On Friday 28 February 2020, Capetonian marathon swimmer, musician and mother-of-three Carina Bruwer will attempt to swim approximately 20km to cross Nelson Mandela Bay in Port Elizabeth, in support of Muzukidz.
The organization offers underprivileged children the opportunity to learn the violin at no cost to the families, relying solely on external funding to cover costs.
In 2014, Carina founded Swim for Hope as a fundraising platform through which open water swimmers could dedicate a solo or group swim to a worthy South African causes like Muzukidz.
If successful, Carina will be the first woman and the second person to complete the grueling crossing from Pollock Beach in Summerstrand (PE) to Bluewater Bay.
She will enter the water at approximately 08:00 on Friday, where a group of children from the Muzukidz project are expected to see her off.
Follow this link to catch a live feed of Carina's swim visit.
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No easy feat
“Crossing Nelson Mandela Bay has been on my bucket list for longer than I can remember” says Carina, an open water swimming veteran whose resume includes numerous records and iconic crossings such as the English Channel, False Bay, the Gibraltar Straits, and dozens more.
“I just never quite got around to it but now that Muzukidz, the NPO that I support with all my heart and efforts, opened a branch in Port Elizabeth, the time has certainly come!”
The main challenges, apart from the distance, are unpredictable currents, wind, rough water, shipping lane activity and ocean life.
Two boats and a team consisting of pilots, a power / rescue swimmer and a medic will oversee the crossing and provide support. The Port Authority, NSRI, KB Surf lifesaving and Guardmed will also be on standby.
Carina’s swim is expected to take anything between 5 and 7 hours, depending on the conditions.
Ready for the distance
Carina has been training 30km per week and says she feels ready for the distance.
“I am feeling fit and am looking forward to spending the time in the ocean; it is my happy place and the little aches and pains that creep in after a few hours of swimming are quickly forgotten when I am swimming for a cause.”
“When I swim in the open water and I get into my ‘zone’, I often experience a beautiful state of clarity... I feel enormously optimistic and filled with hope. I realize that I am hugely fortunate to be able to experience moments like this while so many people in this world are limited by their circumstances - certainly most people in South Africa - so Swim For Hope is all about sharing this optimism and spreading the feeling of hope.”
For details on how you can support Muzukidz, visit www.givengain.com.
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