It all began about 16 years ago, as the sun dipped lazily into the Andaman Sea, painting the sky with that distinctly Thai palette of tangerine and violet. A ragtag bunch of Divemasters and Instructors were gathered at a bar, their professional duties long forgotten in favor of something much more pressing: drinking. These were the type of folks who were adept at spinning tales as tall as the palm trees swaying gently above them, and tonight was no different. The conversation, as such things tend to do, meandered aimlessly until it stumbled upon sharks.
Dan Bolton, clutching his bottle of Tiger beer with the same tenderness a man might reserve for a beloved pet, mentioned a documentary he’d seen, “Shark Water,” by a fellow named Rob Stewart. However, as is often the case when several bottles of Tiger beer are involved, Dan could not for the life of him recall much else about the film. Lara Roberts, who loved sharks about as much as she loved the bucket of gin and tonic she was working her way through, chimed in, “Ooh, I love sharks,” before promptly returning to the more pressing task of reducing the liquid level in her bucket.
Then, like a superhero bursting onto the scene, Big Blue Tech Canada entered the conversation. Now, to be clear, Big Blue Tech Canada is not a country but a person—though one of considerable size, approximately equivalent to the country he was named after. Clutching a Bacardi Breezer with a wedge of lime so large it could double as a flotation device, Canada regaled the group with stories of his own aquatic prowess. The conversation was well on its way to being another delightful dead-end when Jim Donaldson, sensing an opportunity to steer it towards something meaningful, brought up the grave issue of shark finning.
As Jim explained, the practice of shark finning was decimating shark populations worldwide, but thanks to people like Rob Stewart and organizations like Sea Shepherd, and Shark Guardian the world was starting to take notice. “We’re conservationists, after all,” Jim said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, “We should do something to help.” And thus, with a vision that only a seasoned divemaster could have, Jim proposed a fundraiser—a competitive swim around the three islands of Nang Yuan.
“Great idea!” Dan agreed enthusiastically, before wandering off to the bathroom, ostensibly to ponder the profundity of Jim’s words but more likely to admire his side profile in the mirror. Lara, sticking to her script, reiterated, “Ooh, I love sharks,” while Canada, demonstrating his unique approach to communication, squeezed some processed cheese in agreement. And so, in a moment of utter brilliance (or perhaps inebriation), Swim for Sharks was born.
Jim, never one to do things by halves, roped in Dr. Eco Jen, the manager at Big Blue Conservation, and Gary Hawkes, the owner of SSI Thailand and Sharkskin. With their help, he secured corporate sponsorships and rallied the whole of Koh Tao to create what would soon become the island’s most legendary event. A 3.4-kilometer swim around Koh Nang Yuan, Thailand’s most breathtaking trio of islands.
Over the years, the event has seen a variety of colorful winners, each more unexpected than the last. From Serena Green, a Canadian Commonwealth Games competitor, to a Russian KGB agent whose presence remains shrouded in mystery, to a Kiwi triathlete, a Dutch teenager with the best pornstar name- Bonk Stout, and everyone’s favorite underdog, Nick Bufton, who, after many years of training, swam 23 kilometers around Koh Tao & Koh Nang Yuan earlier this year in just 9 hours!
The swim kicks off from Big Blue Diving next month on Saturday the 21st September and if you’ve got any sense, you’ll drag yourself down there well before 11 am to register and get a shot at winning the much-coveted Swim for Sharks Trophy, lovingly crafted by Koh Tao artisan Rob Cooper.
Register for Swim for Sharks
Register for Swim for Sharks by filling in the online form here:
https://forms.gle/TuEsesyXQtcYzbWQ7
Option 1: £20 (930 Thai Baht) includes swim registration, Swim for Sharks T-Shirt and an additional £4 donation for Shark Guardian
Option 2: £16 (750 Thai Baht) includes swim registration and the Swim for Sharks T-Shirt
Option 3: £12 (560 Thai Baht) Includes the Registration for the swim only
Register for KIDS Swim for Sharks
Kids Swim for Shark: £7 (300 Thai Baht per child)
The current record stands at 45 minutes. How fast do you reckon you can you swim 3.4 kilometers?
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