Savannah's Cook Strait Swim

Hi! I'm Savannah Carter, a 21 year old student. I have always had a passion for swimming, and have tasked myself with the ultimate goal of swimming the Cook Strait.

At its' narrowest, the Cook Strait is 26km wide, and water temperatures can range from 14 - 19°C. The time it takes to cross the Strait will depend partially on the tides and currents on the day, however I have set a goal of making the crossing in under 10 hours.

On the day of the swim, I will be working with Philip Rush (a veteran marathon swimmer) and his team. Philip will be in an IRB right alongside me, as will a 50 ft launch with two other crew members. The crew will plot the course I swim, as well as monitoring tides, currents and weather. The cost of hiring this crew and the necessary equipment is approximately $6500. All funds raised will go towards paying this fee.

I will be following the official Marathon Swimming Rules, which means I can wear only normal togs, a cap, goggles and earplugs. I am not allowed to touch the pilot boats, however the crew can throw me food and drinks every hour or so. It is important that I do not stop swimming for more than a minute each hour, as hypothermia can set in if my core body temperature cools too much!

Please donate and check out my Facebook page (Savannah's Cook Strait Swim) to keep up with my training, and to stay aware of my fundraising events that will pop up throughout the year!