Africa-Press – South-Africa. A Stellenbosch businessman says he has reached his dream becoming the second South African and 24th person in the world to complete the gruelling Oceans Seven swim challenge across the Strait of Gibraltar between Spain and Morocco.
Herman van der Westhuizen trained for the challenge for two years and achieved his goal almost two weeks ago on 16 July.
Asked about how he feels reaching the end of what was for him a 13-year journey, he said: “I’m not sure. I never thought I could do it, but maybe it is an achievement considering only 23 people ever managed to do it.”
On the question of what is next, he says: “I have come to the end of a dream, its time now to move on and give back time to my family. Maybe something crops up, but one must be careful to start chasing the ‘next big thing’.”
The Ocean’s Seven is a challenge to complete the seven most extreme open ocean swims in the world, and is recognised by the World Open Water Swimming Association.
All of them are characterised by serious challenges, like cold and warm water (as low as 12 degrees and as high as 30 degrees), strong currents, big seas, swimming at night, disorientation, nausea, and adverse sea life.
Planning and training for each of these seven swims take up to two years.
The Challenge includes the English Channel, North Sea Channel, Molokai Channel, Cook Strait, Catalina Channel, Tsugaru Strait, and the Strait of Gibraltar.
Swimmers are only allowed to wear a Speedo and goggles and may not touch the support boat at any time. They are vetted for each swim and have to proove that they can handle these gruelling conditions.
Van der Westhuizen’s journey started in 2012, at the age of 36, with the English Channel (33km). Five years later, he swam the North Sea Channel (34.5km) between Scotland and Ireland, in 12-13 degrees water, in 12 hours and 30 minutes.
‘She saved my life that night’
He says he was completely hypothermic from start to finish. “I wanted to get quit after 20 minutes and this lasted for another 12 hours.”
In 2018, he had a traumatic experience in the Tsugaru Channel in northern Japan, suffering a near heart attack, while at the same time the currents swept him away just 800m from the finish, after swimming nearly 13 hours and into the night.
In 2019, he swam across the Catalina Channel (33km). “Here I experienced the reverse current that only arrives every few years, and a very cold end to the swim. My family was on the bigger support boat and all my kids jumped in and swam the last 100m with me in 14 degrees water. This was very emotional and I will never forget it.”
The same year, he went back to Japan for his second attempt of the Tsugaru Channel. This time it was a night swim with a different tide, and he had to counter the strong current at the end.
“The Dragon’s Tail, as they call this channel, whipped the sea up to the point of the swim being called off. The captain wanted to terminate the swim many times during that long night, as we went through two torrential rain storms. Of all the channels, the Tsugaru was the most scariest.”
‘You need to stay with it’
This was followed by a failed attempt of the Cook Strait (25km) in 2020, due to strong unexpected currents. “Sometimes these swims are possible, but sometimes not, doesn’t matter how strong you are – we are in nature’s hand.”
He continued his journey with a successful 15-hour swim across the famous Molokai Channel in Hawaii (45km). “Starting late afternoon and finishing mid-morning, the next day is a really long swim. The big swell and darkness disorientates you and you need to stay with it.”
A visit by a tiger shark and the strong cross-wash current 2km out from Ohau made him realise again that none of these swims are guaranteed until you get out.
He swam the Cook Strait successfully in February 2023, again after changing the plan and swimming the other direction.
His last swim was completed just two weeks ago.
“The feeling of humility every time I swam out there in the big oceans of the world, massive gratitude towards my family and crew members that made this possible; and the amazing resilience and power of the human body and mind,” he said.
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