News24 | World record swimmer braves cold, unpredictable waters to raise funds for animals

World record swimmer Howard Warrington is attempting a 34km open-water swim in cold temperatures and strong currents.

• World record swimmer Howard Warrington has attempted a 34km open-water swim in cold temperatures and strong currents.
• Through the swim, he aims to raise funds and awareness for the Cape of Good Hope SPCA.
• The funding will go towards the Cape SPCA’s goal of 10 000 sterilisations this year.

At 05:30 on Tuesday, world record swimmer Howard Warrington took his first strokes in the cold False Bay waters as he started a 34km swim to raise funds for the Cape of Good Hope SPCA.

As dawn broke, the temperature of the calm waters in Miller’s Point, Simon’s Town, was 18 degrees Celsius. By mid-morning, Warrington had completed half of the route to Rooi Els, and the temperature had dropped by four degrees, with the waters becoming choppy.

The False Bay crossing is considered one of South Africa’s longest and most dangerous open-water swims. The route measures the same distance as the English Channel, and the swim can take up to 14 hours through icy, unpredictable waters.

But Warrington is no stranger to long, cold open water swims, having completed around 200 Robben Island crossings and having earned a Guinness World Record for his efforts.

With this swim, he aims to help the Cape SPCA reach its goal of 10 000 sterilisations this year – a critical step towards curbing the relentless influx of stray and unwanted animals.

Warrington said: “Warmer water brings jellyfish; favourable winds bring cold water. But I’ll take whatever comes my way. Every swim tests my limits. But it’s nothing compared to the struggles faced by animals every day. This is my way of helping them.”

READ | Cape Town teacher swims 8km from Robben Island to Big Bay for students in need

More than 23 000 stray and unwanted animals are admitted into the Cape SPCA’s care each year.

“It’s a shocking and unsustainable number that makes large-scale sterilisation not just important, but essential,” Cape of Good Hope SPCA spokesperson Belinda Abraham said.

Warrington was hoping to raise R100 000, which would cover around 200 sterilisations.

Meanwhile, Abraham said the goal of carrying out 10 000 sterilisations was the organisation’s equivalent of the False Bay Crossing,

“It’s a huge amount. Prevention is underfunded. However, it makes less rescue work necessary because fewer animals are being born into circumstances of neglect and suffering abuse. Completing 200 sterilisations already makes a huge difference. Our preventative work is so important because it can reduce the volume of animals coming through our gate, as well as the burden on our animal hospital and inspectorate staff”.

To contribute, visit https://capespca.co.za/swim4survival-2/.