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What does the future hold....

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:49:10 +0100

This is the forecast for the next couple of days... as I look out the window Cape Town is the Cape of Good Hope...tomorrow is a holiday and enjoy the sunshine... Wednesday night you are going to see the Cape of Good Hope's alta ego the Cape of Storms... Friday evening the South Easter is going to come through and clean up the surf as any good doctor will do and Sunday you will see a break in the weather and pristine racing conditions...

In essence I am fortunate to have slipped between two 2 weather patterms... The edge of the next one clipping Cape Town as it swings down from west of Namibia mid-Monday.

When planning this swim the weather and the water temperature were the two elements beyond my control... It helped that this Sunday is the 1st Sunday in May so it still falls within the 1SOMS space... but I've also have 20 years of lifesaving experience under my belt.. big surf and poor conditions is what I enjoy and used to train for...when I was WPL Competition (2004-2005) I realised that competitions are about the participants ... lifesavers should be training for the poor conditions as that is when they are likely to have their mettle tested. "Vigilance and Service" is the credo of Lifesaving South Africa.

Openwater/ocean/sea-swimming has its uniqueness.. no lane ropes, no line at the bottom of the pool , no chlorine ... it also has currents and marine life and this means that you need to fill your kit bag with new knowledge and an appreciation for the great outdoors. You need to be able to adapt... a Plan B and a Plan C are not nice-to-haves they are essentials. A route can not be planned assuming a "good day" it needs to be able to be used 7/10 occasions and how to identify those 3/10 poor conditions in advance (10 day forecasts are available) must be known.

Its cold I hear them say... well its different from a pool..it tastes fresh and clean.. that which is growing is alive (unlike that at the bottom of some pools)..Actually due to the size of the ocean it has a pretty low temperature fluctuation with extremes typically being felt after an atmospheric event such as wind. From the South East comes cold, dry air ... running with the cold Benguela current the surf gets flattened. In summer when the wind stops the view is idyllic but very likely to be cold water. From the North West comes moist, warm air.. running against the Benguela Current the swells are held up and increase in height.. combine that with the proximity to full moon and time of year and you have a recipe for large surf.

Where to next.. This Sunday is the Clifton Openwater Race Experience aka C.O.R.E 2013 ..I am hoping for it to change racing in this part of the world... why? I want to see South Africans contest at world championship events. I want to see SA'ffers bring home more Gold, Silver and Bronze medals because they have had opportunity to contest their sport on home turf meeting FINA open water rules and regulations... I want spectators to be able to watch the contest from the shores and see how tactics and strategy are needed in order to perform.

Will I succeed... Time will tell ;-) Sea u Sunday (bring binocul ars)...support your swimmers

Clifton Openwater Race Experience 2013 .. C.O.R.E. 2013

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 07:59:33 +0100

Its been a while since I have been so excited about a racing concept... imagine a spectator friendly course that is swimmable and competitive 8/10 times...imagine seeing some of the up-and-coming swim talent contesting in a format that is new to swimming... CORE 2013 is just this.

Clifton as many knows is a North facing beach that enjoys the protection from the S'Easter in summer and has a graded wave profile. The most protected area of the bay, favoured by families and yachts alike is 4th beach. A rocky mini-peninsula juts out to sea on the Camps Bay side providing overviews of the bay and offers its protection from wind and sea-currents.

The swim race day is being hosted by Western Province Aquatics. Two distances are being contested a 3.0km & 7.5km .
The shorter 3.0km has its focus those who are wanting to put in a competitive timed swim (1hr time limit) and favours the squad swimmer and triathletes. Distance to be raced is not really an issue as most would already be covering this distance in training... what adds to the spice is what time can be done in openwater conditions? If the weather holds like it did the last two weekends ...swimmers will be tracking the seabed as if they were pool racing - sans tiles and lane ropes. Oh! and for the 1SOMS who prefer the 1500m distance there is an opportunity to buddy-up and form a 2 person relay team to cover half the route by oneself. Be aware time-limits still apply - you as a team need to finish in 60 minutes with a half-way cutoff of 30 minutes. The route is expected to be quick.. are you up for it? ;-)

The longer 7.5km route is the most recent FINA race distance ... the format is new and it will take some time before swimmer's establish strategies that optimise their racing. "What on earth are you talking about ?" Quite simply the format is timetrialling .This is different to relay swimming in that all team members start at the same time. Team speed is what counts so you need to plan and strategise. Above 5km and you need to have the opportunity to feed.. will you use a 1 stop or 2 stop strategy? How will you utilise your extra team members? Will they be tasked with setting the pace? Will they be there to ensure that a full team finishes? Will they be tasked with ensuring clean 90' turns around the buoys or will they be the ones who are asked to swim that bit further around the buoys at a lesser angle to maintain team speed?
This is going to be fascinating to watch...Team managers will be a vital part of the equation.. during the swim they will be taking lap-splits while in the build-up they will be assisting with planning.

Are you excited? Sponsors are coming on board so that participation is rewarded.. either via lucky draw or via positional placings..

2012 ... Were the Mayans correct

Sun, 30 Dec 2012 22:39:22 +0100

This has been quite a year...dreams, shattered dreams and revived dreams..
As 2012 draws to a close a moment of reflection is in order I feel...

On an International view - 2012 was an Olympian year with Olympic dreams and celebrations. Manchester will be remembered for showcase of sport. South Africa Olympians and Para-Olympians excelled in their personal quest to be stronger, faster, further. The quest to rewrite the records...

To quote (or rather re-quote) a facebook posting made by a world champion... the goal is to set a ceiling which is the floor of the next generation...

On a personal level I have much to reflect upon... Don't sweat the small stuff.. this is a journey...

In less than 4 weeks I have friends taking up the challenge of the Half Iron Man.. in 2 months I have different friends pushing the limit for Iron Man..Is this the new quest??

A blur of thoughts..not too much longer...Today the sun will set on 2012 and as I write tomorrow the sun will rise on a new year...The Clifton Cold Water Mile will I hope continue to grow in strength and numbers... Why do we undertake this.. maybe its a restart...A FRESH New Start..

Sea u soon.. have a great jol .. Aim for the stars!

1st Sunday of Month Swim - 1st post Winter Solstice

Sat, 30 Jun 2012 14:45:55 +0100

A week ago (as I write) a couple of 100s (probably 200+) of Capetonians flocked down to Clifton to celebrate the passing of the Winter Solstice... I dropped by for a looksee and was impressed by the turnout.
Tomorrow is the 2nd late swim of 2012 - one more month before we revert back to summertime.. summer goals and fit-and-healthy bodies... Swimmers have the winter advantage of expecting to get wet so it should be no surprise when the do indeed get wet... Before next 1SOMS starts the 2012 Olympics...Good luck Sarah P and Jan F -wish you well..
What will your goal be ??

The last month I have been renovating a bathroom that is pretty small - amazing how it consumes so much time and resources.. but soon I will be able to enjoy a relaxing shower (for now I have to settle for a bath)

Tomorrow I swim 1SOMS - this was decided last month..so out with the winter warmers on with the cozzie .. see you in the water
Waz

1SOMS 2012 April

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 06:14:14 +0100

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

March 1SOMS not taking place due to venue clash

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 16:18:47 +0100

FLASH!!! WP Lifesaving are having WP Championships on Clifton 4th on 3-4 March. This leaves NO water space and with expected 3.9m swell (and growing!) this leaves no alternatives available.

Result (I am disappointed to say) is NO 1SOMS this month.
Please spread the word.
Waz

PS Good news though is 5 1SOMS and u qualify for 5000 Vitality points it seems

What a year it has been...

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 08:21:02 +0100

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

100%

12secs

14
kph

18c

Noon

100%

2.7m

12secs

32
kph

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

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 10:07:00 +0100

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/dayglo silicon swimcap to make it that much easier for you to be seen.

1SOMS is this weekend ... and please remember that the AquaSphere team will be there with their array of goggles and swimcaps...

1SOMS has also recently been featured on Open Water Source... and this is the first indicator that the plans are afoot to grow 1SOMS in popularity... watch this space for September news..

C u in the water
Waz

Its downhill to Summer!

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 18:14:39 +0100

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
Sunday starts with a NE (!! Berg wind??) before turning S (??) and then switching SE again clearing up the water.

The swell on Sunday starts at 3m and keeps building to 3.7m...now that is more than a fair size. Of course size is relative.. in this case it should be about half the size of Thursday's forecast (enjoy Dungeons guys and gals).

This time around I am going so far as to guess the water temp at 14'C (soothsayer? No - but cannot really expect a temperature warmer than the air temp and that is in a very narrow band 12-14'C for the next week).

Okay! I have put my peg in the ground...

I have also recently developed an allergy to IRBs in the wave-zone. Yup I have heard about the advantages of tow-ins but I am an open water swimmer not a surfer so unless there is a need for a pick-up please stay clear. To see me more clearly than ever before I am planning to wear day-glow swim-caps in future and hoping that the sensible ones out there join me in advocating swim with a buddy and wear a "here I am you can see me" swim-cap.

Sea u this Sunday -
Registration 09h15-09h50
Briefing 10h00
Start 10h15 (Hares >30minutes) /10h20 (Hounds sub-30 minutes)
Warren

PS Remember the AquaSphere guys will be down with goggles.

1st Swim of Winter ! What a jol...

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 20:05:37 +0100

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 as able to chat and find out who-is-who and I am sure that some have experienced a bit of confusion of where-is-where..

Sunday became a concertina group swim - passing comfortably outside Cherry reef and the occasional set and stopping at the turning marker for a group photo. Its not often one sees so many smiles but then everyone who got out of their warm beds -while it was cold and wet outside - had already proved they wanted to be out there. For those not there but still following this blog - the groups were set into groups of 10~12 based on swim speed . Setoff was in reverse order so that the concertina effect was at the turn . Time between groups was 2 minutes. At the turn the landmarks were all sighted/identified and the groups were setoff back to the 4th beach finish.

Water temp was a measured 13'C - with water visibility being poor. On the return leg the cross swell made for a bit of wobble.

Next month the timing switches back on ... I think the distinction between the Hares and the Hounds will be based on the expected >30minutes (Hares) and the sub-30minute (Hounds). Lets keep it Simple.

Forries was the selected location to convene for lunch...and a much fun and laughter was had by all. The convener (aka Terry) is likely to be tasked with lunch on a more regular basis..after all is not the 1st Sunday of the Month excuse enough to forage?

Sea you all soon ;-)
Waz

PS Enjoy the pics.. those who want to view the facebook albums please make contact with me and I can add you ;-)
PPS This means commenting on pcis and tagging mates is imperative...