“I Hate it! I Just Hate it!”
“Hello Ryan:)
I really enjoyed and learned a lot from your article — how to acclimatize to cold water swimming.
I just finished reading it.If you have a few free minutes, I’d be happy to hear your advice since I’m about to attempt my first Robben Island swim to Blouberg(this weekend)
and I believe you have the right knowledge to give me a hand here.Briefly about me..
I’m a solo open water swimmer for over 10 years now .. I swam a 20k lake in water of 25 degrees and other spontaneous swims. I challenge myself in night, cold , stormy and long distance swims.
I arrived to Cape Town 2 months ago .. in 3 days of training I swam from The Crayfish Factory (Witsands) to Scarborough and completed almost a 4 k swim in 11C.
the following day I did it again in 13C and I was very very cold.. but EXREMELEY HAPPY and sure very soon, about now after one month of training I will be ready for the Robben Island swim.The last month was very challenging.
Swimming in Long Beach, Kommetjie 4–5 times a week (20 min up to 70 min,10k per week) jumping into our tiny cool pool (20 C) straight from bed for freediving sessions and taking only cold showers, mostly in the garden. some swimming in the local pool (warm) for gaining some distance(5 k per week) some cycling, yoga and running to be even more fit.
I have gained an extra 2–3 k of muscles and fat and I feel very strong and fit.THE BIG PROBLEM IS :
I wake up every morning with extreme anxiety! I’m afraid of the next ocean swim, I can’t stop talking to myself while swimming, convincing myself how cold it is and why I should shorten the swim.I hate it! I just hate it! I’ve learned to hate the cold water so much that I can’t see myself swimming to Blouberg out of fear to get cold and quit! I never quitted anything and I’m not going to start now.
Waiting for a call from Peter Bales about the conditions.
I would be super greatful to hear what do you think.
Thank you very much in advance,
Cormoran”
One year later:
“My apologies, this message only got to me now. Did you get to swim the island?”
Back to the beginning.
New Years 2013-14. On top of the world. 1000m Table Mountain. Cape Town.
Living in Guinea for over 9 months, I took a vacation to the sexiest place in the African continent.
For those 9 months, I have never been so focused, so energized, so balanced and yet, so so so challanged.
You see, living in Africa ain’t no picnic, but if you are equipped with the right mindset — that should be one of your life’s highlights.
So how come?
While having so much ‘less life’ and so much more time! you’re finally able to dedicate yourself to those things you never ever get to do in this rushed life. It is a great gift ‘to be locked in nowhere’ if you can truly seize the opportunity.
It is only possible while practicing endlessly self-discipline. “The Iron quality that makes it all possible.” B.T
Back to the beginnig.
I met a tiny Captonian guy at the airport named Amet, he offered to take me along since his friends came to pick him up.
I found myself sitting with 5 people and 2 dogs stuffed in the back of an old car. Those people were buzzing songs and telling jokes like that was their last ride. They got out of their route to jump over Table Mountain view point so I could see the city in its nocturnal beauty for the first time. The mountain was smoking those caressing clouds over the top, the lights were shining and the vibe was just ‘minha praia’ (my cup of tea) They drove me to my old friend that back in the days did a Freediving instructor course with me in Thailand. She a had a spare couch in the livingroom and that was my first reservation for that hectic trip.
Sipping some red wine in the balcony with an old friend and observing Devil’s Peak at night was an astonishing feeling. I almost couldn’t believe I’ll have two full weeks to smash Cape Town on my own.
We woke up in the morning just When the sun was coming up and the mountains were calling our names. These mountains are so high and surrounded by sea from most directions — I don’t know anything sexier around the planet.
My friend was living in the outskirts of Bo-Kaap which was literally under 100m from the mountain sloap- Noon-Gun was the lowest but most central place of all the grandiose ridge. There we went to see the city.
Standing in the best view point in the whole world. Feeling so enthused about life, about the endless possibilities, about big dreams, about falling in love with everything and everyone.
I started speaking to this random stranger that seemed to plan something different. He was planning a balloon trip from Robben Island to the Mainland.
He shared stories and technical stats and we fancied the chat so much so we got stuck their for a lil while to hear some more.
At some point he was telling us about an attempt to dive across this channel and about the endless risks it involved. At this point I started listening even more carefully because diving is my thing.
He mentioned the Big White sharks, freezing waters and massive swells around the bay and what made all of these attempts almost impossible.
I got quiet for a second… I felt the chill breeze going through my mind as I was already imagining to attempt such a thrill.
He mentioned that some people swim it but it requieres long cold training and a personal boat escorting you and also cordinating that with the Long Distance Swimming Cape Association.
A few years ago I already googled swimming the English Channel which was extremely pricy and demanding. They also insist of presenting a 6 hour swim in less than 15 degrees waters.
*For the ones who don’t know, this is nutssssss! Even after serving for 5 years as a Navy SEAL and taking many personal challenges. This was ‘out the roof’.
From this moment on, this challenge got stuck in my head. How did I know? The fear got me intrigued and now my inner hero had to conquer that (sooner or later)
Later this vacation I finished a long hike in Cliffton Beach for a short refreshment…
Until this point of my life there was no ocean that really seemed frightning.. The 4 meter waves in the Philippines were warm and the coral reef was soft and beautiful. The stormy Mediterranean at winter was fairly bold but very known to me. The 50 knots gusts of wind and freezing water in Virgina still seemed ok as the beach was protected and sandy.
Standing on the hot sand in a sunny day, observing the ocean.. didn’t seem anything particulary different.. but the fact the 99% of the people were not in the water. (which doesn’t surprise much anyway)
The big boulders and the high waves did seem inviting and I felt it’s time to give a kiss to my new lover — The Benguela Current, South Atlantic Ocean.
On my way inside I started noticing the massive kelp (sea weed) that was lying dry on the beach like corpses and the living ones floating around the big waves..
As my first foot touched the water I knew it’s a temparture I wasn’t familiar with.. something in between fire and water. It was very very cold.
I got in confidently, swam against the 2–3 meters waves and the ocean spitted me out as I was tangeled in the massive kelp that was holding my limbs from moving. That was an embrassing moment. I never ever felt so helpless.
I went outside and re-observed the ocean, asking myself: “C’mon Cormoran you can do it, just read the ocean and flow with it just like you learned to do”
I jumped back inside, this time, instead of the classical crawl style I laid on my back and did it ‘The SEAL way’ — The only way to pass these monsterous kelps is to swim on the very surface of the water. I swam gently and consistently hoping big waves won’t come as a duckdive was not optional at this moment.
Finally I made it through and instantly got too cold and went out.
I felt a great sense of relief.. thinking to myself: “The ocean again demanded humbleness and he got it” My mind is pounding with hesitations as I was tryign to figure out — “How the hell am I going to accomplish this swim?”
Back to the beginning.
January 2015.
Just finishing my Yacht Master and Swimming Instructor courses in Israel.. full of life, full of passion, there is a volcano in my tummy that wants to explode.
To get into the sailing industry one must have multiple strict certifications such as ENG1 and STCW and those usually have to be under an international regulation that covers you completely professional wise.
I was sitting at home, talking with a crazy Italian friend that never stops exploring, he told me he goes to Cape Town, I thought hmmmm, let’s check the courses down there and see what’s the D-E-A-L-I-O!
Fortunately the flights+certifications cost just as much the course in Israel.
So we’re flying to Cape Town again!
At this time of my life I was an avid fan of Couchsurfing and I started my ‘career’ there as a host in Tel Aviv. My flat looked like a hostel and I loved it!
So I was freaking ready to start crashing at people’s places and immerse myself even more deeply into every travelling adventure.
I checked where the sailing school was so things would be easier logistically and I found this remarkable hosts just down the beach of Hout Bay.
I reserved my flight, got the thumbs up by the crazy KEYS familia and made my way to South Africa, Cape Town where my heart vibrates like a raddle snake!
David, the husband, was so kind to pick me up from Down Town and drive me to their suburban house, so the beginning was smooth and tranquil.
I always had thought couchsurfing is sleeping on the couch but this one was luxurious — I had my own double bed, toilet and shower in this enormous house just 3 minutes skating from the beach.
Butttttttt, all this luxus was just a little bit of salt to this wonderful family that made me feel at home. These guys were like hey: “Cormo, that’s the key to the house, here’s is the garden, kitchen and so on.. smash your time” Ohhh hooo finally someone that understands about freedom, mama mia mamacita it’s time to cruise.
After realizing the sailing school near by sends me to the courses in the city center I decided to delay it and just have some time around with the family.
picture here
picture here
After 10 days or so of hosting me.. I was given the choice whether to stay or not since my hosts were terribly hospitble and kind and I was so so so grateful for just this feeling of being at home and so welcomed by those strangers I’ve just met. They even had others surfers coming over but that didn’t bother them from keeping their word. Below is their shortened version of the reference they wrote for me on Couchsurfing.
“Cormoran was THE PERFECT guest. ………. ………… ………We’d host him again in a heartbeat, and we can only hope that the rest of our surfers (he was our first one) are as much of a delight as Cormoran. We hope to see you again buddy!”
The connection we had was so remarkable, we keep in touch until this very day for over 4 years and one day the called me and asked me what the name Cormoran means to me and if it’s ok if they’ll call their son the same. ;) WHATTTTTTTT!
After a few days of hiking, swimming, stuying French, cooking totgether and so on I recieved a message from a dear friend I got to know the other time I was around the Cape. Miss Rochele.
Rochele was an outstanding friend that kept in touch for months onward and always made me feel welcome in her outrageous peninsula. She was also my sailing mentor means that she always followed up and told me how to proceed in this demanding competitive industry.
She has a cousin — Swain, that I only heard of via Rochele but she told me it is going to be a massive match and that he was cruising freely at that time waiting for a job overseas.
When I was still staying in Hout Bay, I recieved a message from Swain that goes something like this: “Yoooo bruuuu, I will pick you up in 1 hour!? ok…”
He was there waiting for me next to the beach with his pickup truck.. Shades, foolish smile, and the funniest accent. The first thing he said was — “What ya wanna do?” Mountain biking/surfing/skating?
On the way back to his crib to organize equipment I realized that not only that he drove a very long way, but a costy ride too..
This guy I didn’t even know came especially to take me. What an effort, what an appreciation. I knew at that point, this man is a legend and a great friendship is coming alive.
After cycling and surfing all day, we were exhausted but the connection we had created fire in different terms.. Swain spontaneously offered me to move to his crib and spend a few weeks with him.. I was like “LET’S CRUISE!!!”
So We drove all the way back to grab my stuff (What a wayyy) and start the most ridiculous weeks of my life.
He lived in a lil tiny unique village right on the cliffs — Baboons, local plants and massive waves= That’s what you get.
The good times never stopped rolling but I completely forgot about my sailing courses… not mentioning the undercover shivering I had for the Robben Island swim.
Swain took me to Rolling Rerto sufring event in Llandudno Beach. Between the dancing and the watching I took a secret 1k swim alone.. That day the ‘South East’ winds blew and it was cold very cold.
I got out of the water freezing and wondering — Mama mia.. that’s refreshing. But I was still too inoncent…& I loved it!
Every night and every day we would go out and smash the mountains, the parties, friends’ big dinners, hunting waves around the peninsula.. but one night I felt a buzz inside of me, I felt it’s time to commit, to press the red button not knowing what will happen, but for some reason it always works. I grabbed his computer and just signed up for the Freedom swim which was 2 months ahead. It was fairly costy, but that’s the good part about commitments right.. it needs to hurt just a little bit to make you stick to your word.
After committing to something that is bigger than us, naturally what happens is that you start to visualize, practice, over work, fantasize and do everything in order to accomplish that goal of yours that might cause even a bit of positive anxiety or better to rephrase it as a sense of urgency or power or ability.. something that doesn’t last a few minutes but prolongs weeks time and even your core is strong enough and the habit is engrained in you =you might even take it for years.
The first days are either the hardest of the easiest, depends on how you look at it and also on the type of challenge… for example to start moving and go running might be difficult if you have’n’t ran for years but the initial goal should be just running whether it’s 1k or 10k but you’ll have to start somewhere and you’ll see how exhilirating but yet confidence punching that just might be.
I am not the type of person to take things slowly, I like to jump deep into things because it puts me in trouble and then I have to use my super powers to solve it. Sharp calculations on an app is not my thing and I find it hard to follow numbers or certain plans.. For me it is just to do extra.. extra is always good then you know you are working harder towards your goal and you’ll get there sooner.. Yes of course, more pain is involved in this process which is something I learned to endure/enjoy.
We called a friend that lived near by, Neil, to swim with me while Swain paddles on his surfing board to give us some escort.. (It sounds stupid but this place is scary, you want escort haha) Niel checked his water watch and the temperature that moment was 11C. I still didn’t know what 11 Degrees meant by that was the day I realized.
We jumped in Crayfish factory and started swimming.. it felt so fresh and my self talk was so nice.. I loved it so so much. The feeling of being able to do something new with great confidence just fills you up with excitement, and this feeling in my opinion is a feeling that’s lacking around the world, a feeling that allows people to be so fulfilled and happy with themselved that they start to inspire and give and break all the rules of what love is.. because love comes from the core.. when your core is broken into pieces you’re motivated by fear and this fear brings a lot of chaos into your mind.. anyway back to the swim..
The clifss, the high waves, the wild empty beach, the grey skies, the massive boulders everywhere, the fear of a great white shark swimming around and the best new Captonian buddies I was with all gave it such an intensice flair.. I was in love with life at that moment.
At some point, I started mumbling but proceeding until the nearest patch of sand which was our target, 4 km away — Scarborough Beach (in between there are only rocks so anyway it’s not safe) I was cold and confused.. very confused.. they took me home and warmed me up.. these guys were like ‘mamas’ to me.. incredible.. We had some food and chatted about what just happened, I still didn’t quite understand that ocean but I liked it. I liked it allllllot!
That’s around when Swain had his call to work abroad and it was time to move on and pause the endless party we were throwing.
Swain made a few calls and one of those was to his X girlfriend. She was living in the outskirts of the city center not so far away from the sailing course.
Swain drove me and dropped me at his X’s place to stay for 10 days. That was hilarious. The top of the friendship.. These Captonians just can’t seem to know the limit of kindness and Swain was breaking the records 1 by 1.
Shane (Swain’s X) was the most restless, epic, jumpy party model that lived with the cutest dog around.. (She would drive in the city, open her window and scream to strangers, leaving them with a contagious smile)
Starting the sailing course and staying with her put me and a great challenge — Partying every second night and stuying at day time. She was a rollercoaster of adventures to be with.. Every day she’ll seduce you to smash your schedule completely and do something funky!
Waking up early, skating a few km to school, fire fighting, life saving, regulations at sea etc.. with over 30 passionate youngesters was big big fun! Cape Town was feeling like home and I couldn’t believe how great it could feel.
On my way home every day skating I used to stop and speak to the kids that live under the bridge — but not a sexy one- it was between the highway, the train rail in a very industrial area.. I gave them some left overs of food or chocolate or fruits in exchange for fascinating stories as my Captonian friends taught me to do — My friends were from the upper class of the country but they were also the upper class in manners and that blew me away — I wanted to see more people like those in the world.. The rich and the poor indeed could live in peace if we are all going to be more considerate with each other.
Staying down to earth was a collective ethical code.
The vibe around the Cape is something inexplicable.. something is very pleasant and smooth about the energy there.. this mix of Europe and Africa in the wildest geographical playground just made it optimal to immerse myself in fully.
I finished the course and wanted to start training for the big swim since it had a fixed date and I knew at that point I will have to make a huge effort in order to succed it.
Swain was still around the Cape as things got delayed.. but it was a matter of days before he will be requested to fly abroad.. so Swain being my personal pimp and inviting me into the core of his family and friends.. he said: “Hey Cormoran, I think Neil, the guy we were swimming with might have a spare room, it’s where I used to stay.. INSTANT AFFIRMATIOM and we are packed on the way to Kommetjie — Another village from the Dreams where Rochele and Swain were originally from.
Neil lived in a massive house with several rooms and a big garden, and yes of course a tiny swimming pool. MAMA MIA! What is this?
Not even bothering to mention that all of that is cost free hey? These champions prioritize friendship and kindness as top values and you can see that clearly in their action.
I had my own room, my own space to do whatever I want.. I wasn’t requested to do a single thing but to enjoy my time and train for the swim, so naturally I had most of the time for myself — So I decided to commit for the grocery shopping, cooking and taking care of his two adorable dogs!
It couldn’t be a better labratory for the challenge.. and on top of all that, Neil was running his ‘3S Functional Training’ gym, so I was not only around an inspiring fit guy but could also get his top advices about nutrition, well being and so on.. Ridiculous.
Every day started around 07:00/08:00. I would wake up naturally, immediately put my Speedos on and go to the garden. There was waiting for me: A pair of fins, snorkel, weight belt, diving mask and my Casio watch attached to a string.
Starting the stop watch and throwing all the equipment into the pool, taking the deepest breath and jumping in right after. not knowing where is what — eyes must stay open underwater because this what happens next:
- Putting the weight belt on — Because to be negatively bouyant is the most important thing in order to save energy, oxygen and time. (Advanced version)
- Putting the fins on.
- Putting the Casio watch on and the yellow string. (Advanced version)
- Putting the mask on and removing the water from it by exhaling from the nose. (that is the moment when you get your clear sight back (it happens in a later stage because it requires to blow air and it shortens your ability to stay under water)
- Putting the snorkel on (below the mask’s strap) afloating and removing the water from the snorkel by an explosive blow of air from the mouth. (at this stage the snorkel should be empty from water and you’re able to breathe from it)
The exercise is completed once you’re afloat, breating solely from the snorkel.
Once the practice is over, your body should be carbonated and this indicates “The Mamalian Dive Reflex” is triggered (Your body is prepared for ‘marine activity’) and it is a great opportunity to take a few more rounds of breath-hold exercises.
The tiny pool was around 20 degress and the exercises are performed in relative stillness underwater which doesn’t allow you to produce heat.
After 20m or so you’ll be shivering and fully ‘aquatic’.
A 30 seconds cold shower with the water pipe in garden and getting ready for a massive day. That was just a refresher.
Picture here
Allow me to tell you why this morning routine is critical for the swim: You’ll be surprised of the real relationship between humans and water- It’s true we, all humans adore the beach, crystal clear pools and hot springs, even some of us like to surf and play in the water. In order to feel harmonious in the water in moments of chaos, we truly need to acclimitize intensively to it.
What do you to when you get hypotermia out there alone?
What do you do when a big wave washes you under for a long time?
What do you do when a current takes you far from the beach?
What do you do in middle of a storm not knowing where you are?
What do you do when someone is drowning and calling your help?
It all sounds fairly solvable but when it happens it’s not funny anymore. It happened to me a few times and this is why I understood the massive importance of acclimatization to water. any water, anywhere.
Water is always unexpected as a ground rule.
….
After that morning plunge.. FOOD and LOTS OF IT: a big sticky bowl of nuts, oats, coconut oil, ghee, risins, cinnamon, apples all stir with hot water would usually be my breakfast.. the more calorie intake the better.
Sipping freshly ground, big black coffee, usually with clove, cinnamon and ginger to spice things up and getting your blood on fire for the day.
Usually it’s funny around this time of the year, so I’d pull the curtains and chill on the sofa, reading my very first books in life at the age of 27 — Basics of Body Language and How to Win Friends and Influence People.
Getting zoomed out before the main part of the day — The swim, was important to me so I could relax, prepare my body and get stronger.
After around 30–40–50 minutes the coffee would kick and want to play — It’s time to go.
Before the swim I’d rub my body with a handful of vaseline to increase protection from the cold water.. So, I’d look like a baywatch overtanned lifeguard.. too shiny and sleazy.
Fins (at the beginning) goggles, speedo and no excuses — Heading to the beach.
Gladly, from Neil’s house there is a shortcut to the beach via a little water stream, so sometimes I would take the dogs to follow me and they would wait outside while I swim.. really good puppies!
Sun is beaming hot, sand is on fire, fresh warm breeze.. beautiful mountains around, some sporty people jogging, always a bunch of kids surfing.. and me, a duckling, making his way to the water with a big smile, missing the water, needing their touch, the depth of the ocean, the washing-machine-effect the waves give you when you duck dive under.. Craving to swim, craving to cool down, craving to immerse once more with my biggest lover the big blue. TAKE ME! TAKE ME!
‘Long Beach’ in Kommetjie is a 1 km small bay, from both sides there are rocks, a shallow coral shelf and kelp floating around like ghosts, which give you a clear idea when to turn around..
Getting into the water is the most dramatic moment as your body has to go through a massive temperature drop.
From around 25–30 degrees in the air to around 12 degrees in the water.
A reminder: Water is 784 times more dense than air and that affects the body 25 times temp-exposure wise.
If anyone had tried to jump into a ‘normal sea/lake’ out of the season, usually 22 degrees water would be unpleasant for long bathing, 20 would be cold for swimming, 18 would be very cold for water sports, 16 is only for ocean freaks wearing full bodied wetsuits, 14 starts to be ‘firey’ and fairly freezing to be in, 12 and below is not inviting for any activity but an instant splash.
Jumping into this requires to exhale because of the thermal shock and a big smile on your silly face, because when you hit it, lots of useless thoughts are running through your reptilian brain (unfortunately not the mamlian one haha) and your body ‘physiologically’ starts to produce certain hormones that will assist you maintaining your health in this danger zone.
During the swim, self talk is the most important factor — It’s like taking your life, putting them in a song and playing it to you. If many good memories and successes are up there floating in your song, it might be somthing to reinforce you, but if it is filled with excuses and complaints, as well as experiences of quitting something.. This is exactly the lyrics and melody of your aquatic self song.
You can’t escape it, not swimming too fast, not catching more sun, not taking an instant pill, not praying for it to change. It is your life inserted into this big blue thing you call ocean and now you swim in it and the best of luck to facing yourself and this watery thing you believe you like so much.
After a few rounds in the ocean, you’ll be partially awake, partially sleeping, partially high on drugs being proud YESSSS!, partially crying for mama to heat your white frozen bum.
Upon standing on the warm sand again, a big silly puppy smile will hit your face and then it will disappear in instantaneously
, why? Because your core body temperature dropped so dramatically that the pain prolongs onto dry land.
Now, standing outside, it’s a freaking hot summer but shivering and mumbling (if you talk to yourself out loud which is very common, saying things like: Oh mama, this is nuts, ba ba ba ba ba, what to do, what to do now)
By default, I’d go sprinting and running up the soft lil dunes of Long Beach.. I’d run as much as I can just so I could shake this cold heart and come back to life.. it sounds funny but this is very distressing at times, that sometimes is not even funny. Running some more and more, and then the most ridiculous sweet ending- Rolling, cudlling, rubbing, crawling, making love to the sand dune.. piling up hot sand on the body and throwing the ‘room temperature’ sand away like it were ants.. just the pure very hot top of the sand dune.. changing places just not to meet the unheated sand but just the very top which feels like a Latin lover caressing your body affectionatelly.
Hot showers were strictly off the record and bringing a towel to the beach seems now like a family picnic from Hollywood, naaa.. no thanks, it’s not going to help anyway.
So this pathetic ceremony was my way out.. the red line that took me from hell to heaven in 10–30 minutes.
The funny thing is that rarely I’d be so thrilled and ecstatic about the swim and my body would be so filled with joy and enlivening hormones that I’d run too fast, too long and get over heated again. Then jump into the water, stupidly believing I missed it, do a lap or two and get even colder now then would have to do this whole hot sand ceremony again.
Feeling like a brainless crocodile that heats up in the sand, using 1% of my human brain and just lying there overwhelmed by this whole adventure.
Walking home was the highlight of the day, the second pleasant half of the day was coming.
I’d wash away the sand and salt with the garden hose and get home to dress up, I mean dress up like it’s winter outside in a baltic country — I’d put on the massive Northface jacket and the furry hat I take everywhere. sitting on the sofa sipping some Rooibos tea and smiling to myself, ticking another record in the training notebook and just “hmmmmmmmm mmmmm this is so nice”
The other half to the day was to eat, to eat a lot… whatever fatty I could put in this body I’d snack it like a wild hog. Staying healthy and focused the food style was usually Paleo with extra fruits and legumes to boost calorie intake and available carbs, no dairy products and no supplements.
After stuffing the body with energy and ensuring fat will be stored and not one gram will be lost — A yoga session, beach run or swimming in the local swimming pool (to gain extra distance without getting cold) would take place..
As dessert, I’d take our two dogs for a long sunset walk usually to the lighthouse at the far end of Kommetjie named Slangkop. It was an outstanding way to finish the day relaxing but still being active, as well, keep on mastering French with my immensly boring audio programs. Voulez-vous un autre verre de vin rouge ou quelque chose à manger monsier?
Luckily, there was an absolute ocean freak around the Cape, his name is Ted and he was a very good friend of Swain, Neil and the rest of the Captonian branch of human champions.
I met him a few times for a party, dinner or some high cold surfing.
He was a tough kind of guy with a swimming background.. yet most of his time he spent surfing and working.. and never really prioritized anything like a certain challenge but he was sucked to the every day Cape life which is phenomenal!
Ted was just between some projects at work and had some free time.. While Swain was away, Ted took the Cave in Misty Cliffs.
What synchronized so amazingly is that Ted had for years the desire to swim off Robben Island and I just came along when he was relatively free to get deep and commit.
So bum slapping, contract signing, it’s me and Ted, going to train and swim together.
We had approoximately 40 days to prepare ourselves for the big day and it’s not too long but we believed we could do it — One thing was certain, Ted is a comical, cynical and unstoppable guy.. so at least we are going to laugh all the way down the challenge. Looking back though I think we cried equally. ;)
Before we officially started the training, Neil and I were talking about me teaching some Free Diving in his pool.
Normally the first participants you have, are your friends. So we invited Ted with Chelsea from Kommetjie (That I met only once till then accidently in the mall) and Gina — her best friend that lived over the mountain but was always around the ocean side.
Before starting the freediving session, I couldn’t forsee that all of those upcoming frienships will impact my life until today.. those vibrant encounters will unfold later down the road beautifully.
So we drowned each other peacefully in the free diving class, enjoyed each other’s company over the top and started hanging out together.
All the Cape gang was living around the peninsula and each one had a master friend we would go to. We always found ourselves throwing dinner parties or morning vegetable juice gatherings....(without an invitation, barely knocking on the door) those days and nights started to be the social positive impact I was needing to overcome the daily challenges with the cold water swimming I wasn’t even starting to be aware of at that baby stage of the road to the big channel cross.
We are not professional swimmers and not life long athletes.. we are more the tough type of guys that like adventures and take things with a big smile.. That was the secret reciept of Ted and I and the rest of the Cape thing..
Ted, would come early in the morning since he was living in Kalk Bay (just across the mountain) we would have a double breakfast sometimes such as vegetable juice + free range sheep fried with sweet potatoes and finishing that up with spicy coffee. Launching the day with the most difficult swim of the day we would go around and look for certain conditions that we want to face… sometimes we would just need the refreshment.. swimming every day rigorously in the same place gets you very close minded at some point and you swim like a robot — you can literally shot your eyes down and because you know the beach so well.
Every swim was something something.. not splashing around and playing frisbee- it was something that made us very exhilerated and anxious at the same time.. We knew very very well that unless we are going to rock it every single day and take it seriously, it’s not going to work.. you can’t accidently finish the swim, either you are going to get hypotermic or quit because of the pain of it. It’s not like a marathon you can continue walking and limping until the finish line.. if you don’t proceed swimming in a fair pace, most likely you are going to lose your way or lose your temprature.
The Robben Island Swim aka The Freedom Swim is a 7.5km swim (that turns into 8–9km with the current) in average tempratures of 12 Degrees. The swim takes place from the island to the continent in the shortest path possible (so there are no right or wrongs) The bay is known for its Great White Sharks population (that once in a while snack a surfer/swimmer) that makes even more challenging mentally. The Cape Long Distance Swimming Association recognizes a ‘Freedom Swimmer’ only when swimming without a wetsuit, fins or any other warming or helping device. Naturally many people don’t make it so a personal escort boat per swimmer is obligatory, in case something happenes that’s your only chance. This boat should be equipped with someone you trust and love and that could hand you over your favorite foods and drinks while you swim without touching the boat. Resting is not allowed, you have to keep afloat independently until you hit solid sand.
Ted and I trained in different waters to be able to reduce the stress and pile up more swimming milage.
We would go up to the mountains of the Cape to swim in murky warm waters.. it was a very odd experience since bouyancy is changing, winds blowing like hell but just locally on one side of the dam, temperatures rising to heveans, water sensation like Coka Cola.. for someone that swims every day and fully immersed in this beautiful thing we call H2O.. it was special.
We would go to swim in Kalk Bay Port.. it is on the opposite side of the mountain where there a strong presence of Indian Ocean water so the water temperature dramatically increase by a few degrees.. WHICH IS GRAND!
From 12 or Degrees to 16 or so Degrees is like night and day. We used to call it “Tropical Waters” or “The Tropical Cape” everything to do with Tropics.. we were so happy to have our balls where they suppose to be and not sucked inside our bellies hehe.
Swimming inside the port especially at night is a very funny feeling.. for once you clear borders from right to left, you have other type of dangers like fishing nets, rubbish on the bottom and all kinds of passing vessels… watch out!
Instead of swimming long distance we would seize the opportunity to do some sprinting… Ted was a wild one! We swam together and got freaked out when a seal joined and jumped around or a manta rey.. it was hilarious to see how frightened we were from sharks.. so everything turned into a shark.. a black plastic bag in the water, a shadow of a swimmer, a rock at the bottom, a change of reflections.. Swimming at night, Cape Town, False Bay, Kalk Bay Port. Mama mia.. what a charmmmmm!
Every visit around that lil special town ended with big time fun with Andrej and Zoe! They took good care of the the frozen swimmers, always. Hospitality 5 stars in this hipster skaters open door policy no knocking come wet and sandy house.
Alexandre, as always, taking shots, fooling around and joining whatever thrill is happening around the Cape- Another champ that arrived from Dakar, Senegal..
The skating never ended..
The dinners never bothered..
These friends never faded..
My wings never shaded..
Jumping first headed..
One day Ted and I drove to Cliftton’s Beach. Our plan was to swim 2 3 times the whole length from Cliftton 1 to 4 and back.
It was a beautiful sunny day and lots of tourist on the beach.. We arrive to the beach shiney and greasy after rubbing our bodies with handful of veseline, stuck in every possible body hole, cove, curve, hairy patch, and open skin.. everywhere but inside the eyes.. hahaha You’ve got to see this ceremony.
Gina arrived with her inflatable Stand Up Paddle to give us an escort.. The support of a dry warm person next you, attracting sharks to bite him, seeing a person that is enjoying and being hot in the sun.. is a very pretty sight seeing for a cold water swimmer.
We jumped in and I was weak that day.. not very driven, not very energetic.. just surviving another crazy swim, shutting my mouth and swallowing the salty waters quitely.
In between every Cliftton Beach 1 2 3 4 there is a massive boulder, some underwater rocks and naturally to the Cape, our lovely monstrous Kelp communities. The ghosts of the depths, incredibly stunning.
It’s very rewarding to swim a few hondred meters where you have a mark of success.. so the swim is devided into laps and into quarters. so you get a 3km swim devided into 3 laps and every lap is devided into 4 Beaches.. that’s a nice one and very ‘cozy’ mentally compared to an open water channel crossing where you get the starting point and the ending point. 0 estimation of where you at.. especially when there are no indications around..
During the swim, I was cold, very cold and Ted leading that swim pulling me after him.. He was motivated and sharp that day.. I was snailing behind.
Every time crossing a beach and passing over the rocks and kelp party, the waves get higher and deeper because of the local friction they create.. so it’s like a little obstacle course to swim around there.. lots of fun, truly.
The waves that day were silent, organized and the attacks were not very frequent but slow and mellow.. every few minutes though, you’ll get a few big daddies messing around and washing the whole coast in fresh foamy white, as well, smashing ferociously, surprised tourist that just got in to dip their lower limbs.. boooooooooooooooom, surprise, the big wave came, filled up the beach with freezing waters and taking away unwatched sealine belongings and chilled people that thought Cape Town is in the Caribbean Sea.
Back in the Navy SEALs service, upon facing unbearable suffering, we always hoped for a tragedy to happen..(in the training) so that could be our only ticket out. There is no chance anyone will lift his arm and say: “Hey this is too cold, dangerous, irresponsible, WE HAVE TO STOP NOW” Yeah we wish.
The same thing was going through my half baked head while I was getting colder and colder.
While passing a few more underwater boulders and Kelp zone.. An unbelievable suction occured. I found myself lying, face down ass up on a gignatic rock, full of shells, seaweed and living things.
Before I was able to respond to that akward situation .. I noticed that because that was the first massive attack, I couldn’t guess that specific rock will ever see the surface and I was swimming above it as it gave me easily a meter ‘play-space-gap’ I saw that wave coming, oh mama, that big wave rising above me, it was a split second because what created that suction was that wave rising and rising against all laws of gravity, it wanted go get higher and higher.
It hit me! Mamacita, What an ocean kiss I will never forget.
It pushed me off the rock into deeper water and while I was fighting for air and floating safely again since this is not an area to play around, usually more monster waves will join and you’ll get a super set of knockouts.
After getting back to a safe zone, I felt my skin burning.. Wasn’t sure what it was.. upon looking and touching my shoulder and arm I noticed deep cuts bleeding open. It wasn’t the end of the world like an emergency or so, but I had a few nasty cuts. very painful and burning.
Common sense says: Sharks+Blood=out of the water.
Common sense was not with me that day and I got dizzily happy.
My body produced some ‘emergency hormones’ and I felt good, so good.
I wasn’t cold anymore, I didn’t care any longer about my bleeding wounds and I started to swim faster, as this intensified my instant confidence: “I CAN DO IT!”
The self-talk was never so ‘Herculestyle’ and I was body cells were smiling.. ‘playing in shakespeare’s act on the bioligical level - dramatized, romanticized, and well acted upon’ = Thanks buddy (body)
I was thrilled. A Michael Jackson song could fit there in the background with “Beat it, beat it, beat it, just beat it”
The organizers of the official swim organized a warm up comptetion 2 weeks before to allow swimmers to come together, feel the water and attempt half a distance challenge.
It was in Big Bay, Bloubergstrand. Honestly, by that time of the training-2.5km was fairly ‘not too horrible’ for us..
Ted and I immediately loved the idea and went for the stroll.
On the way for the swim (1 hour drive) Ted’s girl back in the time, Monique — A mindful Yogi, restless party girl! Called him and said, hey! there is an epic festival going somewhere (Elandskloof Dam) few hours away from Cape Town and WE ARE ALL GOING!
We were absolute NERDS at that time and we were afraid to get an unxpected injury, get tired, be hungry, not train, not focus.. but there was something buzzing in our frozen aquatic brains….. bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
We never really took a day off or properly rested.. we were constantly anxious and ferious. Also we analyzed that after the intense comptetion we should get some time off, c’mon — WE EARNED IT!
IT WAS TIME TO ENJOY THE WEEKEND!
First thing first, we had a swim to go through.
We jumped in the water, finished the swim relatively fast for what we expected (We gave our all) and we found each other running outside the water together..
Just imagine that, we both swim together for 2–3 weeks now, we eat together, we hang out with the same friends, some friends even said we look alike at one stage.. but finishing an approximately 1 hour open water swimming TOGETHER was the greatest excitement. We were like soldiers in war, only having each other.
We’ve put some dry clothing on, had some tea and snacks, there was no wind and no clouds — open sunny blue skies. But we were looking at each other, saying: “Is it just me or you’re freaking shivering all over the place?”
‘The After Swim’ again was the coldest and most strange sensation to overcome.. because it is inside of you.. and it’s painful.. and when you feel this way it deosn’t really make sense.
Off we warmed up, Drove to the far away mountains of The Western Cape and smashed an awesomeeeeee weekend in the wild festival. Too many stories to share.. next time.. ah one funny story just to give you an idea of Ted’s character ;) Ted took all the camping gear, blankets and was piled until head with stuff he carried like a wild camel crossing the Himalayas..(there are no camles around the Himalayas hehe) He accidentally crossed the entry without paying.. This is Ted, top comic guy!
All the Freedom Swim participants had to come for a day of lectures, physical registration and take the bag of equipment.
It was actually quite awesome to meet all those special humans that organize this type of events and really form a community of athletes/adventurers that enjoy the most basic thing in life = water. (and Damn no Caribbean ones around here)
Imagine a world of people that could live off the grid and just do simple, free and natural activities.. won’t that be environmentally awesome? Socially bonding? And bringing healthier and happier people that could spread good energies and inspire the Cape with their oxigenated hearts for life but with the mere minimnum necessaties to find joy?
They live it, they don’t ask for praises and medals but they are one bunch of champions that do it from the heart. And hell yeah I wish to see more of those around so please, after your freaking cold swims, go under the sheets and warm up while making babies.
The number 1 thing I remember for the lecture upon a new foreign swimmer’s qeustion: “What about the great white sharks?”
The snaky response was: “What sharks are you talking about?”
Conclusion: What benefit thinking about sharks would bring you? None.
Imagine that attitude for life arond the planet, people would be become so self-relient that the negativties of life won’t bother or occupy their minds any longer..
Boom! the key for a better world without even trying too hard but just playing hard, playing damn hard and enjoying every second of it!
Fast forward 2 weeks.
The night before the big swim.
Ted and I are making energy balls, spicy coffee and a big jar of vaseline hehehe ;)
God knows why everyone were asked to be at port so early to take the ferry to Robben Island.
Whatever.. Ted and I arranged two terribly awesome friends to escort us with a kayak hehe… not the most efficient for emergency evacuation but yeah.. sufficiently economical for sea bedouins like us ;)
For the last two months our routine was damn organized and strict..
Suddently, waking up so early.. facing a foggy fairly cold morning was a surprise..
Even though my whole being for the 5 Navy SEAL service was aimed to prepare for unexpected and unconvenient situations, it was still annoying to break the golden routine that was working like magic for me.
At the gathering next to Nelson Mandela Gateway we heard the disappointing news:
“The sea conditions are worse than expected- fog all over the ocean’s surface, limiting supervision ability and water of 10C which turns the swim into a dangerous attempt for first swimmers”
That’s why newbees must do a relay of 2–4 minimum, no lone swimmers.”
Ted and I were training for 2 months for this swim, and we signed up for the single, no wetsuit, official crossing.
We dedicated every calorie, every cent and every minute to do it and that was a nervewrecking announcement.
We rushed to call an optional seaman to provide us with escort since that now, on of us, had to stay on board while the other one is swimming.
The kayak couldn’t provide that service unfortunately.. and now we are having to deal with logistics too.. in this crucial moment that suppose to be for personal preparation.
