Kouga Municipality lifeguard Craig Sampson, has completed many swimming challenges since he received his Lifesaving Surf Proficiency Award more than 20 years ago.
Now, added to his list of accomplishments, he has finally completed the gruelling Nelson Mandela Bay Bell Buoy Challenge which has been rated as Africa’s toughest 5km Indian Ocean swim.
Sampson’s career in lifesaving began in 2000, when he completed a lifesaving programme in Cape Town, where he acquired a Lifesaving Surf Proficiency Award.
He then continued to work seasonally as a water safety officer at Milnerton Water Park in Cape Town and, during the years 2016 and 2017, he worked at Seapoint Pavillion for the City of Cape Town Municipality.
Sampson relocated to Jeffreys Bay and has worked as a lifeguard for the Kouga Municipality since 2019.
He said over the last 20 years, to improve his lifesaving skills he has competed in many swimming challenges which include the Sanlam Mile, with thousands of participants in 2017 and the two-mile Jeffreys Bay Cold Water Swim Classic in 2017 and 2018.
In addition, he participated in the Marina Mile in 2018 and 2020.
Adding to his list of achievements, on April 9, Sampson together with his second, Ettienne van Gent, on a paddle ski rescue craft, successfully completed his first Nelson Mandela Bay Bell Buoy Challenge from Pollok Beach to the bell buoy and back.
“My concern was the blue bottles, but it was more the conditions I contended with which included a strong easterly wind,” said Sampson.
He participated alongside 127 swimmers and finished the challenge in 20th place in the 40-49 age category in 2 hours, 3 minutes and 31 seconds.
Sampson said what motivated him to complete the challenge was the thought of his 15-year-old niece, Tyla Lakay, who completed the 7.5km Robben Island swim for charity earlier this year.
“Since the course was unfamiliar to me my objective was to complete the swim with a steady pace and my second, Ettiene, on the rescue craft piloted me efficiently through the currents,” said Sampson.
“The challenge spurred me on because it’s recognised to be the toughest 5km Indian Ocean swim in Africa.”
He said his next challenge will be to participate in the Dassen Island to Yzerfontein Swim which has only seen 10 swimmers successfully completing and he would like to compete in the Robben Island Crossing again, since he was halfway through the challenge in 2017, when it was cancelled due to bad conditions.
Lastly, he hopes to take on the English Channel in the future.
