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On Friday March 7, Nick Edwards, a deputy principal at Ahutoetoe School in Milldale attempted to swim across one of the most difficult stretches of water in the world, Cook Strait/Te Moana-o-Raukawa, to help raise awareness of ovarian cancer.
Nick said he was inspired by a colleague who is suffering from ovarian cancer.
“I thought I would use this opportunity to do some good in the world so have partnered with Ovarian Cancer Foundation NZ to raise money for research and support, Nick says.”
Although Nick has experience with open-water swimming, having swum the full 40.2 km length of Lake Taupō and also circumnavigated the 26 km around the Pacific Island of Bora Bora (both in 2023), this swim was set be one of the biggest challenges of his life, he said.
“Cook Strait is around 26km as the crow flies, but most people swim between 30-40km in the cold, harsh conditions with a whole host of mental and physical hurdles to overcome. A successful swim can take anywhere between eight and 12 hours depending on the conditions on the day. The swim was held under marathon swimming rules with the only equipment allowed being swim shorts, a pair of goggles, and a swim cap. Swimmers aren’t allowed any floatation support, to get out to rest, or even hold onto the boat for a break. They are fed every 30 minutes after the first hour on gels and warm drinks,” Nick says.
Hibiscus Matters spoke to Nick again after the swim, and he takes up the story:
Cook Strait/Te Moana-o-Raukawa simply did not let me pass. There’s a saying in marathon swimming: ‘You don’t beat the ocean, it sometimes lets you win…’ and it just wasn’t on the cards for me.
The temperature had dropped from 19°C degrees the week before, down to a bracing 16°C to start, then down to 14°C in patches. After the first hour, the tides, winds and swells became unexpectedly strong out of nowhere. It was like being in a wave machine pushing me back, left and right but rarely forward. I suffered dozens of jellyfish stings so I have lacerations all over my stomach, feet and right arm. Inquisitive albatross were starting to dive bomb and attack me, barely missing my face. A bitter, cold wind added to the recipe for disaster as the day progressed.
As the cold began to set into my bones and the waves became increasingly high and erratic, I developed stomach issues meaning every feeding break quickly resulted in the food coming straight back up.
I swam the first three kilometres in 30 minutes, the next five kilometres in one hour and then eight kilometres in the next two hours. The next 16 kilometres took me eight hours, which shows how badly the conditions changed. The only photos and videos are from the first two hours as after that it was too dangerous to film and my health became a real concern.
After over 10 hours and something like 24km, the swim got pulled on a medical call. I can’t really recall the end as I was starting to lose consciousness, but I apparently belligerently fought this stoppage and had to be physically pulled into the safety boat. Considering I literally passed out as soon as I was on the boat, I’m thankful for their intervention.
The crew lead said if he’d waited another half an hour I might not be here. Dramatic to share, but that message shows that I gave it my all. The crew have no explanation as to what happened with conditions deteriorating so rapidly and to such a degree. It simply shows just part of the reason why Cook Strait is such a dangerous and unpredictable swim.”
Nick says he is proud of the effort he put into this swim. He also raised nearly $6000 for Ovarian Cancer Foundation NZ and feels like he has done something to make a difference.
