Gareth Brauteseth

Before the Cold

The Cadiz freedom swim was a great success. Plenty swimmers, no deaths, very very very cold water and unfortunately for me an unsuccessful swim.

As the old adage states, if you fail to prepare you should prepare to fail.

This was the exact circumstance that lead to me being hauled out of the water with 1km to go with pretty hectic hypothermia.

1 month is not enough to do that swim especially at 85kg with very little fat reserves. I need more water time, more cold water time, more fat and I need to be stronger to make it happen.

I will be hitting the pool soon for a well thought out approach to crossing from Robben Island. I must admit that there is nothing like failure to motivate one to get back into the water. You cannot let the island beat you.

Hi Team,

So, the Bar One Manhunt is winding down and now it is time to concentrate on the task at hand of swimming from Robben Island to Big Bay, The Cadiz Feeedom Swim.

So I have kicked my training into serious mode, I am eating more food, I am trying to sleep more and naturally, I am swimming.

Clifton 4th has become home and this morning while I was taking my 523rd stroke I looked up at Lions head and realised yet again what an incredible country we live in. I then thought about other swims.

Sure Robben Island is one swim, but hey, SA is truly a capital of Open Water swimming.

With Cape Point, False Bay, Robben Island… we are spoilt for choices.

So if you are keen to jump into a speedo, put on some goggles and a swimming cap and swim around some land this is the link:

http://www.capeswim.co.za/

If you tap into that site you will find everything you need to know about where when, how cold and how long.

May it be a motivation team.
Out

G

Couldn't have been a shark???

I haven’t swum this week in the open Atlantic Ocean so I decided to head down for a 2km stint to add to the training for the Cadiz Freedom Swim.

I pushed beyond the comfortable safety of Clifton 4th and into the realms of Cifton 3rd while concentrating on my stroke and trying very hard to shut all thos freaky thoughts of JAWS out of my mind.

Eish, then I looked down and absolutely Kakked myself… A big shadow that moved!!! That is when your Ocean Swimming becomes Ocean walking and you find a very quick way of getting out.

My mind did flickflacks, too big for a seal, too small for a whale, too lively for a rock, to dark for a very large Human and I am still alive, so not a shark.

Water temp was 12degrees which is on the cold side, so sharks were unlikely, but sheez louise, I turned around and in seconds was back on the beach and the shivering started.

If you swimming at Clifton today, you are in for a big surprize, I know it is overcast, but there is something cruising around that bay that has mystic written all over it.

Watch out!!!

Out

G