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strong head wind and 12° Celsius water did little to deter three Jeffreys Bay swimmers from comple-ting the notorious Lighthouse swim in Cape Town last weekend.
Ten-year-old Issataya Bredell had to dig deep within herself to complete the final leg of a relay swim, won by the team from the Eastern Cape.
Issataya and her sister, Abriella (12), who is no stranger to the cold Atlantic waters, after having set a world record for being the youngest person to swim the Robben Island channel, as well as mentor Brenton Williams, completed the 10.5km Lighthouse swim in just over three and half hours.
“It was really tough at the end as the water temperature dropped from 14° Celsius to 12° Celsius and the wind picked up, which made the water very choppy,” said Issataya, who is aiming at conquering Cape Point next year.
The 8.5km swim from Dias Beach, situated between Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point, is one of the most highly respected and feared open water swims in the world.
Her fellow Eastern Cape swimmer,Williams, swam around Cape Point twice – once doing only the butterfly stroke and setting a world record.
“The raw power of the ocean one experiences at Dias Beach is something I haven’t done anywhere else before, and the section of coast from the beach to Cape Point is truly magnificent,” said Williams.
“Swimming around Cape Point and then into False Bay is a surreal feeling and the water normally gets a bit warmer as you head towards Buffels Bay,” added Williams.
Abriella (12) has her eyes set on swimming around Robben Island next year and the Lighthouse swim was one of the training sessions for her next great adventure.
Having already done the Robben Island to Blouberg crossing, Abriella now wants to set a new record for being the youngest swimmer to swim around the island, known for its cold water, currents and wildlife.
While doing so, Abriella raised funds for the Children’s Hospital Trust (Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital).
Abriella and Issataya are again partnering with the Children’s Hospital Trust to raise funds for the upgrade and expansion of the Emergency Centre at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital.
For more information about the planned swims and to follow and support the Bredell girls, visit
www.bredellgirls.co.za/.
