MEDIA RELEASE : Early on Friday, 9th of August Helen Conway from Tasmania walked into the warm waters at Mulifanua to start her quest to swim to Savai’i.
Helen and husband John had arrived a few hours earlier from Australia.
The swim was scheduled for Saturday 10th but the weather looked horrendous. The reserve days the next week all looked horrendous. In fact, even Friday wasn’t looking good but at least it was the first day of this week-long weather pattern.
After discussions with the swimmer, we decided to swim on Friday, less than a day after the Conway’s arrival in Samoa. It was not ideal, but it was the best option we had.
The first half to Apolima Island was uneventful. The sea was disturbed but quite manageable. Then in the Strait between Apolima and Salelologa, the effects of the 30 km winds started to build. The predicted 2m swells became much bigger.
No breaking waves though, just rolling swells.
Conditions were heavy but so long as the wind was on our tail then the plan would be realised at the other end.
Helen said she occupied herself with thinking. “I was thinking, who in their right mind would swim Apolima Strait doing a double? I kept thinking that which kept me amused in the heave-ho.”
“I also kept remembering Seti’s words that the wind is directly behind me. That helped me manage the rough seas. So long as I wasn’t fighting against it the finish would come in time.”
And so it happened, shortly after midday Helen touched terra firma in Salelologa to complete her swim in a time of 7h 02m. A great time for the Tassie swimmer. It’s way above average for this swim in any condition.
Helen is the 31st swimmer to have crossed Apolima Strait with Samoa Events since 2015.