Three Cape Town Young Explorers take on the Atlantic Ocean

On the 26th of February 93 souls braved the cold and big surf to compete in
the 2011 Around The Rocks Extreme Swim. This 2,5 km swim is an annual event
that attracts some of the best open water swimming talent in Cape Town.

The ocean conditions were as exciting and exhilarating as one would expect
from the Cape of Storms. The sea was an icy 12 degrees with a three meter
surf and very strong rip currents across the bay. Those who finished the
swim in these tough condition is a hero in anyone's books. It is thus
rightly so that three Young Explorers from Cape Town took their rightful
places on the starting line. Henko Roukema, Daniel Louw and Louise Louw are
all qualified lifeguards who train together and serve together at Big Bay
Surf Lifesaving Club in Cape Town. This time they competed together as Mike
Horn Young Explorers.

The winning time was an insane 31 minutes 18 seconds. Henko Roukema, the
YEP polar bear, took sixth position overall with a spectacular time of 32
minutes and 44 seconds. Henko, an extremely talented swimmer, was also the
second senior swimmer to finish the race without a wetsuit!! Daniel Louw
completed the course in 40 minutes and 16 seconds – just in time to grab a
board and head back into the ocean as a lifeguard for the slower swimmers.
Louise Louw finished in a time of 63 minutes and took third place in the
Junior Girls division.