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A trio of heroic swimmers attack the Strait of Gibraltar, to the benefit of the association "Seca la lengua a la ELA" (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis)
In 1999 Gaëtane left Belgium to settle down in Tarifa.
She has always had an unshakeable passion for swimming and has always dreamed of crossing the Straits. However, the precarious situation of the migrants who regularly try to cross the sea by boat touched her deeply.
Indeed, they often run aground on the coast or are arrested by the local authorities. Gaëtane therefore promised herself to succeed in this insane challenge of swimming between the two continents.
In 2019, Gaëtane expressed her dream around her, but her financial means did not allow her to make it happen. Despite this, she booked her place to cross, knowing that the wait could last two years.
It's amazing how this feat attracts people from all over the world! The ideal time to do this challenge is between April and October, because of the tides that need to be taken into account, as well as the light.
Through a mutual friend, Gaëtane met three men from Madrid who decided to cover her expenses for her crossing project: Jorge, a famous businessman and owner of the famous restaurant RAMSES in Madrid, Juan-Jo, the event director of The famous beer MAHOU in Spain, and Enrique, a high quality and well recognized osteopath and physiotherapist in Madrid.
Thanks to these three characters, she met Mario Cañizares Sánchez-Beato, who later became her coach and prepared her for the big day.
Unfortunately, the project was put on hold with the arrival of the infamous virus that put the planet on hold from March 2020. However, the three men managed to make their own crossing in 2022.
Gaëtane then decided to take up the challenge on her own. She signed up to represent The association “Saca la Lengua a la ELA”, for which Mario had already taken action.
This association fights against Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a degenerative disease that causes a progressive loss of motor neurons. Gaëtane, who had already lost a friend to this disease, was all the more motivated to represent this association. In September 2022, she got back in touch with Mario and training started in October.
Karl Gürtler, cabinetmaker working at the Hurricane, joined her and started to train with her. Then Larbi Failali, Karl's best friend, joined the trio. Karl already has two crossings to his credit and Larbi is an outstanding swimmer who has an incredible ease in the water!
Although finally each member trained on his side, Gaëtane continued her preparation under the direction of Mario.
The organization becomes clearer and little by little everything falls into place. The crossing is admirably organized under the presence of the ACNEG (asociación del cruce a nado del Estrecho de Gibraltar), nothing is left to chance.
The day before departure, the trio was well briefed.
The date is given, it will be on Friday, May 5, 2023 at 10:30 am that our three acolytes will take the departure
The boat Columba transports them to the exit of the port of Tarifa, the starting point of their adventure. The swimmers have to stay together behind the boat, which serves as a guide and a shield in case of problems.
A zodiac, Duende del Mar, also follows the group to ensure safety.
The role of the Columba is crucial during the crossing: it communicates with the huge boats passing through the strait and guarantees the safety of the swimmers, while calculating the currents using back and forth maneuvers to better guide them.
All this is made possible thanks to the support of TANGER MED and of TARIFA TRAFICO SOS, which provide Laura, the person in charge of ACNEG on land, with continuous information on the traffic in the strait that she shares with the boats.
For the record, the association ACNEG was founded by Rafaël, Laura's father who was present at the start and who is now in charge of the association.
Rafaël used to work for TARIFA TRAFICO SOS and was one of the founders of TURMARES, a company specializing in marine tourism, especially dolphin and whale watching in the area of the Strait of Gibraltar.
During the crossing, swimmers could take a one-minute break every hour (no less!) to drink, eat and breathe a little...but without ever touching the boat! Their waste was collected in a small net provided for this purpose in order not to leave anything in the sea
It is after 4 hours and 45 minutes of swimming through the tumultuous waves of the Strait of Gibraltar, over a distance of 15.4 kilometers from the port of Tarifa, that our three swimmers finally reached their destination, proud and happy to have taken up this incredible challenge 😊
The distance to swim may vary depending on the currents. If we take into account a theoretical straight line from the peninsula of Tarifa, we can assume a distance of 14.4 km
The ideal period is generally between May and October, when the weather conditions are most favorable.
Intensive training is of course necessary, including long distance swimming in open water and in varying conditions. Waves, currents and salt water are unfavorable elements that cannot be dealt with by training in a pool. However, the two are complementary.
The risks are obviously numerous. Hypothermia, dehydration, strong marine currents, marine animals and of course the maritime traffic which is very intense in the Strait of Gibraltar.
The crossing involves crossing a border between Spain and Morocco on the one hand, and leaving the Schengen area on the other. The Strait of Gibraltar is very closely watched, both from a military and a commercial point of view. It is best to go through an association like ACNEG which manages the authorizations, surveillance and communication with Tarifa Tráfico SOS and TangerMed, the two organizations that monitor maritime traffic in the Strait.
In addition to the classic swimsuit, goggles and swim cap, a neoprene wetsuit for swimming is recommended. Some swimmers have done it without, but it adds a difficulty.
You can't estimate it yourself. That's why an organization like ACNEG is also useful. The "scout" boat shows you the way and regularly analyses its drift, in order to rectify the trajectory.
Other than keeping a low profile, avoiding them and keeping your distance, maybe keep your fingers crossed...
In addition to the radio and radar support of Tarifa Tráfico SOS and TangerMed, an association like ACNEG provides a scout boat, which is in permanent contact with them, as well as a zodiac that stays close to you with food and water.
The majority of swimmers complete the crossing between 3 and 5 hours.
It seems that some swimmers have achieved the feat in less than 3 hours.
During the ideal period between May and October, the temperature varies between 15 and 20 degrees.
Yes, open water swimming experience is highly recommended, if not required.
These sporting feats have almost no impact on the environment. The swimmers' food wrappers are thrown into a net on the dinghy, knowing that it is forbidden to touch it.
The Strait of Gibraltar Swimming Association (ACNEG) organizes crossings and provides assistance.