What it's really like for a first-time ocean swimmer
My first swim is at Auckland's Point Erin outdoor pool and friend Rina and I are both excited and nervous. Turns out she's an ex-competitive swimmer and it all comes rushing back to her quickly. Not so much for me. One lap and I'm gasping for air. How on earth will I be able to do a 1km swim over three days?
Three months, countless pool swims and two ocean swims later, we are ready. Or, ready enough.
Swimming beside Olympians, Wendy pushed herself out of her comfort zone. Photo / Wendy Petrie
At two hours and 26 minutes, the Air New Zealand flight to Fiji barely feels like an international journey yet the tropical warm air hits us as we walk off the plane. In no time, we're whisked away to the Sofitel Hotel in Denerau. We spend the afternoon at the pool with a pina colada trying not to overthink the next 3 days of swimming.
That night more than 200 swimmers and partners gather for dinner on the lawn of the Sofitel. There's a kava drinking ceremony and a show. Dame Sophie Pascoe has come along for the first swim and I can't believe I will be swimming beside a Paralympics champion. The kids will laugh their heads off. 'How to Dad' is there too so hopefully he's a terrible swimmer and I won't look quite so bad.
Wendy Petrie tackled a three-day ocean swim in Fiji despite minimal experience. Photo / Wendy Petrie
Day one of our ocean swim arrives. It's an early one. By 7.45am we are at the Denarau marina pushing off for Tivua Island. It's a beautiful boat ride with the crew singing Fijian songs. We meet a few Aussies who are doing the 3km swim. In fact, there are more Australians here than Kiwis. It's also predominantly female, something organiser Scott Rice suggests is because women are far better at planning and organising a trip together. There are some excellent swimsuits that would have required some pre-planning, with one group of women from Wagawaga in pink matching sets.
Back to the swim. Thankfully, the 1km swimmers are going first. The nerves are kicking in. The day is beautiful, but the wind has picked up and it's a bit choppy around the last buoy.
Over 200 people took part in the three-day ocean swimming event. Photo / Wendy Petrie
For some reason I stand next to Rina, who is right at the front. First wrong move. The gun goes and we are off; a mass of arms and legs churning up the ocean. I'm breathing quite hard heading to the first buoy and trying to do some backstroke. I try to relax like Liv's swim teacher used to say. Loose as a goose, fast as an eagle. The water is crystal clear with fish darting and even a couple of pretty blue starfish waving up at me from the ocean floor.
By the last buoy I'm really pushing myself when the chopping water crashes over my cap and I swallow some sea water. Running under the finish line banner is a real thrill and Rina is there with water and a high five along with our new friends, the sisters.
Stunning views, new friendships, and a swim medal made it unforgettable. Photo / Wendy Petrie
I feel great! I did it. I came 50th out of 80 and 11th in my age group. Not bad for a newbie. We watch the 3km swimmers in wonder, especially the 70 year olds who are smashing it. The rest of the day is spent on Tivua Island eating a buffet lunch and snorkelling.
Day two is a more relaxed start time with the swim off the Sofitel Hotel. I change my mindset for the second swim. I've done it, I know I can do it, now enjoy it.
I start off at the back of the pack this time which means less splashing. Twenty seven minutes later I'm running under the finish line with another ocean swim under my belt.
The afternoon is spent at the adults only Waitui Bar & Grill which we have access to for the day. It's lovely and by now a lot of the attendees are socialising and mixing with each other. A pina colada in the pool and another happy hour drink at the hotel bar is quite enough for day two.
Day three is a trip to Malamala, a beautiful island a half hour away by quick-cat. Rina and I decide we need to warm up before our swim for once. We swing our arms like I've seen Liv (swimming daughter do) and slap our biceps, then head out for a quick 100m ocean warm up. We've also talked to the 3km winner who advises us to kick less as your legs are the biggest muscle that eats up energy.
Each swim was followed by a social event or island lunch. Photo / Wendy Petrie
The gun goes and we are off. It's beautiful and although I can feel a couple of bites from sea lice, they don't worry me. The view underwater is mesmerising. With 'Nothing's gonna stop us now' blaring over the loudspeaker, I finally find it - my swimming mojo!
One, two, one two and I have so much energy. I barely kick my legs and my breathing is even and in control. I could swim like this all day! It's like I'm in an ocean hammock, with the tide gently cradling me as I make my way around the island. I finished in 22 minutes, my best time yet.
A finisher's medal tops it off and a few dozen photos later, we are lying on loungers enjoying the day with our catered lunch.
The final gathering is back on the lawn of the Sofitel, with white tablecloths and awards. Rina gets a silver medal for coming second in her age group. There are swimmers in their 60s, 70s and 80s crushing it out there. It's quite inspiring.
After dinner, we hit the dance floor with our new swimming friends and reflect on our fun week. As I head into my 50's I'm keen to keep pushing myself out of my comfort zone, and that's exactly what I got. Now, what's the next challenge?
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
6 hours ago
- RNZ News
Gisborne Air NZ flights cancelled due to plane repairs
Air New Zealand cancelled flights at Gisborne Airport for the majority of Thursday as two planes needed repairs. Photo: LDR/Gisborne Herald Two grounded planes in need of repairs at Gisborne Airport caused all flights in and out of the airport to be cancelled for most of Thursday. Air New Zealand - the sole airline operating flights from Gisborne to Auckland and Wellington - began cancelling flights in and out of the city's airport on Wednesday after the day's only arrival was grounded. An Air New Zealand spokesperson said all flights today were cancelled as of 3pm. Flights later in the evening remained scheduled in the hope the gates would be clear. Gisborne Airport has two gates, both of which were occupied by aircraft undergoing maintenance work. At the airport lobby at midday on Thursday, people sat with their luggage waiting in hope their flights would stay on schedule and they would arrive at their destinations. Speaking with Local Democracy Reporting in the morning, Mayor Rehette Stoltz described Air New Zealand's service as "a lifeline" and said that when it contacted her on Wednesday, she had urged the airline to have clear communications with passengers. "Don't let people sit there from 5.30 this morning who missed their flights and think it might go at 9 or 10." According to one passenger who was supposed to fly at 6am, the airline contacted him at 3pm on Wednesday, cancelling the flight. However, he was not impressed with the airline's communications. He said they then put him on a flight to Auckland two days later at 5pm; however, his return flight from Auckland to Gisborne was at 3pm that same day. "So I [would have] arrived after I was already supposed to have left." He managed to get a ticket for a flight scheduled at 5pm today but was waiting on standby in case any planes left earlier. He had missed one full day of meetings and would have to fly back to Auckland next week. "I fly often, and every time in the last six months, it has either been delayed or moved," he said. In another instance, two women were supposed to fly to Auckland at 1.55pm to travel to Singapore on Friday. However, they did not find out about the flight delays until they arrived at the airport. They wished the airline had let them know so they could have spent more time with family before their travels. Air New Zealand chief operating officer Alex Marren said they pre-emptively cancelled flights on Thursday to allow time for engineers to work on the planes. They anticipated services would be restored by the afternoon. Both aircraft were de Havilland Q300s. One had sustained propeller blade damage while in flight, the cause of which is unknown. The other aircraft issue involved a cockpit control check. "Parts have been transported overnight to Gisborne, and our team are working as quickly as possible to get these aircraft back in the air." She said the airline was accommodating customers whose flights had been impacted on the next available service. As there is limited availability over the next couple of days, Air New Zealand has also offered road transportation to Napier, she said. The airline was also looking at "alternate parking options to accommodate flights". "We are very grateful to all affected customers for their patience and understanding while we work to get them to their destinations." Stoltz said she had met with the airline on Monday and Tuesday to meet the new chief executive, Nikhil Ravishankar, who will start his position on 20 October. They talked about how the airline service was a lifeline to the region. "There might be people now missing their international flight, and there is no option for them just to drive because it is seven hours, it's not like Rotorua or Tauranga." She said they were sympathetic and wanted to work closely. "It is a lifeline to us, but they also need to take into account that it is a service to a very isolated region, which is 51 percent government-owned." She said Air New Zealand does try to support the region, noting the flights put on from Gisborne to Napier during Cyclone Gabrielle. "Fingers crossed that's a great sign of what's to come, that there would be very clear comms of what our community can expect, so that they can change their flights and accommodation and be ready, because it costs a lot of money." LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
NZ Herald
7 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Government must step up to save vital regional air routes
This follows its withdrawal of its Wellington to Taupō and Wellington to Westport routes last year. Loss of regional air routes rips out lifelines for our communities – literally, in the case of Blenheim to Christchurch. This is a critical healthcare link for Marlborough people needing specialist treatment such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and day surgery in Christchurch. As of September 28, that's gone and they face an about four-hour drive, one way. Regional air services are the backbone of connectivity for New Zealand, not just healthcare and holidaymakers but business, education, freight and emergency response capability. The Kaikōura earthquake and Cyclone Gabrielle showed us just how vital these regional air routes and carriers are in times of crisis, delivering vital supplies and medical care to cut-off communities. With extreme weather events now part of life, they are becoming even more important. Yet our regional carriers that serve smaller centres, supplementing Air New Zealand's domestic network, are struggling. They face a growing burden of compliance costs across a range of government agencies that intersect with the industry. This also includes other government charges such as ACC levies and airport landing fees. Alongside the CAA's hikes, government air traffic control agency Airways New Zealand this week set a 6% average annual price increase. These hikes amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars per year for regional carriers, on top of fee increases from airports and growing operational and maintenance costs. The assumption is that operators can pass the cost on to the passenger, but there comes a point where that's not feasible. This leads to route cuts, aircraft sales and staff losses and once gone, these are very difficult to bring back. The Government says it wants to partner with the industry to 'build an aviation sector that continues to be a pillar of New Zealand's economy and a lifeline for our communities'. Its goal is to transition the CAA into a 100% industry-funded regulatory body (it is already 90% industry-funded) and rely on market forces to lift the sector and support regional communities. This is wrong. As with Crown funding for critical infrastructure such as rail and roading, the Government plays a role in supporting access to safe and secure air services domestically and internationally. This is in the wider public interest and good for New Zealand. There are at least 30 countries around the world that support regional airlines in different ways. In Australia, the Government has made a strong commitment to support access to safe and secure regional air services with a package of measures. This includes access to concessional loans, something that has been floated here and is part of a possible solution. Aviation services are essential to our regional communities and New Zealanders deserve access to them now and into the future. If the Government really wants to support regional connectivity and deliver its economic growth plan, it urgently needs to lend a helping hand to our regional carriers so they can keep these routes in the air.
Otago Daily Times
13 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Nareki's inclusion gives Otago game breaker out wide
Otago winger Jona Nareki has recovered from a knee injury a couple of weeks ahead of schedule and will strengthen the side for their season opener against Southland in Invercargill on Saturday. Nareki was expected to be sidelined for at least the first few weeks of the campaign. But he is fit and will start on the left wing, where he will mark Stags speedster Michael Manson. All Blacks loose forward Christian Lio-Willie will pack down at No 8 and Fijian-born lock Joseva Tamani will make his debut for Otago. Englishman Charlie Powell will also be on debut for Otago. The outside back played for the Stags last season. There are three more potential Otago debutants named on the bench. Taieri halfback Bob Martin, Green Island fullback Sam Nemec-Vial and Cantabrian midfielder Jae Broomfield made an impact during the preseason and have been rewarded with a spot in the game-day 23. Nareki's inclusion will give Otago some confidence to play with width, knowing they have a game-breaker out wide, while the combination between halfback Nathan Hastie and first five Cameron Millar will set the tone for the visitors. Southland have named a side featuring a solid tight five and an impressive loose forward trio of Sean Withy, Semisi Tupou-Ta'eiloa and former Otago utility Sam Fischli, who has been named at blindside and will be on debut for the Stags. Former Canterbury halfback Nic Shearer has made the move south and will also be on debut for Southland. Front-rowers Jack Sexton, Jack Taylor and Morgan Mitchell and locks Mitchell Dunshea and William Kirkwood should ensure the Stags are competitive in the set phases. The backline arguably lacks some X-factor, though Manson has express pace, fullback Rory van Vugt is reliable and will be clocking his 50th game for the province, and centre Isaac Te Tamaki can be elusive. Aukustino Salanoa, Alefosio Aho, Cain Hurley and Mika Muliaina have been named in the reserves and will be making their debut if they get on. The Donald Stuart Memorial Shield is at stake. Southland won the fixture 22-13 last year. NPC The teams Otago: Sam Gilbert (captain), Charlie Powell, Josh Timu, Thomas Umaga-Jensen, Jona Nareki, Cameron Millar, Nathan Hastie, Christian Lio-Willie, Harry Taylor, Will Stodart, Joseva Tamani, Will Tucker, Saula Ma'u, Henry Bell, Abraham Pole: Reserves: Liam Coltman, Ben Lopas, Rohan Wingham, Charles Elton, Lucas Casey, Bob Martin, Jae Broomfield, Sam Nemec-Vial. Southland: Rory van Vugt, Michael Manson, Isaac Te Tamaki, Matt Whaanga, Scott Gregory, Byron Smith, Nic Shearer, Semisi Tupou-Ta'eiloa, Sean Withy (captain), Sam Fischli, William Kirkwood, Mitchell Dunshea, Morgan Mitchell, Jack Taylor, Jack Sexton. Reserves: Aukustino Salanoa, Hunter Fahey, Paula Latu, Alefosio Aho, Cian Hurley, Connor Collins, Mika Muliaina, Faletoi Peni.
