Chopper challenge 2022

On 14th March 2022 I managed to swim the Chopper Challenge, a 20km swim to support the Westpac Rescue helicopter service.

Contemplating the start

I had planned to do it in 2021, but had pulled out as I felt I was not ready, but instead supported a team from the rescue service with Geoff Carter who's boat we used. I was really impressed with the relaxed organisation and the weather was good so it was a good day. I even managed to swim a bit the the rescue team.

So my resolve deepened, especially as I have been involved with people doing even bigger swims. I was part of the support team for Sarah O'Dywer who attemped the length of Taupo swim, and although not finishing still swam for 15 hours.

Coming up to the day of the swim I felt I had done OK in training, although (actually) I hadn't done enough really long training swims.

Unfortunately the event organisers decided the event could not occur as planned due to the Omicron COVID19 pandemic and so the event became virtual. Which meant we we all to do our own course and arrange all our own support, not too much of an issue.

Geoff Carter agreed to loan me his boat, and Vic Dundas & Royden Hindle were the captain & crew on the Gannet (Geoff's boat). Liz Palmer & Hayley Wilson were my kayak support.

Marieke Wijnen & Warrick Hart were also part of the adventure, Warrick kayakking for Marieke who swam with me. Well, sort of swam with me, ahead of me being more accurate.

We had originally planned to swim from Long Bay to Devonport, but the wind was forecast from the south east, so we switched plans and instead swam from  Shakespear park to Arundel reserve at the northern end of Orewa beach.

The day started out really well, the weather was as forecast and while we started out into the wind we were still nice & fresh. We had to go quite wide at the northern end of the peninsula as there was a rocky outcrop that extended out quite a way. Once on the northern side of the peninsula the sea flattened out nicely and swimming went well.

That's me in the background

Swimming along the peninsula just seemed to go on and on. Army bay came & went but Tindalls seemed to never arrive. I was starting to struggle, especially with my right hand. 

The right hand has been an issue for a while, often it is a numbness which my physio & docker says is likely to be nerve related or maybe carpal tunnel. Whatever it is it dissappeared after about 2.5 hours but I then got a pain inside the hand. It was right inside the back of the hand and felt bone related, not sure what was happening there. The pain did not go, in fact it kept growing during the swim. At times I was swimming with a fist, or even the hand in a 'claw' but nothing seemed to change anything.

Because of my hand I kept drifting to the right and my team suggested heading straight for Orewa rather than going close to the point off Stanmore bay which was the original plan. I had no issues with this as I was tired of looking at the peninsula.

The kayak crew were doing a fantastic job keeping me fed and hydrated, boiled potatoes, sour squirm lollies, gels and sports drinks were provided every 30 min, and after 4 hours I took 2 ibuprofen to see if that would help. It did, a bit.

After 6 hours Orewa beach was plainly in sight but my shoulders were now cramping and the swim was a serious challenge. I started taking breaks every 20 min, and the support crew got serious as it was clear that is was not thinking as well as at the start. It was very clear to me that the support crew intended for me to finish and there were going to be no offers to get out and into a boat. So we soldiered on, although at the end I was only able to swim 100m between breaks, but eventually there was sand under my feet and gentle waves pushing me ashore.

I managed to do a 'Shazeel' style exit, but after that I was hardly able to move my right arm. There was a great group of supporters on the beach and I was able to banish the dark thoughts that had been with me for the last few hours. 

It was so good to have such a group waiting, and once I had managed to get dry and out of the togs & into dry clotes began to feel much better. 

I doubt that I will do another swim of this scale again, but who knows. The issue is that I would have to do many more longer training swims first and I'm not sure that I would enjoy that. And after all I swim because I enjoy it.

Some impressions / take aways from the swim:

• I did not anticipate the salt water affecting my nose so much. I anticipated the salt mouth and had some listerine to try and address that, but my nose blocked up. And it took at least 24 hours for my mouth to feel OK too.
• Boiled potatos were easy to eat and felt good.
• The more training you do the easier the event will be. Who knew that?

Here are some more pictures

Vic, the boat captain