Following yesterday’s bumpy and somewhat eventful swim, the plan today was a 90 minute 1-way swim, catch a ride on a jetski sled and then do a 3km race and a 1-2km easy swim home. Making it a 10km swim.
As we know, in the ocean, things don’t always go according to plan. The sea was gorgeous, calm with a gentle rolling swell, completely unlike yesterday. It was a novelty to have a jetski accompany me, and I had Dee and her mom on the ski towing the sled behind. They were back-up safety for the 3km race I was supposed to swim.
I was swimming comfortably, cruising along, enjoying the unique coastline and happy to get into a rhythm, unlike yesterdays swim.
Within the first few hundred meters some dolphins made a very brief appearance but did not want to hang around. The sun was shining, the water was 1 degree cooler and I was happy. I felt good in the water. At 90 minutes I had done 5.6km and jumped on the ski to make our way to the start of the race.
The ski had been turned off and would not turn on again. Trouble. Dee had to swim to shore to get help. I opted to swim circles around the ski whilst I waited – I went 100m (counting strokes) then I would turn and swim back past the ski another 100m – I didn’t want to stray too far as the visibility was not great and this was wild, open, isolated ocean.After 2km I stopped for a feed and Dee’s mom informed me that she had just seen 2 fins! Raggie sharks! I have never seen a raggie before, but did not really want to encounter them alone. I swam away a little apprehensively and then gave myself a fright swimming into a piece of seaweed. The next thing Dee’s mom is whistling and waving at me and calling me back. Immediately I assume it is the sharks and swim back as calmly as I can. I get there and realise she was calling the rescue team and me so they did not boat over me!
I jumped on the ski and we got a gentle ride home. So my first experience on a jetski was pretty chilled in the end!
Dee took me out for lunch afterwards and I had a delicious bowl of health food washed down with a Hansa before heading back to the hotel to pack and head to the airport.
Although the swim weekend did not quite go according to plan with the water being way warmer than expected and Sunday’s swim getting cut short, it was an excellent training weekend and so good to just get away and escape in a small town.