told ABC Radio Melbourne.
"I was needing a new hip replacement during COVID, and I couldn't do exercise and could hardly walk.
Group gets sea legs
Ms Fenton's friends, about nine of whom are part of the core group, started to join her each morning.
The group has kept growing thanks to a Facebook page that has gathered more than 300 followers, as well as some chance encounters.
"I had been wanting to find a swimming group for five years since we moved down to St Leonards," Gabrielle Schammer said.
"I just happened to see [member] Ros … in swimming gear.
"I said, 'Do you swim?' And she said, 'I swim with the Salty Bitches'.
Ms Fenton said the name was inspired by her dog, Lucy — the "original Salty Bitch".
"She's our big mascot and she still swims with us," Ms Fenton said.
'Said I was crazy'
A changing group of 10 to 20 swimmers meet at different locations – including Indented Head, Springs Beach at Point Lonsdale, and Harley's Beach at Clifton Springs – every day.
Ms Fenton said some have gone from not being able to get into the water to swimming the 3.2-kilometre stretch between Point Nepean and Point Lonsdale known as "The Rip".
"When I said I wanted to swim The Rip they said I was crazy," she said.
"We did it last month — we were from 26 to 67 in age."
But she said it was not all about results.
"It about turning up and getting in the water," she said.
'Life-altering for everyone'
Photographers follow the swimmers around and a local filmmaker has made a short documentary about them that is set to be released in March.
The group has also motivated Ms Fenton to start a swimwear line for curvy women and organise a charity event later this year.
"I'm a size 20-22 and I want to make proper sporting bathers for larger women," she said.
Even though the members are mostly women, Ms Fenton said "Salty Dogs" were always welcome to join too.
"The Salty Dogs come once or twice, but for some reason they don't come back," she said with a laugh.
While members have tried morning swims on their separate travels, they all agree it's nothing like doing it with their fellow "Salties".
"Everyone says swimming by yourself is not the same," Ms Fenton said.
"It's been life-altering for everyone."
