Four Capetonians swam the gruelling 18km Straits of Gibraltar from Europe to Africa and proudly hoisted the SA flag after braving 3m swells, hectic sea currents and jelly fish stings in the one of the world's busiest straits.
Toni Enderli , Ryan Stramrood, Kieron Palframan and Nigel Cones this week celebrated the "roller coaster swim of their lives" safely back on shore in Cape Town. They recollected being given the 'all clear' for their swim the day after they arrived in Spain, despite relatively stormy weather. And they laughed at the 'in hindsight' realization that the day they swam was probably the worst of the weather during their weeklong stay and their swim might have been easier any other day but the one the officials chose.
The four are part of a non-profit organization called The Ripple Effect which aims to create positive change by creating opportunities to 'make a difference by doing what you love'. The Speedo Straits of Gibraltar Swim Challenge is their first international swimming event.
Simon Borchert, founder of The Ripple Effect, says they team swam the Strait to fund the Waves of Change program, a sustainable swim school and life skills initiative. The programme will be run by The Ripple Effect and is supported by Speedo, Big Bay Events and hosted at The Big bay Surf Lifesaving Club
In the wake of their swim, disadvantaged kids in the West Coast's Atlantis area will learn swimming and life skills and be trained as lifeguards for the very under resourced Life Saving Station at Silverstroom, on the coast bordering Atlantis.
Toni Enderli who co-founded The Ripple Effect with Borchert last year says the swim was his toughest to date.
"We set off ready for the challenge expecting to wait in Tarifa in Spain for the weather to conditions to be perfect before we took on the ocean between Tarifa and Morocco in Africa.
"The 18km distance is equal to almost three times the times the distance swum between Robben Island and Blouberg. Very few people in the world have swum across the Strait, only 10% of the number of people who have summated Mount Everest.
"We needed special permission and were at the mercy of the officials who had to give us the green light depending on the weather and other factors. We were shocked when we got the green light the day after we arrived without having much time to psych ourselves up over a few days as we had originally anticipated.
"The officials felt the weather was good for the swim and we set off despite overcast and rainy conditions with huge swells and heavy winds. I suffered cramping throughout the swim and ended up slowing the other guys down a lot. With about 5km to and just off the coast of Morocco I nearly gave up. But with huge emotional and physical pressure, ended up battling my way through the swell and I cant
tell you how incredible it felt when we got to the end. The worst part
was really swimming against the current which increases dramatically with the tides and the sea was not at all the mild Mediterranean we were looking forward to!
"But there were smiles all around when we realized we had made it. We hoisted the SA flag on the boat which took us back to the harbour - having swum across to end on a very rocky shore. And we had a few days to recover and celebrate our feat. What a great feeling," he said with a broad smile.
Ryan Stramrood, an English Channel veteran and the only South African to have completed the Straits of Gibraltar swim twice, said, "Attempting the mighty Gibraltar Strait crossing for a second time was a fantastic and humbling experience. And lessons were learned. It once again reminds one just how important the strength of mind and its conditioning is in this sport of Open Water Distance swimming. Although the conditions in the beginning were challenging, most of the swim was in good confditions, I learned again that any ocean swim has a mind of its own and it will throw all it has at you, especially if you dare underestimate it".
It also proved an epic swim for Palframan, who said of the swim, ?We were blessed with encounters of many fish, dolphins, whales, as well as ships making this swim even more interesting. I remember lying on my back, feeding, in the middle of the Mediterranean Ocean and being in awe of where I was & this amazing experience. We were well supported by The Gibraltar Strait Swimming Association and their crew. Speedo did well to equip us to conquer our challenge?
A special facebook site has been set up for those interested in joining other Ripple Effect events and to follow the swimmer's progress as well as to sign up to add your skills to the Waves of Change
initiatives or donate funds or time. Find out more at www.therippleeffect.org.za.
For further information please contact Simon Borchert on simon@therippleeffect.org.za or on 082 999 3330.
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