Cold Water Warriors

A handful of swimmers travelled all the way to Fraserburg in the Northern Cape to make history as the first to do a one mile ice swim. The water temperature at the 'Nuwedam' measured a mere 3'C... It was perfect.

This was not a race. Finishing the swim was the only objective. These professionally trained swimmers spent an average of 20 minutes in the water, resulting in their body temperatures to drop to the high 20'C... Hypothermia was inevitable. A medical team spent up to 45 minutes to get their body temperatures back to the normal 36'C with heaters, hot water bottles and blankets.

I have only one word to describe them... Warriors!