I entered the swim as I was going to be on the Gold Coast when it was happening, and I felt that it would be a little bit of redemption for the cancelled “Swim the Gold Coast” earlier in the year. I was not feeling particularly fit for the swim as I was knocked out by COVID a few months ago and it had taken me a long time to recover.
I arrived early and joined a few others trying to access the conditions by staring out to see. There looked to be a sweep from the North which would make swimming up the course a struggle and coming down the course more friendly. The waves crashing against the coast were a lot higher that I was used to but did not look that unfriendly. Many of the people around me were happy to offer advice, I felt that the best approach would be to hang back a bit at the start and watch what the others do.
We stood in a line on the beach. On the starters signal we ran to the sea and into the water. Some continued running, some duck dived through the waves. I went for the walking to waist level and then diving below the wave approach. It seemed to work.
I rounded the first buoy and the sweep hit me head on. I knew it was going to be a struggle but had not apricated quite how much of a struggle it was going to be. The wave made seeing the turning buoy impossible. I just hoped that I was going in the correct direction. Occasionally I saw another competitor going in roughly the same direction and that gave me hope that I might eventually find the turn buoy
The swim with the sweep was lovely. I noticed the extra push the moment I made the turn. Suddenly the swimming became a pleasure rather than a struggle. I still had the problem of not being able to see the other end of the course but now there were a few other swimmers around that I could follow.
After what seemed no time at all I was at the bottom of the course and almost on top of the turn. All I had to do now was make the turn and start going up the course again. At least this time I knew what I was up against. This made the journey to the north end of the course much more acceptable.
All I could see was a man in a boat pointing out to sea. The buoy was nowhere to be seen. What I did not know was that the buoy had slipped its anchor. I was not sure what to do as I had the feeling that the shorter course turned before us. I carried on a little way but the shouting coming from the boat persuaded me that I should have made the turn. I was more that happy not to swim against the sweep.
As I turned to head down the course for another sweep aided swim, I felt a gurgling in my stomach that quickly became a bad taste in my mouth. I rolled over on my side and ejected my meagre breakfast into the sea. I briefly pitied anyone behind me. I have never been seasick in a swim before, and it was not something that I was used to. It must have been the waves. I felt much better without my breakfast.
I only had to swim halfway on the last swim against the sweep but that was far enough. It seemed to take an immensely long time to get to the turning point. I kept trying to see the buoy but could not until I was right on top of it.
Heading into the finish with the waves was fun. I had not quite mastered to body surfing technique that others had but I was happy for the little bit of assistance that the waves gave me. I finished with a run up the beach. It had been a challenging swim but now that it was over, I started to enjoy it.