His dream of becoming the oldest person to complete the gruelling endurance False Bay Crossing was dealt a late blow the day before the scheduled swim, but Simon Ince’s determination and a nudge of encouragement from his 11-year-old son saw him overcome the obstacles and realise his dream.
At the age of 62½, Ince became the oldest person to successfully finish the 34 km swim from Miller’s Point near Simon’s Town to Rooi Els in a time of 10 hours and 42 minutes on Sunday (20 February). This feat may earn the Somerset West local a mention in the Guinness World Records, along with the fact that he is only the eighth person to stroke his way across the bay.
Kitted in only his costume, goggles and swimming cap, Ince started the swim in the chilly waters at 05:30, swimming towards Rooi Els over the dreaded Whittle Rock, which is famous for large great white sharks. “The moment I started the swim, there was no doubt in my mind that I would finish the swim,” he recalled. “The start was initially tougher than I expected, as the water temperature for the first half of the swim was about 13,5 °C, which was below what I had anticipated.”
Thanks to the cooler water temperatures, the deadly fish species remained at bay and Ince exited Whittle Rock unscathed. He battled on through the extreme chill and continued to swim, eventually traversing warmer waters the closer he became to his destination. After nearly 11 hours in the water, he emerged from the waters on the rocky Rooi Els shore to claim the title of the oldest person to complete the False Bay Crossing.
“I had initially hoped to complete the swim in 10 hours, but I can’t complain with my eventual time,” Ince related. “One has to take the unexpected cooler water and my age into account, so I am elated to have completed the swimming journey.”
This joy could very well not have seen the light, as the businessman’s safety crew warned him he would be taking a risk swimming in the cold waters, the day before the crossing. At that stage, the event had already been postponed on two occasions since 1 February.
On receiving the latest news, Ince experienced a well of emotions as he was mentally and physically prepared to tackle the challenge the next day. But his son Connor, who had gone through the roller-coaster of postponements with his father, was the voice of reason when it came to making the decision. “He told me, ‘Just do it, Dad,’ and my mind was made up – I was going to do it the next day. That was all the encouragement I needed.”
Ince started training for the open-water swim five years ago, but had initially thought of taking on the elements after completing his first Robben Island Crossing on his 55th birthday seven years ago. “At the time, many of my fellow swimmers were talking of swimming the English Channel (34 km) at a cost of about R150 000,” he recalled.
“As I had grown up in Somerset West and had spent time spearfishing and lifesaving in False Bay, I asked the question: Why not swim in your own country before trying to complete swims in the UK.”
He set out to mentally and physically train for the crossing by taking on swims in the colder Atlantic waters, completing several 10 km, 12 km and 20 km swims along with four more Robben Island crossings. The support he enjoyed from his wife and two children inspired him to keep going, although his wife was abroad in the UK when he achieved the amazing feat. “They have supported me all the way and share in my excitement and joy.”
Apart from ticking more items from his bucket list, Ince also had a charitable reason for challenging himself in the extreme conditions. As a child, his sister had spent plenty of time confined to a hospital bed and he witnessed the heartbreak that child healthcare patients undergo when hospitalised.
He wanted to make a difference in these young lives, and set-out to raise funds for the Tygerberg Hospital Children’s Trust. “These children are often forced to stay in hospital for months on end, sometimes without their parents by their side,” Ince pointed out.
“For this reason, I hope to raise funds to bring smiles, joy and some comfort to these little ones while they receive the necessary treatment.”
He encouraged Helderberg residents to support the worthy cause by donating via the trust’s website at www.tygerbergchildren.org.za.
