I love the sea. I feel more at home in the sea than on the land. When I was younger I used to swim in the cold waters of the Atlantic ocean off the coast of Cape Town without a wetsuit. Water temperatures would range from 10-12 degrees Celsius and I was able to stay in for hours, splashing about and playing in the waves like one of the young humpback whales that visit the south western coast of South Africa each year.
And then I got older and I started getting colder sooner. My fun in the sea was curbed by how long I could last without getting chilled to the bone. Truth be told, it was also curbed by the knowledge of the big dangerous sharks cruising the coasts of South Africa as well as the wild waves of the Cape of Storms. I always played in the sea, but I never did open water swimming, I never went in too deep, too far from the beach.
We moved to Portugal a few years ago and in Cascais I met a different side of the sea – the calm, shark-free, warmer water of the bay. I started thinking – how about training here? I have always loved swim training – it was the only sport I ever enjoyed doing at school. After dong some research, I got in touch with Bibiana.
Bibiana taught me how to adapt my pool training to open water training by making a few adjustments. I am also learning how to optimize my stroke to swim more effectively. And – thanks to my husband, now have a wetsuit, which means I can stay in longer than before!
I have always loved the sea. I have always had fun in the sea. Now, with open water swimming, I can enjoy the sea even more!
Peti van Dyk