Words: Kim Stephens ǀ Photos: Courtesy of Speedo SA & Kim Stephens
Next month, a team of six South African ice swimmers will take on a world-first challenge to swim an ice mile south of the Antarctic Circle (66.5622° South), wearing only a Speedo costume, one cap and goggles, raising funds for charity and boosting awareness of the WWF’s SA Sustainable Seafood Initiative (SASSI). It has never been done there before because it is, in short, insane. To attempt the distance of one mile (1,650 m) in water temperatures that promise to be 0 degrees Celsius will be extremely dangerous and very difficult to complete.
Photo credit: Courtesy of Speedo SA & Kim Stephens
Costs to access the Antarctic venue are also prohibitive. Other very well-known swimmers (Lynne Cox and Lewis Pugh) have completed swims in this region before, but never as far south nor with a similar distance goal of one mile. One of the team members, Ram Barkai, currently holds the Guinness Book of Records for the furthest south swim, but it was just short of a mile (1,000 metres) and therefore not registered as an official ice mile.
What is an ice mile?
An ice mile is an officially recognised and officiated challenge by the International Ice Swimming Association (IISA), founded in 2009. It requires extremists wishing to complete an ice mile (1,650 m) in water temperatures at 5 degrees Celsius or below, wearing only a Speedo-type costume, one neoprene cap and goggles at an outdoor venue. To date, only a small number of swimmers from around the globe have achieved the feat, with applications growing daily.
The challenge
Six South African extremists will be teaming up to pool their vast experience and head to the serene, yet deadly waters deep inside the Antarctic Circle. Each member of the team will be attempting an ice mile at this extreme south latitude, where hostile waters promise to be 0 degrees Celsius or lower. Here, they hope to push the limits of ice swimming beyond what any other human being has achieved before them. In addition, the ambitions of the team and IISA are to take Extreme Cold Swimming to the 2024 Olympic Games.
Why?
There is little additional rationalisation needed in the heads of the team when they are asked, "Why?" "Once an extreme adventurer, always an extreme adventurer!" says Ram Barkai. Pushing limits and surpassing mental and physical boundaries in a place of extreme hardship is in their blood.
As Ryan Stramrood states, “One cannot beat the life lessons taken from something as intense and as difficult as this, whether successful or not. It sets the foundation for how we live our lives – without fear. We have travelled the world looking (and finding) remote, hostile places to test ourselves. Antarctica could not be a less-inviting venue for a swim! It will surely test us all to the limit.”
WWF’s South Africa Sustainable Seafood initiative champions the plight of all ocean life under threat of depletion due to over harvesting. It helps in many areas, including educating the consumer, to make informed choices about the seafood on their plates. The Antarctic Circle Ice Challenge team spends a significant amount of time in our beautiful (chilly) oceans while they train for their various global expeditions. They are therefore intrinsically linked to the ocean’s well-being and the health of all its inhabitants – both friendly and not-so-friendly. With team member Ryan Stramrood as an official registered SASSI Ambassador, the team will dedicate this adventure and its comprehensive PR package to raising awareness of SASSI and its objectives.
Preparation
The team is currently getting as swimming fit as possible, spending as much time in the icy Table Bay waters as they can and swimming the distance between Robben Island and Blouberg Beach in Cape Town – their preferred training course. They also endure actual ice baths, where the water temperature is brought down to 0 degrees Celsius.
They are undergoing full medical assessments, as well as eating well to add a bit of extra padding that will compensate for the distinct lack of apparel worn during their swim. However, most of the preparation is mental – and that’s the hardest part.
Once the team boards the ship on 21 February 2014, a more detailed acclimatisation strategy will be decided upon with the assistance of the medical crew on board. Permission has been secured by the trip organisers, who will facilitate the team’s challenge. The team plan to complete one or two additional swims en route to Antarctic to acclimatise as the sea and air temperature drops.
Dangers
There are many dangers the team face, but hypothermia will be the most troublesome. Hypothermia is deadly and it takes a lot of experience to ensure they do not push it past the point of no return. A dedicated medic needs to be in close proximity. Other dangers include high blood pressure from extreme nerves prior to the swim, which potentially impacts profoundly as the body hits the ice water, so staying calm and mentally preparing will be key. Wildlife is a further concern, but it is further down the list.
Photo credit: Courtesy of Speedo SA & Kim Stephens
Meet the team
Ram Barkai
• South African, 55 year old.
• Guinness Book of Record holder for the southernmost swim.
• Founder and Chairman of the International Ice Swim Association.
• Successful two-way Beagle Channel crossing – Chile to Argentina to Chile.
• Tymen Siberia – 1,000 metres in minus 33 degrees Celsius ambient and 0 degrees Celsius water.
• Arctic Circle, Murmansk – first ice mile inside the Arctic Circle – 0 degrees Celsius water.
• Member of the team to successfully swim from Russia to the USA across the Bering Strait – 2013.
• World first extreme cold swim around the southernmost tip of South America – Cape Horn.
• Six successful ice miles.
Ryan Stramrood
• South African, 40 years old.
• Successful solo English Channel – UK to France.
• Two successful solo Gibraltar Straits crossing – Europe to Africa.
• Successful two-way Beagle Channel crossing – Chile to Argentina to Chile.
• Founding member of the International Ice Swim Association.
• Tymen Siberia – 1,000 metres in minus 33 degrees Celsius ambient and 0 degrees Celsius water.
• Arctic Circle, Murmansk – first ice mile inside the Arctic Circle in 0 degrees Celsius water.
• Member of the team to successfully swim from Russia to the USA across the Bering Strait – 2013.
• World first extreme cold swim around the southernmost tip of South America – Cape Horn.
• Four successful ice miles.
Kieron Palframan
• South African, 39 years old.
• Successful solo English Channel – UK to France.
• Successful solo Gibraltar Straits crossing – Europe to Africa.
• Successful two-way Beagle Channel crossing – Chile to Argentina to Chile.
• Founding member of the International Ice Swim Association.
• Tymen Siberia – 1,000 meters in minus 33 degrees Celsius ambient and 0 degrees Celsius water.
• Arctic Circle, Murmansk – first ice mile inside the Arctic Circle in 0 degrees Celsius water.
• World first extreme cold swim around the southernmost tip of South America – Cape Horn.
• Four successful ice miles.
Andrew Chin
• South African, 43 years old.
• Full length Orange River relay swim.
• Successful two-way Beagle Channel crossing – Chile to Argentina to Chile.
• Founding member of the International Ice Swim Association.
• Member of the team to successfully swim from Russia to the USA across the Bering Strait – 2013.
• World first extreme cold swim around the southernmost tip of South America – Cape Horn.
• Two successful ice miles.
Toks Viviers
• South African, 51 years old.
• Full length Orange River relay swim.
• Successful two-way Beagle Channel crossing – Chile to Argentina to Chile.
• Founding member of the International Ice Swim Association.
• Member of the team to successfully swim from Russia to the USA across the Bering Strait – 2013.
• World first extreme cold swim around the southernmost tip of South America – Cape Horn.
• Two successful ice miles.
Gavin Pike
• Forty-six-year-old South African currently living in the Netherlands.
• Various solo island crossings, including Robben Island and Alcatraz.
• Successful solo Gibraltar Straights crossing – Europe to Africa.
• Expedition swimmer and paddler on three Orange River Challenges.
• Numerous extreme cold water swims.
• Has yet to complete an official ice mile.
To follow the team's progress, follow them on their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com
More information
Only three swims have been completed in Antarctica:
• In 2002, Lynne Cox was the first to swim at Neko Harbour around 60 degrees south. A distance of 1.2 miles that took her 25 minutes. Lynne has written a book about her journey to reach this goal.
• In 2005, Lewis Pugh followed Lynne’s footsteps to swim 1 mile in Deception Bay and an additional 1 km further south at around 65 degrees.
• In 2008, our own Ram Barkai completed a 1 km swim in a frozen lake inland Antarctica at 70 degrees south and was awarded a Guinness World Record for the world’s most southerly swim.
