1SOMS 2012 April
Posted by Warren Fialkov on Saturday, March 31, 2012
Under: 04 April
Swims in open water are continuing to grow.. new routes.. long forgotten routes.. What is the attraction??
Capetonians live in a glorious part of the world.. pristine mountains , superb beaches we are spoilt for choice as to how we spend our free time.. If asked the question - Are you enjoying yourself there are only 2 answers Yes and NO...If Yes - continue doing what you are doing ..If No - Change what you are doing as you have one life to live .
For me - I enjoy open water and especially cold water .. Why? Partly this is due to coming from a water based family and how I grew up.. partly its due to the sense of being alive after being in open water ... and partly (that is primarily) due to the great friends I have shared the open water with.
As a teen I spent most of my time in and on the water... on the beaches I was not someone who could sit still or sloth in the sun but someone who would be in the water - body surfing , surf-ski paddling or malibu wave-riding. Not only was I independent but I was learning self-reliance and life lessons. The view from the beach out to sea differs from the sea back to beach - I can't quite put my finger on why - maybe its how time slows down and I am my senses are aware of the continuity of the ocean - the energy that I can harness for a brief moment before I return to the shore.
In the last 6 years on a minimum of twelve occasions a year (1st Sunday of every month (except May) + New Years Day) I get to share my playground with others who come from all walks of life and introduce them on how to stay out-of-trouble in the open water. The Ocean is not mine alone and common sense goes a very long way... so ever so often I am obliged to cancel 1SOMS as a mass swim-race not because I cannot swim it myself but because I have too much respect for emergency services who are obliged to put themselves in harms way due a call-out from a bystander who wants to help - and sees someone doing something which seems to be "dangerous". I take as many precautions as I can - I wear a bright swimcap (so I am highly visible), I tell someone who is shore bound were I am going and what I am doing, I generally find a swim buddy to come with , I spend at least 5 minutes in the shallows assessing the conditions before starting off... These are the same skills and common sense I "train" others to do at 1SOMS.
Tomorrow is the last early 1SOMS until September (Spring).. Clifton bay calls - I am shore-bound due to a broken elbow (cleats on bicycle - long story) but all the things you have come to expect from 1SOMS have been arranged. I look forward to race briefing tomorrow ; chatting to the Polarbears and catching up on the Langebaan Round the Island Swim today; hearing who is going to the Bell Buoy Challenge (PE) next weekend; who is Iron-Man bound at end of April and sharing a hot chocolate and recounting the 40 minutes of race-time that has just taken place..
Sea u tomorrow
Waz
Capetonians live in a glorious part of the world.. pristine mountains , superb beaches we are spoilt for choice as to how we spend our free time.. If asked the question - Are you enjoying yourself there are only 2 answers Yes and NO...If Yes - continue doing what you are doing ..If No - Change what you are doing as you have one life to live .
For me - I enjoy open water and especially cold water .. Why? Partly this is due to coming from a water based family and how I grew up.. partly its due to the sense of being alive after being in open water ... and partly (that is primarily) due to the great friends I have shared the open water with.
As a teen I spent most of my time in and on the water... on the beaches I was not someone who could sit still or sloth in the sun but someone who would be in the water - body surfing , surf-ski paddling or malibu wave-riding. Not only was I independent but I was learning self-reliance and life lessons. The view from the beach out to sea differs from the sea back to beach - I can't quite put my finger on why - maybe its how time slows down and I am my senses are aware of the continuity of the ocean - the energy that I can harness for a brief moment before I return to the shore.
In the last 6 years on a minimum of twelve occasions a year (1st Sunday of every month (except May) + New Years Day) I get to share my playground with others who come from all walks of life and introduce them on how to stay out-of-trouble in the open water. The Ocean is not mine alone and common sense goes a very long way... so ever so often I am obliged to cancel 1SOMS as a mass swim-race not because I cannot swim it myself but because I have too much respect for emergency services who are obliged to put themselves in harms way due a call-out from a bystander who wants to help - and sees someone doing something which seems to be "dangerous". I take as many precautions as I can - I wear a bright swimcap (so I am highly visible), I tell someone who is shore bound were I am going and what I am doing, I generally find a swim buddy to come with , I spend at least 5 minutes in the shallows assessing the conditions before starting off... These are the same skills and common sense I "train" others to do at 1SOMS.
Tomorrow is the last early 1SOMS until September (Spring).. Clifton bay calls - I am shore-bound due to a broken elbow (cleats on bicycle - long story) but all the things you have come to expect from 1SOMS have been arranged. I look forward to race briefing tomorrow ; chatting to the Polarbears and catching up on the Langebaan Round the Island Swim today; hearing who is going to the Bell Buoy Challenge (PE) next weekend; who is Iron-Man bound at end of April and sharing a hot chocolate and recounting the 40 minutes of race-time that has just taken place..
Sea u tomorrow
Waz
In : 04 April
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
