Goggles at Dawn

Since 2020 it has been my privilege to be part of several people's swims of the length of Taupō: the maths is a little tricky, four swimmers and five journeys up and down the lake. These experiences informed me of germane details about this swim, namely that the lake is very dark at night, that 40.2km is a very long way, and that at a certain point along that way (which varies) the swimmer will experience some significant suffering. On the other side of the scale, however, are several positives, not least that by late January and early February the water is a bath-like 20 degrees, the water contains no lethal predators, and the scenery is stunning. I'd be (almost) prepared to duel with anybody who argues that there's a more beautiful body of fresh water anywhere in the world.  For offshore readers, who may be interested in investigating this swim, Lake Taupō, or Taupō Moana, is the largest lake in the country, located in the central north island, just north the great volcan

Looking towards Rakiura with not far to go. It is now two weeks since I was lucky enough to enjoy a beautiful swim across Te Ara-a-Kiwa/Foveaux Strait to Rakiura/Stewart Island on Saturday 1 April 2023. For many reasons, this was a lucky swim, characterized by a series of beautiful coincidences and experiences that I wasn’t sure how to do justice to. With every swim they complete, our local swimmers write ever more perceptive and vivid blogs, so there is some pressure to match their originality and eloquence. Just this week I've read Adriana's evocative account of her Taup ō swim, and Gr á inne’s thoughtful response , written from the perspective of a support person during the swim (as well as her stories of swims here and abroad). Then there’s also Rebecca’s story of a record-breaking swim in Lake Wānaka , Mike’s day in Taupō , and John’s long-awaited crossing between our north and south islands. Their candid reflections make it harder and harder to find a perspective and t