SWIMMING BLIND

The day looked promising yet Gerrard had that look on his face which announced trouble.

As we each took care to get our own preparations ready, Gerrard held out a pair of blacked-out goggles.

“TODAY’S THE DAY YOU SWIM BLIND”

Gerrard Gosens is no stranger to swimming without vision. He is in fact an elite para-Olympian who has accomplished much without it.

I DIDNT KNOW HOW TO REACT.

With Excitement? Fear? Curiosity? How do you face the unknown? How do you swim in the ocean without seeing?

TOGETHER WITH THE TEAM

There were 3 other buddy swimmers joining Gerrard and myself. We all agreed to wear a tether harness and rotate through the 7.6km ocean swim, either tethered with Gerrard or tethered with the swimmer wearing his new goggle design.

WE EXPLORED A NEW WAY OF BEING

None of us had ever worn blacked-out goggles before. None of us had been tethered to another swimmer before.

THERE WAS MUCH TO LEARN

A couple of bumps as our bodies learned to swim side by side. The swim buddy holding steady and true to the swim line as best they could. The novice tethered swimmer finding their way, quite literally in the darkness.

THE RESULTS WERE MIXED

All of the swimmers had a red hot crack at swimming without vision. Like any new skill, some took to it like a duck to water while others did not. One became sea sick as the swim went on, another had amazing orientation sensing where the sun’s position was and using that as a guide. As for myself, I found it peaceful.

THE OUTCOME IS “LET’S DO IT AGAIN”

As I swam, my thoughts centred on the tether that connected me to my swim buddy, who I already knew to be trustworthy. That tether, the lifeline keeping me from the crashing waves or New Zealand. (No offence NZ, I don’t want to swim to you - yet).

Would I do it again? Oh yes! The level of respect and trust both of the ocean and other swimmers was ramped up in this exercise.