The obstacle is the way
Cook Strait NZ 14.03.2023 S-N
Herman Van Der Westhuizen
South Africa
8:27:14
The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.
Marcus Aurelius
DNF 20.02.2020, A day when no one made it. A day that a supermoon made the Cook Strait impassable; A day that Mother nature ruled the waves.
Herman was there. Since then, through a series of events, broken bones and a global pandemic his focus remained: the obstacle is the way.
Arriving by Bluebridge ferry to Picton, Herman was no sooner on NZ shores than he was invited to a meet up with his pilot and crew. In consultation with Joe Heberley, the weather was looking kindly and his swim would be scheduled for Tuesday – body clock not yet caught up Capetown -11 hours from NZDT Herman would be ready. With a short swim to Bob’s Bay and back, pizza and pints and swim tactics agreed he was set. Channel swimmers are always ready!
Leaving Picton Marina on board KATABATIC heading out through the Queen Charlotte Sound and veering south through Tory Channel Herman waylaid all previous swim plans ‘Scrap that’ he said ‘I just wanna enjoy this man” !
He would ‘enjoy’ it and the crew plans would remain in place albeit a little looser.
The early autumnal air at 11°C welcomed Herman, starting at 06:33hrs from Perano Head. The waters were ‘FRESH’ he recalls fresher than any he had known for a while but he would embrace it. He was here, facing his obstacle.
Quickly dawn was upon us and with the sun on his back Herman took the unforecasted swell in his stride feeding half hourly on 32Gi Isotonic and alternating with Muscle Munchie and Water. With experience and sea miles in the bag swimmers become familiar with what suits them – how much fluids / nutrition per hour their body needs. A very important science. With a long swim resumé Herman had this well versed.
As the blue of the sky reflected the blue of the sea with albatross, sea life and ferries aplenty Herman reverted intermittently to some backstroke to roll out his shoulders. He would chat with the crew stopping now and then for a look around. All was good at sea, yet with each passing tidal mark the demands would increase. The forceful push and pull of the currents, eddys, back eddys, rips and the flood tide necessitated Herman to knuckle down and dig deep. No more talking! If ever there was an obstacle this would be it. With 7K to go, good friend Ryan Stramrood in comms with the boat team advised ‘tell him one Robben Island’. It was equivacable in distance but for almost 90 minutes there was no forward gain. Stuck 31°14.683 S. 174°33.449E COG 0.2KTS Bearing 82° [M]. As he looked up land was not coming any closer. He couldn’t see the proposed landing point which was to his frustration. Often as a vessel charts the course the position is at angles to the shoreline crabbing along with the finish point on the opposite side of the boat. Hermans retorts of ‘it’s not getting any closer’ we’re responded to with we’re not going that way, just keep swimming. He had swam NC with infinity [06.07.2017 12:30:37] we knew his ability.
Mother nature’s clutches lessened and the towering cliffs of Ohau and Terawhiti rewarded Hermans hard graft as he swam to shore greeted by a herd of wild goats. Returning to the boat and punching the water with a gutsy YES! His words ‘This one was hard man. Freaking hell, we had a bit of everything here’ resounding.
What are the swimmers’ feelings on a long swim? How does the energy of this emotional rollercoaster get absorbed and deflected by the team on board or rationalised by the swimmer as they work out their demons and find the oneness with the beast that is their dream but also their nightmare. We know, and we will await Hermans take on it as he celebrates Oceans Seven #6. Obstacle overcome.
infinity Channel Swimming with Katabatic Charters
Cook Strait NZ 14.03.2023 S-N
Herman Van Der Westhuizen
South Africa
8:27:14
Skipper | Grant Orchard
Crew | Jacqueline McClelland
Vessel | KATABATIC
Observers | NZOWSA John Scobie
**subject to ratification
Congratulations also to our fellow swimmers Dina Levačić picking up her O7s dream today, finishing all seven and Marcia Cleveland, completing her 5th Oceans Seven on the Cook Strait.
#cookinit #oceansseven #kcandm
#glorycomesfromdaringtobegin #waterskillssa
