News... blog


What a year it has been...

December 30, 2011
Well by this stage we are deep into the Silly Season... I trust you all are well rested and enjoying the fabulous Cape Town weather... The other day I was chatting with a friend who was telling me of a friend that is a triathlete that was planning to do this "Crazy" New Year's Day Swim at Clifton... Is that not the Clifton Cold Water Mile I fished... Yeah something like that...

Well the Clifton Cold Water Mile has been a part of my life for quite some time - when I joined Clifton SLSC back in 1986 it was already a lifesaving tradition - a recovery session after New Year's Eve festivities before duty started. If memory serves ;-) Then it used to be a swim that was closed to the public and used to alternate annually between a 1st to 4th route with a 4th to 1st route.. A revival led to mass participation in the 90's and then a hibernation for a couple of seasons.

In December 2005 I had a bee in my bonnet while being Patrol Officer at Clifton and gave instruction to my squads that the swim was going to be resuscitated and they were expected to complete the swim before duty... word got out and the squads started fielding inquiries.. Sunday 1 January 2006 I was accompanied by some of my squad on the swim... a couple of hours later a group of 5 came down and asked what the start time was for the swim...Oops! Oh well we will swim it again I said.. This was the start of the 1st Sunday of Month Swim at Clifton (aka 1SOMS).

That was the start of something special... This year 1SOMS (with an early starting time) falls away with its source Clifton Cold Water Mile taking precedence... A midday start is on the cards...

From www.magicseaweed.com
Sun
1/01  
6am
Star Star Star Star Grey Star

100% 3m
12secs 224°
12 14
kph
NW - Onshore - 311° Sunny 18c
  Noon
Grey Star Grey Star Grey Star Grey Star

100% 2.7m
12secs 226°
28 32
kph
WNW - Onshore - 302° Sunny 20c
The winds should result in some nippy (but hopefully clear) conditions. The route will be 4th to 1st and back.. The format will be mass wet-start with racers  standing waist-deep ahead of those who are there for the tradition .This I hope will allow everyone to enjoy their swim.

I look back at 2011 with its challenges, highs and lows and wish you all of you that the Highs of 2011 are the Lows of 2012.
Sea u in the water
Waz
 

Its the last "Late" Swim of 2011

August 5, 2011
What a Winter its been.. thankfully a couple of drops of rain in the last couple of weeks have eased the dams (I hope!).. This is important not only for the crops and like but also for those who use the dams for recreation.

I believe I am on the road to recovery - the physio should shortly confirm this. I have learnt that short of NZ IRB wrestling is unlikely to gain ground as a sport...I will be the first to say DON"T DO IT!... I will also be the first to say go out and get yourslef a bright/...
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Its downhill to Summer!

June 28, 2011
Yes - the Winter Solstice has come and gone... well done to those who braved the V&A Winter Solstice dip..

This Sunday is 1SOMS and the weather forecast is bizarre . Bizarre is not a word I use lightly so what on earth am I saying should be expected?
Friday has a SE blowing - great ! that clears the water, improves the visibility and flattens the swell
Saturday starts with the wind SW and swings around the compass to NW through the course of the day==> lumpy onshore and cross-swell conditions
Sun...
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1st Swim of Winter ! What a jol...

June 6, 2011
Its been quite a season... summer that is. A new record number of participants in April (147 for those keeping count) followed by a successful participation at Iron Man South Africa (for the triathletes) and a number of Robben Island crossings.

This Sunday the 1st Sunday of Month Swim was slightly different.... I have my reasons and I believe they are sound.. Its been a long season and the number of newcomers has grown significantly. This is great to see but it does mean that I have not been a...
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Almost April!

March 31, 2011
What a year so far...
This 1st Sunday of Month Swim (aka 1SOMS) is the last before a well deserved month break... Yes I know that for many of you out there you still have a goal to accomplish before the Winter weather sets in..

South Africa Iron Man 2011
takes place in 12 days... making 1SOMS (probably) the last long open water swim ahead of race day...I trust that the water will be a tad warmer as you go up the coast to contest but if not you will have the edge on the warm water brigade.

Freedo...
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Odometer reading checked ..now for March

March 4, 2011
This past week I aged.. literally.. but I have also had some very interesting moments...
I have new respect for TV ads and the details that goes into the back of them. To be frank more communication and the ad would possibly have been shot quicker/cleaner/with less effort...but that is a story for another day. Last comment on that was how shooting was stopped as pod of dolphins (for the 2nd day in a row) did a swim-by of the Sea Point Pavilion..the water almost boiled with activity.

How did I c...
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NEWSFLASH! Prescription swim goggles available!!

January 20, 2011
NEWSFLASH! Prescription swim goggles available!!
I've made inquiries & sourced an optometrist able to provide these.
(Lenses should be claimable via Medical Aid)

Please emai me if u are interested with the following:
Full Name:
1SOMS RaceNo  :
                Sphere     Cylinder     Axis     Add     Prism
OD (Right)     -               -           -     -     -
OS (Left)               -                 -           -        -        -
Prescription Date :     -   -
PD:

I will accumulate the requests and ...
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2011 is here... and so far it looks good

January 14, 2011
New Year's Day has become synonymous with the annual Clifton Cold Water Mile. This year started on a Saturday and I fielded calls until 9.30pm on New Year's Eve as to the details of the swim... Inclement weather was not on any forecast I saw so it was a surprise to wake at 5am to the sound of rain...35 Polar bears started - 2 withdrawals due cramp and asthma... and once all were in the sun came out !

1st Sunday of Month was on 2 January - a bit soon for a recovery and rain was forecast so when...
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2010 - What a year .. here comes 2011

December 30, 2010
What a year! ... 2010 saw 1SOMS exceeding the 100 swimmer count on 3 occasions.. Open water swimming in the Cape continues to grow..

The roots of 1SOMS is the Clifton Cold Water Mile of 2006 ...The Annual New Years Day Swim fell on a Sunday.. It seems a fortune of time ago... the original 5 still are participants..albeit almost as a tag team..I have not done the analysis but suspect that at least 1 of the 5 are at each swim..

The Clifton Cold Water Mile 2011 is this Saturday.. Registration is f...
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What happened in September.. oy ! Its October

October 1, 2010
Yes its that time of the month - this Sunday is the 1st Sunday and Clifton is the venue... For those who wand to keep track of other swims take a look at Swimmersguide (http://www.swimmersguide.co.za/Newsletter/default.htm)

The current forecast for Sunday looks promising...
Swell Wind
1.9m 11secs 14kph
Swell Components
Breaking Wave Estima...

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About Me


Warren Fialkov Cape Town born and bred..I grew up on Clifton beach..as a nipper the lifesaver at Clifton Surf Lifesaving Club...1SOMS has it roots in the annual Clifton Cold Water Mile. I enjoy open water swimming and come from a clan of swimmers
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