This one is relatively straightforward. Swim the Cook Strait and obtain free Interislander crossings for life after verifying your swim. A pretty good deal if you ask me!
I suggest swimming South to North and doing it in Summer.
More info at NZOWSA
https://www.nzowsa.nz/cook-strait
Got the answer. No.
Hey, I just did a bit of reading on this, and I am really keen on doing it. How much will booking an observer, etc cost?
Contact New Zealand Marathon Swimming Federation (NZMSF) or the New Zealand Open Water Swimming Association (NZOWSA)
It feels a bit embarrassing contacting them before I've even started training for it. I was wondering if OP knew more since he seems knowledgeable on the topic.
Phase 1 - Contact New Zealand Marathon Swimming Federation (NZMSF) or the New Zealand Open Water Swimming Association (NZOWSA)
Phase 2 - ?
Phase 3 - Profit
@nzsaver: I've never even taken the Cook Strait ferry before and don't see myself utilising the lifetime pass much. I'm just thinking about how good this will look on my LinkedIn.
@Bill: Getting something for free not because you need it but because it's free - the truly Cheapies spirit!
@nzsaver: https://files.cheapies.nz/upload/11645/5252/img_20241024_200…
I've already started training, although it appears my swimming skills have degraded more than I expected.
There is a guy based in Blenheim doing this soon. He was on the breakfast show this morning talking about it. Tag along with him!
Will probably be 2026 at the earliest for me. But a 2 for 1 observer would be good, except we would have to swim at the same pace. Bugger.
Good backup plan to get between the North & South if (when) the Interislander has a breakdown.
Nek minnit…..
The cost to Kiwi rail wouldn’t be much if I attempted this
Instructions unclear. Swam to Australia instead.
If I could swim it I wouldn't need the ferry.
Any refer a friend discount codes?
Sponsored by Interislander but pictures a BlueBridge ferry …
The Interislander was out of service that day
Quick question, is my lifeless bloated corpse washing up on the opposite shore to where I started from considered a "successful" crossing? Because if it is I might just give this a go. I love free stuff.
Issue there…
I don't know if a dead body will be able to use a "for life" pass…
I understand that, but what you need to understand is that it's free, and I love free stuff.
I can't fault that logic 🤷🏻♂️
The paradoxical loop of free stuff for life, where you never got to use it because you didn't make it a day past achieving it.
Someone hold my beer…
No, Alcohol impairs judgment. have a hmmm.
Anyone know if this is a long term offer? Might take me a lifetime to train for this lol
No wetsuit allowed, that kills my chances.
https://www.nzowsa.nz/rules-of-marathon-swimming
"The swimmer may wear a single textile swimsuit with standard coverage, one latex or silicone cap, goggles, ear plugs, nose clips, and may grease the body. The swimmer may not use any additional equipment that benefits speed, buoyancy, endurance, or heat retention."
"….one latex or silicone cap, goggles, ear plugs, nose clips, and may grease the body."
These rules remind me of my wedding night.
I was wondering if the observer is also responsible for greasing my body. This might be a big part of who I pick.
Also it's good they say may wear swimsuit, and not must wear.
Helping take this conversation in the right direction.
Can I swim 50% of the way to get 50% off for life?
Yes but 50% of the way puts you in the middle of Cook Strait so your life won’t last much longer if you stop!
Hold my beer…….
it is so appealing that I have decided to start the jellyfish class in the swimwell program tomorrow.
Has anyone organised a 10 year meetup yet?
What's really interesting is the apparent number of people who complete this swim each year!? Am I reading that right? 17+ people crossed this year? I didn't realise how casual this swim had become because I thought it was reported on every time someone did it.
Also wow at some of the 4hr 30 minute times. Absolute beasts aren't much slower than the ferries themselves.
Man this would be so sweet, I'd just cruze up and down all day, free office space.
Might need to brush up on my swimming through, haven't swam since school.
Didn't someone do the swim recently and passed away on the beach after completing it? It's not easy 😬
I stopped competitive swimming three years ago. Part of me wants to go for this over the summer, the other part of me knows I will hate myself training for it because long distance swimming was never my forte, let alone open water swimming on top of it. Pure 50m and 100m swimmer, and HIIT + sprints are my favourite way to train.
The youngest to swim this was a 12 year old girl just saying 😊she did well her coach did the same at 13
Let me see if this might be achievable to 99.9% of the population.
I'll be right back.