Brit Jane Hardy is actually on vacation in South Africa but will take part in the 7.5km Freedom Swim from Robben Island to Bloubergstrand and wants to raise money for British Divers Marine Life Rescue, an organization dedicated to the rescue and well being of all marine animals in distress around the UK. And if Robben Island sounds familiar, this is where Nelson Mandela was held as a prisoner.
Sharks are indeed in those waters where the Freedom Swim takes place, but Hardy is realistic and prepared. She loves the funky patterned wetsuit that Huub made for her, and hopes not be viewed as a seal, but she also thinks that media well plays into that shark fear.
Slowtwitch: Are you ready and excited?
Jane Hardy: The event is tomorrow, Saturday 11th April. I'm excited, nervous and as ready as I can be. I've trained hard, though my distance training has been pool based because the North Sea hasn't been much more than 6 or 7'c all winter. I've been dipping in the sea every week throughout the winter but only for up to 15 minutes at a time.
ST: Talk about the event.
Jane: I believe there are approx 100 entrants which are a combination of solo and relay teams of 3. There are wetsuit and non wetsuit categories. They are concerned about the cold, and over Easter local water temperatures were as low as 8 & 9 degrees Celsius. If the water temperature is 11' or colder the organizers were suggesting the naked solo swimmers team up into 2 man relay teams. I'm not too concerned about the cold. A couple of years ago I did a charity swim from the Isle of Eigg to the Isle of Muck off the West Coast of Scotland. Water temp was 10 degrees Celsius and the distance around 6km. Plus I'm a hardy Brit swimming in an awesome HUUB suit!
ST: When you said naked, I assume you did not mean without clothing, but without a wetsuit.
Jane: Yes, naked is using your own bioprene, budgie smugglers for men, cossie for women - channel rules.
ST: What time to you expect up complete this swim in?
Jane: I'd like to come in between 2.5-3 hours. I'm not speedy Gonzalez. I'm 48 and had 4 kids. I won't be breaking any world records but honored to be able to be part of such an amazing event - currents, wind direction, cold etc will all be influencing factors on the day.
ST: Word has it that you stumbled upon it and decided to do it. Is that correct or had you had that swim on your radar?
Jane: We booked a family holiday and I realized the swim was taking place over the weekend we were flying home. I will swim in the morning then get myself over to the airport for 3:30pm to check in and fly home. If the event is pushed back a day due to poor conditions I'm looking at changing my flight so got everything crossed for good conditions on Saturday - so far, fortunately, the forecast is good.
ST: You have lived in South Africa before and likely swum in waters that also contained sharks. How would you rate the odds of an uncomfortable encounter?
Jane: I lived in South Africa 1995-2000. At that time I wasn't a swimmer, I never went in the sea above my ankles because of the cold and because they have great white sharks. I pinched some swimming lessons off my youngest child when I was 41 and learned to front crawl then. I've always admired anyone who can swim properly and quietly yearned most of my life to be able to. There are Apex predators in the water including great whites and tiger sharks, and I'm hoping I won't see one. I feel more confident knowing I'm unlikely to be seen and mistaken for a seal. However, I also think sharks get a hard time - silly movies like Jaws don't help. Humans aren't part of a sharks diet. They have an important role in the ecosystem and don't belong in soup!
ST: Is the media to some degree responsible for all that shark fear?
Jane: Definitely - it's a pity the media don't plug just how many are destroyed for their fins, caught and killed as by catch by huge trawling nets etc. I believe most members of the general population are probably oblivious to just how many millions of sharks are destroyed annually, then they possibly don't care because Jaws created such a poor image of them.
ST: You had Huub create a special wetsuit graphic design for you to make sure you won't look like a seal. Are you happy with the result?
ST: I'm more than ecstatic with the suit. Fantastic, awesome, amazing - those words are an understatement. It is absolutely brilliant, ingenious. Plus it's the most comfortable suit I've ever swam in, it is literally like a second layer of skin and fits like the softest glove. It feels and looks amazing and I'm sure I'll be the envy of the other wetsuit swimmers.
Jane Hardy is very close to her fundraising goal of £1,000 and we can help her get to and beyond that line. Here is the link.
