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Kim Cook

Future Goal Event Fund

Narrabeen to Shelly - scary, epic, awesome!

Sitting in an IRB about 3k offshore from Narrabeen surf club for an hour gives you time to practice holding your nerve and contemplate the challenge ahead! To swim a scarily long way off shore from Narrabeen to Shelly Beach. A serious swim. Serious shark territory!

Our scheduled 12pm start was pushed back due to an incident (let's leave it that it involved a Noah and a swimmer's support craft) to nearly 1pm with me sat in togs in Freshwater surf club's IRB with driver Michael, crew and observer Gina and paddler Maz nervously waiting to swim.

So it was a relief to finally jump in the water and set off just before 1pm. Until I quickly realised I couldn't see land, couldn't see anything past the immediate southerly swell, so this was going to be a mind game as much if not more than physical.

Across the 4 hours there were more times of joy than pain. Spotting my first large marine creature in the first half hour, navigating the scary whitewater and surf around Long Reef, the neverending Dee Why headland where the current was at its strongest against me and I was constantly stung, and the jimbles from Curlie to North Steyne particular dark spots!!

But while the hard bits were harder than expected, the good bits were joyous and better than I thought! I enjoyed being able to see the headland at times, and savouring the beauty of Sydney's northern beaches.

The delayed start put time pressure on, and with Surfcom concerned about the IRB returning in fading light I put the afterburners on after the last feed off Freshwater and enjoyed the home ground advantage of a body of water I regularly swim in.

To my surprise there was a MASSIVE finishing party to welcome me to Shelly Beach just before 5pm. A smiling, cheering team of the orange Can Too army, swim buddies and friends. I enjoyed a lot of celebratory hugs, even more special as I felt I'd earned every one, and we were all there for the same reason - to celebrate people challenging themselves and challenging cancer.

The now customary fireball shot shared across the beach was extra special, and particularly poignant as its beautiful instigator Cathy had to share the experience from the other side of the world with her sister managing late stage cancer. This swim was for you Cathy and family.

I couldn't have done the swim without land support Patrick, Stephen and Kath, water support from Freshie surf club, Michael, Gina and Maz, and the Sydney Swimmers and Can Too coaches and swim buddies. Thank you all!

What a scary, epic, awesome challenge! What and when's the next adventure ....?!

10k Narrabeen to Shelly (Saturday 13 April 2024)

I've always had a "dare to be different" streak and I love doing things that not everyone else is doing. 

With a "terr-exciting" (terrifying and exciting) swim on the horizon I'm in the year where a 10k swim becomes training for what's to come!! Eeek!

So I'm swimming from Narrabeen to Shelly Beach - for training, for the challenge, to raise funds for cancer research.

Turns out I'm the only solo 10k swimmer which confirms you have to be a bit crazy to do crazy things! Though I am joining about 40 swimmers starting at Palm Beach!

I'll be accompanied 1-2k off shore by Freshie surf club IRB team Michael and Gina, and paddler Maz as we navigate Long Reef headland and pass the beaches down to Shelly - all into a raging southerly wind, swell and current!

It's been a couple of weeks let's call it tapering ? where I've added a few Korea kilos but filled my heart and belly ready to enjoy the scary, epic adventure!

Windermere: 2nd Time Lucky

With my start brought forward to 6am to avoid the worst of the forecast weather, I waded into the 17.6c water and swam to the can marking the start of the ratified 10.5 mile length of Windermere swim. It was not warm and I was full of nerves and trepidation. What was I thinking? I'd come all this way. Could I do it?

Boat pilot Dave started the timer and I was off. The first hour was the hardest mentally. I had to dig deep. I didn't even say a word at the first feed stop (VERY unlike me!) I was feeling the cold and knew I had a LONG way to go! I forced nice thoughts into my mind. Swim buddies, friends, family, and an imaginary shot of Fireball finally helped settle my mind.

After that I had fun! With the amazing Kari looking on, counting my strokes, no doubt analysing my technique to work in back at squad :-) We had a mix of perfectly flat glassy water, rain, a millisecond of sun, and then wind for the last third.

We dodged the ferries (extending 1 feed stop to allow the chain ferry to pass!), followed the swans, ducks and tourist boats tooting and shouting encouragement :-) I could see parts of the beautiful scenery. And the water temp rose above 18c! 

As I stopped for my last feed on 6hrs Dave informed me that my stroke rate was the same in the then as when I started! I felt strong - and powered to the pebbly beach past Waterhead Pier, super proud to finish - with a smile!

Hugs all round from my awesome support team - towel carrier and taxi driver Dad, observer, feed director and social media manager Kari, and boat pilot Dave from Chillswim. Then fish and chips to celebrate and refuel.

10.5 miles
17.6-18.4c water temp
6 hours 26 mins
Windermere end to end - tick

Windermere: Unfinished Business

Windermere in 2022 was not meant to be. I was ready, the weather was not.

After staying on in England until September last year to be part of the inaugural “mass participation” Chillswim Windermere End to End 11 mile swim, forecast strong winds forced the event to be cancelled. The winds did not eventuate and the conditions ended up being perfect. Such is the open water swimming game, where you must learn to be flexible, expect the unexpected, and acknowledge that safety must always come first.

I feel like I have unfinished business. I have the cap. I have the tshirt. But I have not done the swim. YET .....

So this time I’m de-risking cancellation by swimming solo. Just me and a support boat. The first time I will have done a swim like that. A different kind of challenge!  Just me, my thoughts, and a long swim.

Windermere is the largest body of water in the Lake District in north west England and also the largest lake in England. It is 1 mile wide, 10.5 miles long (17k) and 67 metres at its deepest.

With a 6.30am local time (3.30pm AEST) start on Friday 14th July I’ll be swimming under “Channel rules” – no wetsuit, no touching the boat. My regular nutritional feeds will be thrown from the support boat attached to a retractable dog lead (that's a first for me!) and I’ll try to consume them while treading water (a greater challenge without the buoyancy of salt water!).

I’ll have a GPS tracker for anyone who wants to track my swim online. https://live.opentracking.co.uk/windermere23/ (copy and paste into browser)

This link covers all solo Windermere swims throughout the summer with data cleared every 24hrs – so on 14th July it will show my progress!

You can also follow my swim live on the day via Chillswim social media (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter).

The goal remains the same – pushing my comfort zone, funding innovative cancer researchers and completing the longest swim in England with a smile on my face :-)


2022: The "Triple Tiara" of English swims

While not in the same league as the marathon swim triple crown that totals over 100k across 3 of the world's most challenging swims, in the Queen's platinum jubilee year, and the 10 year anniversary of Mum's death to cancer, I am attempting a self-titled "triple tiara" of English marathon swims:

- 10k Jubilee River swim
- 13k Thames Marathon swim
- 18k Windermere End to End - England's longest lake

Yes I have completed a LOT of marathon swims (I think I am approaching 20), but these 3 swims give new challenges! I'll be in unfamiliar waters without my swim buddies or the buoyancy of the ocean's salt water, and its glorious visibility and sealife (hoping I can at least see my fingers ...), water temperatures are dependent on the beautiful English sumer, and let's not go there with the River Thames water quality reports. Oh and 13k, then 18k will be the longest swims I have attempted!

But the magic happens outside our comfort zones, so into the unknown I go with the goal of funding innovative cancer researchers while I attempt to survive swimming in England's best known river and complete the longest swim in England - the length of lake Windermere.

I'm supporting cancer research and prevention with Can Too Foundation. 

1 in 3 women and 1 in 2 men will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. This means that potentially someone we love may have to battle cancer, and that's a statistic that needs to change. 

I've supported Can Too for over 10 years, raising valuable funds that go towards innovation in the prevention, care, and control of cancer. Since 2005, Can Too Foundation have raised over $25 million to invest in over 200 one-year cancer research grants.

Please consider donating to this cause. Thank you for your support!


Please Help Me
Reach My Goal

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$1,898

My Goal

$2,500

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Thank you to my Sponsors

$663.18

Matched Giving

$200

Dad

$100

Dad

It would be quicker to drive .....

$100

Kim Cook

$100

Andrea Tustin

You are inspiring Cookie! 🧡

$50

Emma Dolby

Awesome work Kim! Truly inspirational as always and a fitting way to honour a wonderful lady

$50

Rhiannon Kerr

Congratulations on this incredible effort and ticking Windermere off the list. Inspired & very proud.

$50

Anne Butler

Congratulations on an amazing effort Kim xx

$50

Sej Kotecha

Go Cookie! You’re such a trouper!

$50

Cathy Murray

Focus on the Fireball! ❤️

$50

Lindsay Asquith

Awesome Cookie...so fabulous you are x

$50

Adrienne Hamann

Truly amazing achievement. Congratulations 🥳

$50

Lauren Elder

You’re inspiring Kim Cook!

$50

Trish Dawson-kermode

Kim- you are a powerhouse of energy, positivity & inspiration ! Congrats on an incredible swim all whilst being jet lagged . I’m again blown away by your efforts ! Glad I was there to see u finish Trish x

$50

Carolyn And Sean Mcilvin

Kim you are a legend! Utterly incredible!

$50

Sal

Inspirational Cookie big congrats 🙌

$50

Jules Macdonald

Go Kim! Loving your English adventures, what an amazing achievemen, you’ve got this!

$50

Sime, Zacy Morten And Kate Morty

Kim Cookie, we think you are amazeballs how you keep on swimming, completing your goals and celebrating life afterwards. Well done on your windermerw take 2 swim! We love you loads xx

$35

Ro Evans

Well done Kim! You’re an inspiration, and that river looks lovely. Though cold!

$30

Diann Handley

Well done Kim your an amazing person

$20

Julie & Tony Boxsell

You've got this! Or not, either way...just keep swimming!