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Approximately 6 weeks ago,
Englishman Charlie Frost stood with his New Zealand friend Mark
Varvazovsky, outside his home in Sahte Cennet, and stated that he
wanted to swim across the bay sometime in the future. Mark being a
keen outdoors person and competitive Multi-sporter back in NZ, suggested that he join Charlie, and that if "we're going to do
this, then let's use it to raise money for a local charity". So
the idea was put to the local Elementary School in Sahte Cennet,
and a date set.
On Saturday 21st of October, at 8am, two loan wetsuit clad
figures entered the waters of Akbuk Bay at the Akbuk Fish Farms
for the inaugural 4km swim across Akbuk Bay to Sahte Cennet.
Twenty five years earlier, Charlie had swam a long distance badge
in a pool, but for Mark this was a first. "Kayaking is my strength,
I only started swimming back in June this year, when the kayak
John Jennings and I built went to it's new owner".
Supported by John Jennings from Akbuk Estate, piloting the
rescue boat, along with Marks' wife Gretchen & Tracy Carr of
Turkish Property Zone, both swimmers struck out in flat but
overcast conditions. Charlie and Mark had earlier agreed that this
was something they would achieve together, and not a race across
the bay, that would be left to sometime in the future. Slow but
steady progress was made across the bay, and 2h 37min later, a
shivering and slightly blue Mark, and Charlie arrived on the Sahte
Cennet side to the cheers of approximately 50 supporters from the
school, local
community, and Expats.
Both men stated that they were surprised how much interest and
support their challenge had generated. "Next year we hope to have
other people join us in the swim, and make it an annual event for
this community". From the efforts of the children attending
the school, to collect sponsors for the swim, Over 3,000YTL was
raised. This money will be used to benefit all the children
attending Akbudak Elementary School.
Both Crazy Kiwi Mark and Insane Ingiliz Charlie would like to
thank everyone who donated to this cause, and a special thanks to
John, for looking after us out there.
Footnote: On Tuesday 24th October, Mark re-swam the Bay in a
time of 1:25`:20".
Tracy & Dennis Carr swam support legs to accompany Mark, while
John again supplied the rescue boat. Sutka just wanted to fish. |
