31 December 2019: Hataitai-Freyberg Return
One of our favourite 'long swims' in the sea around here is the Hataitai-Freyberg return. This can only be undertaken in light winds, so naturally it doesn't happen all that often. This time we started at Hataitai (where parking is free for those with cars), swam past NIWA, past Balaena Bay, around Pt. Jerningham, and then glide towards Freyberg Beach. K. and M. set off just ahead of me and Rebecca; we caught up with them somewhere around Balaena Bay.
Rebecca had some lemon drizzle cake in a lunchbox in her tow float, so we had a nice snack on the beach (along with the customary Tom and Luke snack balls, and a couple of jelly snakes), waited for M. and K. to arrive, gave them some cake, and then set off for Hataitai again. Now, it was a light southerly, which meant we'd been pushed gently from Hataitai to Pt. Jerningham, and then had flat water in Oriental Bay. We also had flat water from Freyberg back to Pt J., but after turning the corner at the lighthouse, it seemed that the southerly was a bit stronger when it was a headwind. Who'd have guessed! Rebecca and I agreed to power into these adverse conditions, and stop for a breather on the far side of Balaena Bay. This plan worked well: we were definitely ready for a breather.
Then we put our heads down again and powered on to Hataitai, taking care not to wave at any runners before NIWA lest they call the cops. By the time we were swimming alongside NIWA (apparently, this stretch is known as 'Ratty Rocks' - best not think about it) I had lost patience with being slapped in the face by irregular wave patterns and pushing into what felt like a wall of wind,* so I switched on my 'shut down mode'. In this mode, I stop thinking about adverse conditions and concentrate instead on counting my strokes to 50 over and over again. This has the benefit, indirectly, of causing an increase in pace. NIWA disappeared, I passed by Greta Point, and swung around into Hataitai Beach, taking care to avoid mooring ropes. The water at Hataitai is clean but tends towards murkiness, and it's surprisingly easy to plough into a mooring rope.
By the time we were dressed, M. and K. were swimming into the bay. We then proceded over the hill to Hataitai Village for refreshments.
I hadn't done this swim for about a year, and on the previous occasion, I had eaten a breakfast of banana, cereal, and milk, plus a spoonful of peanut butter. That breakfast had proved inadequate. We swam Freyberg-Hataitai-Freyberg, with a brief snack break at Hataitai. On the return leg, the sugar from the snacks was not enough for my thoroughly empty tank. I got slower and slower, and my neck hurt. After we turned the corner at the Pt. J. lighthouse I was more than ready for the home straight, so rolled over to take a few strokes on my back to relieve my neck. The rest of the swimmers got away from me, and during the stretch from the 1km buoy to the fountain I had truly hit the wall. The lesson from this swim: 8.5km requires a different breakfast. This year I had a bowl of porridge (oats, with a few raisins and almonds, no milk) about 50 minutes before we started to swim, and that breakfast set me up far better. I still had plentiful energy - enough to accelerate despite the headwind - in the final 1.5km. The lemon drizzle cake provided welcome boost though.
*The northerly gusts, while the southerly (unless it's a stormy gale) tends to be more of a constant level of breeze).
Rebecca had some lemon drizzle cake in a lunchbox in her tow float, so we had a nice snack on the beach (along with the customary Tom and Luke snack balls, and a couple of jelly snakes), waited for M. and K. to arrive, gave them some cake, and then set off for Hataitai again. Now, it was a light southerly, which meant we'd been pushed gently from Hataitai to Pt. Jerningham, and then had flat water in Oriental Bay. We also had flat water from Freyberg back to Pt J., but after turning the corner at the lighthouse, it seemed that the southerly was a bit stronger when it was a headwind. Who'd have guessed! Rebecca and I agreed to power into these adverse conditions, and stop for a breather on the far side of Balaena Bay. This plan worked well: we were definitely ready for a breather.
Then we put our heads down again and powered on to Hataitai, taking care not to wave at any runners before NIWA lest they call the cops. By the time we were swimming alongside NIWA (apparently, this stretch is known as 'Ratty Rocks' - best not think about it) I had lost patience with being slapped in the face by irregular wave patterns and pushing into what felt like a wall of wind,* so I switched on my 'shut down mode'. In this mode, I stop thinking about adverse conditions and concentrate instead on counting my strokes to 50 over and over again. This has the benefit, indirectly, of causing an increase in pace. NIWA disappeared, I passed by Greta Point, and swung around into Hataitai Beach, taking care to avoid mooring ropes. The water at Hataitai is clean but tends towards murkiness, and it's surprisingly easy to plough into a mooring rope.
By the time we were dressed, M. and K. were swimming into the bay. We then proceded over the hill to Hataitai Village for refreshments.
The view from the changing sheds at Hataitai
I hadn't done this swim for about a year, and on the previous occasion, I had eaten a breakfast of banana, cereal, and milk, plus a spoonful of peanut butter. That breakfast had proved inadequate. We swam Freyberg-Hataitai-Freyberg, with a brief snack break at Hataitai. On the return leg, the sugar from the snacks was not enough for my thoroughly empty tank. I got slower and slower, and my neck hurt. After we turned the corner at the Pt. J. lighthouse I was more than ready for the home straight, so rolled over to take a few strokes on my back to relieve my neck. The rest of the swimmers got away from me, and during the stretch from the 1km buoy to the fountain I had truly hit the wall. The lesson from this swim: 8.5km requires a different breakfast. This year I had a bowl of porridge (oats, with a few raisins and almonds, no milk) about 50 minutes before we started to swim, and that breakfast set me up far better. I still had plentiful energy - enough to accelerate despite the headwind - in the final 1.5km. The lemon drizzle cake provided welcome boost though.
*The northerly gusts, while the southerly (unless it's a stormy gale) tends to be more of a constant level of breeze).
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