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CLASSIC SWIMS
ROBBEN ISLAND
PRISON NO MORE
HAVE A GO YOURSELF
If you are thinking of giving the swim a go, take plenty of time as it’s a notorious spot for wind. Many swimmers have come to attempt the crossing only to find that, even with two weeks of waiting, they haven’t had an opportunity to actually do it. Most crossings now take place on a day close to April 27th – South Africa’s Freedom Day – as part of a mass swim known as Cadiz Freedom Day Swim (freedomswim.co.za), held to commemorate the release of Nelson Mandela from Robben Island back in 1990. Sadly, this year’s swim had to be cancelled due to bad weather but it should be back again next year. Robben Island swims are conducted under the auspices of the Cape Long Distance Swimming Association (CLDSA; capeswim.com/cldsa.htm), which records and officiates swims in the area. Other notable swims in the vicinity are the Three Cape Challenge (swimming round the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Maclear and Cape Point in one go) and the False Bay swim, a 35km swim across one of the largest bays in the world in the slightly warmer waters of the Indian Ocean. This swim is particularly difficult because of strong and unpredictable currents and the fact that False Bay has one of the highest populations of great white sharks anywhere in the world.
Each issue we look at one of the world’s most significant open water swims. This month we sent Simon Murie to explore a crossing from a former penal colony, now a symbol of freedom and hope
Islands off the coast of major cities have always made convenient dumping grounds for unwanted souls. Places where the chaff of society – those deemed to be troublemakers by the incumbent authority – can be held so others won’t be subjected to the perceived threat of their influence. As with Alcatraz off the coast of San Francisco, where America’s Most Wanted were held, or the infamous penal colony Devil’s Island near French Guiana’s capital Cayenne, Cape Town’s Robben Island made an 'ideal' holding pen for all those whom successive ruling governments deemed inconvenient. From the 17th century, the site, whose name means ‘Seal Island’, was used as a prison by successive Dutch, British and South African governments. Along with quarantine pens for animals, the island was home to numerous cells where politicians from opposing parties, deposed colonial chiefs and colonies of lepers could be banged up. Robben’s notoriety as a prison was largely due to its location – like Alcatraz, it was considered inescapable. Even if they got over the prison bars and out onto the craggy coast of the island, inmates would be loath to try swimming 11 kilometres to the mainland through the chilly waters of the Atlantic Ocean. In 1819, the African leader and colonial enemy Makanda Nxele tried to escape in this way and drowned. From 1964 to 1982, the island became infamous for holding apartheid heroes like Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Jacob Zuma and many more. Today – 21 years after the end of apartheid – the island is no longer a prison, but a UNESCO World Heritage Site, museum and one of the world's greatest symbols of freedom and liberation. The first successful crossing from the island to the mainland was recorded in 1909, when Henry Hooper swam to the old Cape Town harbour in nine hours. Since then over 500 individuals have
Robben Island, with Cape Town in the distance, as seen from the air
completed the crossing, which is now regarded as one of the most important swims in the Southern Hemisphere. From the island, there are two routes to the mainland: the 11km swim direct into Cape Town or the shorter 7km route to Blouberg higher up the coast. Whichever route you take, the swim is one of the most scenic crossings in the world, with the city skyline of Cape Town and the striking Table Mountain guiding the way. Although the swim is a dream for many, who are attracted by the island’s history and symbolism, it often remains just that – a dream – as, despite the relatively short distances involved, the low temperatures (11-17°C) make the crossing difficult. Sharks, much discussed when it comes to South African swimming, are also a factor to take into account. A lot of swims are now carried out using a Shark Shield, a device that emits an electrical wave in water that is supposedly discomforting to sharks. It’s not an impossible dream though, and can be a very pleasant reality. Earlier this year, when I swam with a friend from Robben Island to Cape Town, sea conditions were good with a slight swell. We were escorted by Peter Bales, the first South African man to cross the English Channel back in 1969. He is a well-known swimmer, pilot and administrator in the South African open water swimming community. Our only other companions during the trip were the Cape fur seals who played below us as we were swimming. Their high jinks became a source of amusement to us as we made the long steady escape from the former prison, landing at Three Anchor Bay, right in the heart of Cape Town. ○
NEED TO KNOW: ROBBEN ISLAND
○ Water type: salt ○ Distance: 7 or 11km, depending on route taken ○ Water temp: 11-17°C ○ Issues: Wind, cold water, cross-currents and wildlife ○ Estimated costs: CLDSA registration £30; hiring boat support £150 ○ Further reading: Open Water Swimming South Africa, Tony Sellmeyer (available from CLDSA) ○ Difficulty ranking: ○ Iconic ranking:
THE ISLAND IS ONE OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST SYMBOLS OF FREEDOM AND LIBERATION Photos © SwimTrek/aerialphoto.co.za/ Anthony Allen
18
Two SwimTrek swimmers approach the end of their crossing
Simon Murie is the founder of SwimTrek (swimtrek.com), the leading provider of open water swimming and coaching camps in the UK and overseas. He is a qualified swim coach and an experienced swimmer with a solo crossing of the English Channel and other big swims to his name. He is passionate about introducing the joys of open water swimming and finding new swims. 19
ROBBEN ISLAND
PRISON NO MORE
HAVE A GO YOURSELF
If you are thinking of giving the swim a go, take plenty of time as it’s a notorious spot for wind. Many swimmers have come to attempt the crossing only to find that, even with two weeks of waiting, they haven’t had an opportunity to actually do it. Most crossings now take place on a day close to April 27th – South Africa’s Freedom Day – as part of a mass swim known as Cadiz Freedom Day Swim (freedomswim.co.za), held to commemorate the release of Nelson Mandela from Robben Island back in 1990. Sadly, this year’s swim had to be cancelled due to bad weather but it should be back again next year. Robben Island swims are conducted under the auspices of the Cape Long Distance Swimming Association (CLDSA; capeswim.com/cldsa.htm), which records and officiates swims in the area. Other notable swims in the vicinity are the Three Cape Challenge (swimming round the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Maclear and Cape Point in one go) and the False Bay swim, a 35km swim across one of the largest bays in the world in the slightly warmer waters of the Indian Ocean. This swim is particularly difficult because of strong and unpredictable currents and the fact that False Bay has one of the highest populations of great white sharks anywhere in the world.
Each issue we look at one of the world’s most significant open water swims. This month we sent Simon Murie to explore a crossing from a former penal colony, now a symbol of freedom and hope
Islands off the coast of major cities have always made convenient dumping grounds for unwanted souls. Places where the chaff of society – those deemed to be troublemakers by the incumbent authority – can be held so others won’t be subjected to the perceived threat of their influence. As with Alcatraz off the coast of San Francisco, where America’s Most Wanted were held, or the infamous penal colony Devil’s Island near French Guiana’s capital Cayenne, Cape Town’s Robben Island made an 'ideal' holding pen for all those whom successive ruling governments deemed inconvenient. From the 17th century, the site, whose name means ‘Seal Island’, was used as a prison by successive Dutch, British and South African governments. Along with quarantine pens for animals, the island was home to numerous cells where politicians from opposing parties, deposed colonial chiefs and colonies of lepers could be banged up. Robben’s notoriety as a prison was largely due to its location – like Alcatraz, it was considered inescapable. Even if they got over the prison bars and out onto the craggy coast of the island, inmates would be loath to try swimming 11 kilometres to the mainland through the chilly waters of the Atlantic Ocean. In 1819, the African leader and colonial enemy Makanda Nxele tried to escape in this way and drowned. From 1964 to 1982, the island became infamous for holding apartheid heroes like Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Jacob Zuma and many more. Today – 21 years after the end of apartheid – the island is no longer a prison, but a UNESCO World Heritage Site, museum and one of the world's greatest symbols of freedom and liberation. The first successful crossing from the island to the mainland was recorded in 1909, when Henry Hooper swam to the old Cape Town harbour in nine hours. Since then over 500 individuals have
Robben Island, with Cape Town in the distance, as seen from the air
completed the crossing, which is now regarded as one of the most important swims in the Southern Hemisphere. From the island, there are two routes to the mainland: the 11km swim direct into Cape Town or the shorter 7km route to Blouberg higher up the coast. Whichever route you take, the swim is one of the most scenic crossings in the world, with the city skyline of Cape Town and the striking Table Mountain guiding the way. Although the swim is a dream for many, who are attracted by the island’s history and symbolism, it often remains just that – a dream – as, despite the relatively short distances involved, the low temperatures (11-17°C) make the crossing difficult. Sharks, much discussed when it comes to South African swimming, are also a factor to take into account. A lot of swims are now carried out using a Shark Shield, a device that emits an electrical wave in water that is supposedly discomforting to sharks. It’s not an impossible dream though, and can be a very pleasant reality. Earlier this year, when I swam with a friend from Robben Island to Cape Town, sea conditions were good with a slight swell. We were escorted by Peter Bales, the first South African man to cross the English Channel back in 1969. He is a well-known swimmer, pilot and administrator in the South African open water swimming community. Our only other companions during the trip were the Cape fur seals who played below us as we were swimming. Their high jinks became a source of amusement to us as we made the long steady escape from the former prison, landing at Three Anchor Bay, right in the heart of Cape Town. ○
NEED TO KNOW: ROBBEN ISLAND
○ Water type: salt ○ Distance: 7 or 11km, depending on route taken ○ Water temp: 11-17°C ○ Issues: Wind, cold water, cross-currents and wildlife ○ Estimated costs: CLDSA registration £30; hiring boat support £150 ○ Further reading: Open Water Swimming South Africa, Tony Sellmeyer (available from CLDSA) ○ Difficulty ranking: ○ Iconic ranking:
THE ISLAND IS ONE OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST SYMBOLS OF FREEDOM AND LIBERATION Photos © SwimTrek/aerialphoto.co.za/ Anthony Allen
18
Two SwimTrek swimmers approach the end of their crossing
Simon Murie is the founder of SwimTrek (swimtrek.com), the leading provider of open water swimming and coaching camps in the UK and overseas. He is a qualified swim coach and an experienced swimmer with a solo crossing of the English Channel and other big swims to his name. He is passionate about introducing the joys of open water swimming and finding new swims. 19
