Mount Cook, New Zealand’s highest mountain, at 3,754 meters, it is the center piece of the snow capped southern alps, looking at Mount Cook, can only be described by me with a few powerful words, jaw dropping, Awe Inspiring, and breathtaking, these are the very words I think, as I swim at the base of this beast of a mountain, the cool, turquoise waters of Lake Pukaki wrap around me as I swim, but I’m not thinking about my stroke, or the cool water, my eyes are laser focused on getting a glimpse of Mount Cook, standing tall at the head of the lake, a polaroid view, everytime I take a breath. What a memorable experience, and one all the more powerful to share with my 82 year old, active, positive and good natured Dad, Dad this ones for you.

Next stop, Wellington, New Zealand, Cook Strait, it’s time.

Back on the Bay, but not for a swim, tonight we are spectators, watching the hard working and fast swimming Little Blue Pengiuns come home to their nests on Caroline Bay.
Wev’e seen the signs, we’ve seen the wee foot prints, now it’s time to meet these birds in person, swimming 6k/hour they are way to fast for me to catch up with in the water,on land,I might just snag a sighting.

The Blue Pengiun is the world’s smallest penguin at just 40cm tall, there is a small colony here on Caroline Bay, they leave their nests at dawn,and travel up to 25k while fishing during the daylight hours,then return, with a belly full of fish at sunset.

We are ready, front row seat, me and Cynthia wait on the rocks, we wait, and we wait, it gets darker, and darker, 30 minutes, 1 hour, then we see a shape, a Pengiun shape, Penguin surfs in on a wave, turns around and surfs out, surfs in, surfs, out, over and over until a 2nd pengiun surfs in, both pengiuns then haul their fish filled bellies out of the water, what follows it is a ” fish drunk” waddle to the rocks, fantastic!
We are yearning for more, eventually,3 more follow suit, what a show!

We wander back towards the truck and come across ” Pengiun Pete”, a penguin ambassador, ” I’m here to educate people on not using a flash photography”, he declares, ” no flash here”, I assure him, ” do you see the babies on the rocks?”, he excitedly replies, we lean over, and just arms length away are two young birds, enjoying the evening, waiting for their mum or dad to come feed them. ” They would do this all their life, if they could, after a year, the parents cut them off and quit feeding them, forcing them to go out and fish for themselves”, he tells us, “tough love”, I reply and we all giggle.

What a time, we thank Pengiun Pete for all his terrific information, give him our bar of chocolate, which he announces is his favorite and head off into the night, what a terrific day and night on the beach, I lOVE pengiuns.
Now back to swimming, we really are going to Mount Cook tomorrow and I can’t wait!

Final sea swim day, 15 swims in 10 days, most, in Timaru’s Caroline Bay. Timaru, is a port city with a prosperous agricultural hinterland, it is constructed on rolling hills created from the extinct Mount Horrible, european settlement began with a whaling station in 1839, Caroline Bay offered a shelter bay for whales and their young, a big “Try” pot from the late 1800’s is still here, but the whales are long gone.
I’ve enjoyed swimming in Caroline Bay, named Caroline after an early supply ship visited the bay, many ships never left Caroline Bay, and met their fate at the base of the Benvenue Cliffs,anrgy rocks tore sailing ships apart, after the prevailing current and sea swells pushed them mercilessly to the unforgiving rocks at the base of the cliffs, these wrecks are burried beneath me, I feel the push of the current as I swim towards the cliffs and imagine what lies beneath, tea, sugar, whiskey and other early settler supplies.

Today the lighthouse has retired, the sea does not have rouge swells,and me and Cynthia enjoy a fine day for our last sea swim, calm waters, light winds, and clear skies, farewell Caroline Bay,tomorrow our final dip at the bast of New Zealand’s highest mountain, Mount Cook.

Lake Teakpo sits in the centre of the South Island, it’s the gateway to the Southern Alps & Mount Cook. Lake Tekapo is unique for it’s Aqua color, which is caused by the fine glacial flour suspended in the water, it’s very deep and very cold.

We arrive to a calm, serene lake,” want to have lunch by the lake before we swim?”, I ask Cynthia and my sister Sally, we all agree it’s a fine idea and with that, set up a picnic on the beach. Well conditions can change on a dime at Lake Tekapo and that’s just what they do, the wind begins to blow, the lake chops up and the sky darkens, we now have a real cat fight on our hands, me and the lake, “time to get the swim in”, I announce, I love a good lake swim.

Off we go, Lake Tekapo delivers water in the 50s, a menacing wind and plenty of fish to look at while I swim, brilliant!

We finish the day with a hike up Mount John, home to one of world’s largest international starlight reserves, it’s gold status puts it at one of only 4 in the world with this classification, meaning it has the darkest night skies knowen to man, wow, that’s why it looked so cool when I climbed it one New Years Eve as a teenager!

Next up, back into the sea for this Kiwi!

The calm waters glisten as we drive down to meeting spot of the Caroline Bay Swimmers, it is a perfect morning, windfree, wave free and fellow swimmers to share the inviting sea, I’m excited.

I pull into the parking lot at 9am, 5 Caroline Bay swimmers are kitted up, ready to go, I bounce out of the truck, strip down to my suit and begin digging around for my cap, goggles and ear plugs from the back of the truck.
The Caroline Bay swimmers, come in to take a closer, ” wet suit?”, asks one, looking puzzled at me wrenching off the last of my layers, revealing my stick insect legs.

Time to head to the sea, the morning air is cool, as we walk through the sand dunes to the water

Once to the waters edge our small pod wades in, me noticeably in the back, dawdling, Jackie, fills me in on the lay of the land,” we swim to that point, then across the bay, aim for the big trees & yellow house, we regroup there and swim back up the bay”, she says, Jackie has a warm smile, is easy to laugh, and has kindly lent us a yellow kayak for the duration of our stay in South Canterbury.

One by one the swimmers plunge into the water, I stay put, waist deep, gazing out to sea, what a picture, five wetsuit clad swimmers pulling away from the beach, looking so graceful as they cut through the glass like surface, I look closer into the deep blue sea, memories of a 5 year old girl, with a big grin, bursting with excitement to swim, in this very same spot fill my mind, I lean forward and dive under the water grinning from ear to ear, ” what fun”, I say to myself, the sea wraps around me, like it’s welcoming me home. I stretch out with long strokes and pull up alongside the Caroline Bay Swimmers, what a feeling.

Soon we are swimming across to bay to the big trees, I sight on the yellow house, it’s a good sighting marker, as I breathe I see the Caroline Bay swimmers off to my right, what a stunning view. We regroup near the big yellow house, then head back up the bay for home. What a terrific time, thanks Caroline Bay Open Water swimmers for the top rate hospitality! Next up today is a swim in Lake Tekapo, a glacial lake in Mackenzie Country, an area of high country farming of Merino sheep, aqua deep, blue glacial lakes and dramatic views of Mount Cook & the southern alps, I can’t wait and I suspect we are in for some rough water and cool glacial lake temperature. Will there be other swimmers? I’ll keep you posted

Sea Swimming time in Caroline Bay, with temperatures of 61-63F and some good wind against tide we set off swimming laps of Caroline Bay, day in, day out, we make our way down to the beach, how I look forward to walking past the rocks where the Little Blue Penguins have set up home, at just 40cm in height these wee birds set off at dawn for a day’s fishing at sea, their foot prints in the sand a reminder that they are already hard at work fishing for the day.

A lone kayak and swimmer, me and Cynthia make our way down towards Benvenue Cliffs, towards the dashing rocks where the sea swells smash against the rocks with force, it is confused water down at the far end of the beach and I find myself looking forwards to turning back to swim back towards the penguins’ end of the Bay, in fact I grin, a very wide mouthed grin at turn about time.

A few more days and I’m getting swim company in the water, the Caroline Bay Swimmers are swimming at 9am on Saturday, and I can’t wait to swim with them.

How many swimmers will I have to play with? I’ll keep you posted.

Farewell Vermont, USA
Frozen Lakes, 5 hour training swims in the pool and a winter of hatless days sporting flip flops all in preparation for New Zealand 2015.

Travelling with me, crew caption, friend and fellow adventure seaker Cynthia Needham, we are ready for the next big adventure, guareenteed to be super fun, super tough and full of ” those unexpected situations”.

South Island here we come After a terrific family welcome we set off to South Canterbury, 10 days of sea swimming in Caroline Bay, Timaru,is next up,along with sea swells, wind, waves and Little Blue Penguins!

If you’re favourite open water is frozen solid, and your’e looking to build strength and endurance in the pool over the winter, check out this Vermont ” Tough Butt Pool Workout” , grab yourself some swim pals and allow for 4+ hours of fun! This is a Vermont lake at 39F, the ice is closing in, if I want 12.5k of swimming, I’m going to need a pool, otherwise it’s Brynnswim popsicle!

Warm Up 2 X (300 FR, 100 KICK, 100 BACK)

Set 1
3 X (1000 FREE + 10 X 200’s)
1000 Steady Pace on 15:30 Interval (Declare your goal 100 pace time/ hold for all rounds)
200’s Steady Pace on 3:15 (Hold same 100 pace time as your 1000) Round 3 Descend, # 10 SPRINT
There is no rest between rounds

Set 2
3 x (300 Pull 75% on 4:45 Interval + 2 x 100’s Free 75% on 1:45 + 1 x 100 Good Effort on 2:00 interval )
BIG Push on 100 Good Efforts
There is no rest between Rounds

Set 3
5 x 100’s Drill with Fins
Focus Active Recovery and balance
25 Flutter on Back, 25 Back, 25 6 kick Free Drill Switch, 25 Free on 1:55

Set 4
Crunch Time, swim 4 FAST 50’s, lean into the water, dig deep and pull hard
4 x 50’s Beat the Tide on 1:30

Distance 12,500 meters

Here’s this week’s Brynnswim Saturday Winter Distance Workout – Have fun / Work Hard!
November 15th

The Vermont Quad Set – 4 times the fun

Warm Up 2 x ( 300 Free, 100 Kick, 100 Back)

Set 1
4 x 800s on 13:00 Aerobic Cruise Pace

4 x 400 on 6:15 Descend

4 x 200 on 3:15 Aerobic Cruise Pace

4 x 100 on 1:40 Descend

Set 2
4 Repeats of:
2 x 200 Pull on 3:15
4 x 100 on 1:40 drop 1-2 sec off 50 or 100 time per round
2 x 50’s on 1:15 # 1 Fast / # 2 EZ
4 X 25’s DFEB 10 SR
30 SR between rounds

Set 3 Active Recovery/ Drills
10 x 100’s on 1:55
1-3 Fins 25 ABS/ 25 FREE/ 25 6 Kick switch/ 25 FREE
4-6 FINIS sculling paddles or agility paddles, focus on forearm. paddles anchor, high elbow, no elbow below the paddle!
7-9 Fins 25 Under/ 25 BACK/ 25 DOB/ 25 Free Focus tight streamline/ tight core!
10 FREE no fins, find your zone powerful smooth strokes!

Total Distance 12,000 meters ( modify for yards )

THE CATALINA CHANNEL- Last year she spat me out, an incomplete swim, after covering 19 of 20 miles, I was pulled from the water after 12 hours of swimming and a shark took a bite at my side one hour into the swim, leaving a tooth in my hip and a determination to return.

Return I did, I got stronger, faster and even more determined…” Hey Channel get ready to battle I’M BACK”

SEPTEMBER 17TH, 2014 Me, Crew Chief Cynthia Needham, and crewie Karyn Scherer made our way to San Pedro, to board ” Outrider”, piloted by John Pitman, locked and loaded, we began over 2+ hour journey to Catalina Island, I curled up on the bunk below and rested..

“30 minutes to swim time” Cynthia gently gives me the heads up “it’s GO TIME!” I climb up to the cabin, suit on, cap on, one final layer of sun lotion, then Cynthia applies a thick layer on Lanolin on all those places you DON’T want to be chaffed, there is chatter back and forth amongst those on the boat, I secure my earplugs and put my goggles on.

I peek around the side of the boat to see Doctors Cove, Catalina Island

Mark Miller, is already in the kayak to escort me into shore, I sit down and take a moment to take it all in before I slide into the waters of the Catalina Channel for a second time, I’m EXCITED!

I swim towards Catalina Island, clear the water and lift both my arms at 11:10pm to signal to the Observers, it’s “GAME ON”….the night Swimming begins

7.5 Hours Later the darkness began to lift…

I keep swimming….

And swimming….

Feeding every 30 minutes, the sun rise and luminates the sky, it was worth waiting for…..

” Your over half way” comes from the boat, I put my head down and pull hard, mile by mile we close in on the coast of California, Mark Miller kayaking by my side…

The California Coast cliff line is in sight, I can see the crashing surf at the base, I am close, I am PUMPED!
Head down, I make a B Line for the shore, as I am drawing myself onto shore a breaking wave blindsides me, knocking me down, the surge is strong and despite clawing with my hands on the rocks I am swept back out to sea, The Catalina Channel is not giving in that easy, NEITHER AM I, my goggles & light stick have been ripped off, there is shingle all over my face,my chin is bleeding, knees cut up, elbows, The Channel “Curb Stomps” me, for sure! I take another sweep at the shore and with all my might, crawl out on my hands & knees, once clear of the breaking waves and my feet are dry I turn to face the boat, and the Channel herself, we gaze it each other for a few seconds, a mutual respect,the bull horn sounds, 10 Hours, 34 minutes and 10 seconds, an official crossing of the Catalina Channel, I plop down on the rocks and watch my wonderful crew swim into shore to meet me, we share a team hug, then time to swim back to the boat.

At the start of the swim, David Clark, and Margaret Clark, our Catalina Channel observers, mentioned that some swimmers like to pick up a momento stone from the shore at the end of the swim, I didn’t scoop one up before I swam back to the boat, or atleast I didn’t intentionally, once on the boat, Cynthia helped strip off my suit and hose me down, my suit dropped to the deck along with enough stones for a small beach, we both roared with laughter.

Once wrapped up time or a hug from our wonderful Observer

We motored back to San Pedro, just enough time for a team photo

So what of the shark, he’s still telling the tale of last years run in, ” Mate that hurt, my jaw ached, I even lost a tooth, she was made of made of steel, didn’t even stop after the hit, I circled round for another look and she was gone, they’re making them of titanium these days”

Closing Thought: “When you think you’ve given it all you’ve got, dig deeper”