Last Thursday, 21st of July 2016, I had the good fortune to be able to take part in an organised swim around the iconic Burgh Island, a small island in South Devon that is separated from the mainland by a tidal beach that is approximately 1mile round, as the fish swims.
This particular swim was organised and sponsored by Ashfords law firm supporting charities including parkinsons.org.uk, but there are several others that you can do. Whilst there was a commitment to raise £30 of sponsorship money I, and several of my friends, chose to just pay this out of our own pockets rather than ask others to fund our hobby!
This particular swim was organised and sponsored by Ashfords law firm supporting charities including parkinsons.org.uk, but there are several others that you can do. Whilst there was a commitment to raise £30 of sponsorship money I, and several of my friends, chose to just pay this out of our own pockets rather than ask others to fund our hobby!
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| View from Mount Folly Farm |
On a perfect evening with a flat sea and crystal clear water, we had a pre-swim briefing that included a few words from Olympic 10k open-water bronze medallist, Cassie Patten. Organisation was good with two groups setting off separately: a "leisurely" group followed by the rest of us. There were several kayakers and paddle-boarders out for safety, as well as a power-boat patrolling the route.
There was a good turnout from Exeter Tri Club with at least eight members in attendance.
Leaving from the beach looking out to a setting sun over the Island, we headed out on an anti-clockwise direction to make use of the tides round the back of the rocks. Unlike most open-water starts in triathlon, this wasn't the usual bun-fight and I must reflect on the pleasant atmosphere of my last two OWS (this and the The Equaliser).
What first struck me was the clarity of the water- the first few hundred metres particularly- where we could initially see the sand and then various rocks and flora. Whilst I'm a fairly experienced OWSer, I still get a little perturbed by rocks and sea-weed for some reason, so when I found my hands brushing against them I quickly changed course. This was probably sensible anyway as I didn't want to get too close to the bigger rocks or risk tearing my fancy new Blue Seventy Helix wetsuit!
At about this stage I happened to be behind someone who clearly needed to trip their toe-nails as I got a kick on the hand which resulted in a small cut that bled for a while. I was glad there were no sharks in the vicinity!
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| Some of the ETC Contingent |
As we turned to go round the back of the Island, despite it being a beautifully calm evening, there was still a little chop and tide that did move you towards the rocks. It wasn't difficult to keep clear and I found it easy enough to stay on a safe course, but it certainly made you think about it and kept you on your toes. I did a little bit of drafting at this point, but generally find the cons outweigh the pros for me as I like to set my own pace so limit the amount I do. I also prefer to trust my own sighting so, on balance, tend to keep a clear path in front of me.
As we came round the Island's rear I really wanted to try and get a good view of it but to do so would have meant stopping and treading water but, being what I am, I wasn't willing to drop any places (despite it not being a race) so I tried to make do with quick glances as I breathed to my left! Fortunately I did some Stand-Up Paddle Boarding with equipment courtesy of Discovery Surf School the next day so got to have a better look then.
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| Perfect Conditions |
The final part of the swim took us round the eastern side, between two rocky outcrops, but as it was high tide this presented no problem. As we made our way back to shore for the final 400m or so I caught up with a group of about ten swimmers. I initially tried to go round them but I almost got hit in the face by one of the paddleboarders as he directed people away from the Island. This forced me to change tack and I ended up pretty much going through them, almost losing my goggles due to an errant arm and apparently kicking one of my friends in the face (though how she knew it was me is a mystery!)
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| And They're Off! |
I put in a final push for the last 200m when I managed to overtake a few more people. The water was quite shallow so there was a bit of a wade to exit completely. As the swimmers came back onto the beach there was nice applause for everyone from the decent number of spectators and supporters. I saw my wife, Beccy, and a few other friends taking pictures and cheering so I stopped to pose with a thumbs-up, not knowing there was actually a finish line and someone with a stopwatch! I promptly crossed it to officially complete the event.
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| Happy Finishers |
We had already booked a table at the nearby Journey's End pub where they have a nice menu and some lovely ales, so we missed out on the free pasties and Korev which was a little upsetting! However, all in all it was a fun event in the most amazing location. We camped for two nights at the basic but beautifully-located Mount Folly Farm Campsite for only £12 and had the opportunity to enjoy the beach for the next couple of days.
I'll definitely do this swim again, probably with some friends rather than as an organised event. However, I'd definitely recommend taking the opportunity to do it with support as you can't be seen by lifeguards at the back of the Island. I certainly wouldn't do it solo though.
Ratings:
- Organisation 8/10 - could have been a little louder with instructions and warnings about the rocks underneath would have been welcome
- Conditions 10/10 - but we were lucky: on a rough day it would be treacherous
- Scenery 10/10 - amazing whatever the weather
- Atmosphere 9/10 - really positive and supportive, but slightly greater numbers would have made it even better
- Overall: 9/10 - a well organised and beautiful event. We're privileged to have such amazing things on our doorstep and you'd be a fool not to take advantage of them at every opportunity
Exeter Tri Club Results*
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| Smile! (but don't forget to finish!) |
- James Haigh 26.24 (second out of the water overall**)
- Richard Parker 29.00 (14th)
- Rupert Warren 29.59 (17th)
- Wai Ming Loh 31.10 (22th)
- Claire Gott*** 32.05 (27th)
- Sam Bourner*** 34.30 (38th)
- Danny Murphy*** 36.30 (47th)
*Apologies if I've missed anyone from the club. Please contact me to correct if so
** Positions are out of the water, does not account for people who started earlier in the first group
*** swam in first group, approx. ten minutes to add for actual swim time
