News24 | World first: What it takes to take on the ‘stupid’ 29-hour double False Bay swim

As Chris Oldnall and Peet Crowther were knee deep in the surf at Miller’s Point beach in Cape Town – about to embark on a world first swim, a double crossing of False Bay – Crowther looked at his swimming partner and jokingly said: “This is so stupid, there must be easier ways to raise money.”

Crowther was not wrong. He and Oldnall would spend the next 29 hours battling through the deep expanse, fighting swells, strong currents, cold water, and physical exhaustion to finish what was meant to be a 66km swim, but became a gargantuan 78km swim.

The two men embarked on the final swim of their open-swim trilogy on the morning of 14 May, aiming to raise money for underprivileged children to attend Pretoria Boys High School, where Oldnall is a deputy headmaster and Crowther an old boy.

So far, they have raised a massive R4 million, and it will help change the lives of 55 pupils.

Having listened to Braveheart and Gladiator soundtracks on repeat the night before, Oldnall, known as the Bone Machine and Crowther, whose moniker is the Crow, were ready to take on the challenge.

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After Crowther’s quip, Oldnall says he turned to his friend, placed his hand on Crow’s shoulder and said: “Do you know what happens if we don’t do this?”

“Nothing,” Oldnall said, as the two entered deeper into the waters, where they would not touch land again for more than a day.

These waters were familiar to them. They had already completed a single crossing of False Bay (33km) for the first swim of the trilogy. In fact, not only were the waters familiar, but it turned out to be an almost exact replica of the first swim once Oldnall started becoming nauseous.

“I started vomiting, and I was like, oh my gosh. So first, it’s breakfast: scrambled eggs and jungle oats. I carry on swimming, and then it’s like extreme nausea and vomiting,” Oldnall said of the first swim.

This time, Oldnall’s nausea started around an hour into the double False Bay crossing swim. Before then, he had been swimming strongly, keeping up with Crowther, whom he said was a far stronger swimmer.

After his first feed, suspecting that the concentration was out, Oldnall started feeling sick.

“I’m like, ok, I’ve felt worse than this before, so let me see,” Oldnall said.

After the second feed, about 45 minutes later, the nausea had fully taken hold, and Oldnall started losing his breakfast: five whole eggs, French toast, and three muffins.

“And then obviously that burning sensation starts and I start vomiting, but I’m talking li