The days leading up to the event were filled with nervousness, always keeping my eyes on the horizon, trying to close the gap between Faial and Pico... it’s just 8 miles... just 7 km, I thought and repeated out loud.
During the briefing, the organizers laid all the cards on the table: every year, the race manages to be different. There are years when all the participants make it to the finish, but others when only a handful do! We have 4 hours... and no matter where you are after that time, we’ll pull the swimmers out of the water.
That’s how I threw myself into the water the next day, with the intention of swimming in that wonderful blue for 4 hours, enjoying the journey. If I managed to reach Pico, it would be a great victory.
This is a race organized by the Clube Naval da Horta, with the collaboration and volunteering of its members, who offer their boats and accompany the swimmers throughout the crossing.
The skipper who accompanies us is crucial because, depending on the current and the tide, they define the best strategy to guide us. In addition, I had my 3 children and husband on board, who offered words of encouragement and kept an eye out for Portuguese man o' war along my route.
The weather conditions are always an enigma. That year, there was some wind and swell, but the real challenge was the current, influenced by the full moon.
With every stroke, up until the middle of the channel, I could still see Monte da Guia always by my side. The strategy was to swim towards the south of Pico so that, as the tide started to come in, it would push me towards the port of Praia de Areia Larga, where the finish would be.
The words from the boat were encouraging: "We're almost there, keep swimming south"; "Other swimmers are already on their way to São Jorge"; "We can already see the cars in the parking lot."
Swimming in that blue is a unique experience; we feel peace and harmony, but we also realize that we are guests, surrendered to the element... and that’s how it went! The tide changed, it began to come in, and I started to struggle to move forward. From the boat, they shouted: "You’ve been in the same position for 40 minutes now, other swimmers have already gotten out of the water, what do you want to do?"
Getting out of the water before completing the 4-hour race was not an option; I was going to keep swimming, but I had to change my strategy: I would take refuge in the islets of Madalena, where the current lost some strength, so I could reach the coast.
I kept going for another 45 minutes, conquering every meter, without wavering, not giving in to the strength of the current pushing me the other way. But the time limit ran out, and out of 27 participants, only 7 managed to reach the island of Pico in the 2023 edition.
In the end, I swam 12 km in 4 hours, and I got out of the water very proud of my effort.
No matter the outcome, what matters is the journey, the lessons we learn along the way.
Maria Sá