Category: Alcatraz

When I first viewed the Alcatraz Strait two years ago, it became the swimming equivalent of an ‘ear worm’. I could not get the image of swimming this stretch of water out of my mind despite the risks and logistics involved. Rather than seeing obstacles, I could see only challenges, and exciting ones at that. … Continue reading The Wash-Up

This morning I jumped into the frigid waters of San Francisco Bay at 06.58am and swam ashore at Aquatic Park almost one and a half miles and 37 minutes later. The water temperature varied between 11C and 15C with a variable current up to 3 knots and waves around half a metre. There was an … Continue reading Smashing The Rock

It’s about one week before I ‘rock the Rock’. My boot-camp is going well and included two open water swims with the Brighton Ice Bergs. The water during these swims was about 9C, and air temperature of about 8C. The rule of thumb for an open swim to be considered ‘Cold’ is where the sum … Continue reading Hard Rock Part 6

This will be the view at about 6am as I jump into the frigid, murky waters near The Rock. The moment of jumping into freezing waters will cause a type of shock, with rapid breathing and the propensity to flex up and swim too fast. I need to do the opposite: relax, breath steadily and … Continue reading Hard Rock Part 5

‘Persistence and determination are omnipotent’, so said Calvin Coolidge the 30th President of the United States. To give the phrase full effect, I set up a boot-camp involving a weekly swim of 12kms, outdoor cold showers and ice baths as well as daily gym circuits. Initially, these cold showers, in the depths of a Melbourne … Continue reading Hard Rock Part 4

The Rock is won or lost in one’s head. Apart from swim training and gym, what goes on in my head is just as important. Why is it that some people can withstand extreme cold water whilst others can become hypothermic in relatively warm water? Alex Hutchinson hits the mark: your subjective sense of effort, … Continue reading Hard Rock Part 3

To some, it might seem that swimming The Rock is another form of madness, once described as ‘unswimmable’ and ‘impossible’ due to the frigid water, strong and unpredictable currents and dark, murky water, not to mention an occasional cruising shark.