Swimming in freezing cold weather is not for everyone. Some people do it every day during winter. Others take the plunge just on special occasions like Christmas and New Year’s Day. Then there are the select few who swim in the most extreme conditions, like Antarctica. We spoke to Ram Barkai, Founder and Chairman of the International Ice Swimming Association (‘IISA’).
Does anyone really swim in Antarctica?
Very few people have swum there. The first person I know of was Lynne Cox in 2002. I had my first experience of it in 2008. I have wanted to share my experience with other people ever since. In 2014, I took a group of six close swimming friends to Antarctica, and a further 14 in 2018. Today, 23 people from 12 different countries have swum there.
What is the International Ice Swimming Association?
In 2009, the IISA was formed. We want to encourage more people to experience ice swimming. We introduced the Ice Mile, where a swimmer swims one mile in water that is less than five degrees Celsius. Ice swimming is an extreme sport. We created a set of strict rules and procedures to make sure that every swimmer is kept as safe as possible.
Antarctica is not an easy place to get to. How do you get there?
In November 2018, a group of us flew to Punta Arenas in Chile, South America. From there, we took a ship called the RCSG Resolute and headed south. We passed through Drakes Passage where the waves were eight metres high. We did not laugh very much! Five days later, we arrived in Wilhelmina Bay, a beautiful place located on the Antarctic Peninsula. There were many penguins watching us, a small beach and icebergs the size of apartments floating in the water. This is where we had our first swim.
Tell us how you prepare for the Ice Mile
It is always a good idea to have a ‘warm-up’ swim before the main swim. It helps prepare your body and mind. On this occasion, we had a 200-metre swim; no more than five minutes. The water temperature was -1.6 Celsius. That’s seriously icy! Because this is salt water, the water temperature can drop below zero. The water was calm and crystal clear. Following the test swim, we sailed to Port Lockroy. The time had come for the real ice swim.
What is it like swimming in these conditions?
I have now done many ice swims. They are always hard. This time, when I dived into the water, my hands froze immediately. I had two large blocks of ice hanging off the ends of my arms. My legs also felt as if I was dragging two long sticks that were frozen. I always remind myself that whatever the conditions, I should always take my time and look around. I look into the deep sea below me; I look at the ice mountains around me and take it all in. When you come towards the end of your swim, you can hear everyone else cheering you on. Those cheers come like a ray of warmth to my frozen solid body.
Typhoon Club would like to express its special thanks to Ram Barkai for speaking with us and for providing these unique photographs. Please take a moment to visit his website, http://www.internationaliceswimming.com/
