For some reason I have entered Auckland Harbour swim. The 2.8km from Auckland’s  across the harbour with Auckland Harbour bridge on your right hand side to the Viaduct harbour. I am an average swimmer and have done little in the way of open water swimming. All very different to laps of a pool. I know I can swim the distance as in the last couple of weeks I’ve swum the distance at the Olympic pool in Newmarket (Auckland). I don’t own a swimming wet suit and am swimming in a surfing wetsuit

I get up nervously at 05.00 to allow myself time to eat and then headed into town by taxi to catch a ferry to Devonport’s Stanley Bay. Alongside 1300 competitors I entered the water at 07.30 for a 2.8Km open sea swim across Auckland harbour to Viaduct Harbour a yachting mariner / restaurant area of the city.

Conditions were perfect – clear blue skies, no wind and, with high tide approaching, no significant tidal current. I was swimming well but, for the second time in a week, my sense of direction let me down. ‘Sighting’ the technique of identifying landmarks on the horizon before starting the swim and then using these landmarks to maintain an approximately correct direction, as well as judging the impact of tidal action are open water skills which I am quickly learning I am sadly lacking! Twice I was re-directed by a steward as I was heading off the course (and adding significant metres to my swim !!). It is should destroying to discover you are well off-course and that the effort you have put in and the snail’s pace you have been going at has been applied sub-optimally.

Anyway, after 1hr 17 mins I crossed the finish line about 2/3 of the way down the field and am met up with Ruth and girls. I am knackered and rubbed raw in various places due to an ill-fitting surfing wetsuit. If I’m to make a hobby of this I need to buy a swimming wet suit!

The winner was home in 28 mins – one of the NZ Olympic team. Amongst the 800+ people who finished before me is the winner of the 70 yrs and over age group. However, if there had been a prize for total distance swum I feel certain I would have made the podium.

The after swim prize giving is well attended and fun. And I decide I have a new ambition, I’ve set my mind on standing on the podium in the Auckland Harbour Crossing. My strategy is to stay fit and healthy well into retirement so that I can compete in the >70 years of age category where there are only a handful of entrants. Watch this space.