As Durban recovers from devastating floods earlier this year, the city has demonstrated its resilience in the face of adversity.
World Ocean Swimming Day will be ready to start after repairs to the sewage system improved the outlook for participants.
World Ocean Day will be held in Durban on September 24
The new date of the swim was also announced.
“Following dangerous levels of E.coli in the water along Durban’s waterfront following the devastating floods, repairs have been completed and the Breathe Conservation team has confirmed that September 24 will be the new date for the Consol Breathe World Ocean Day Swim,” organizers said in a press release.
Organizers had to wait until Durban’s beaches were safe for swimmers, and after a series of repairs, E.coli levels in the water have dropped to safe levels, meaning swimmers can enjoy Durban’s springtime conditions.
“We are very excited to announce the return of our World Ocean Swim Day,” said event organizer Sarah Ferguson.
“It has been an incredibly difficult time for the people of Durban and to see things slowly getting back to normal is good and we hope that there is more focus on preserving our beaches and ocean.
“We need to continue to raise awareness of the plight of our oceans and this event gives us that opportunity, so being able to push forward despite the date change is great for us.”
A worthy cause
Local swimmers will get the chance to enjoy an exciting race in Durban Bay as they contribute to a cause that is crucial to Ferguson and her organisation, but one that needs to be highlighted.
“The recent floods have shown the importance of being aware of single-use plastics and the importance of avoiding them.
“After the floods, our rivers washed so much plastic into the ocean and we hope that through our event we can educate people about alternatives to plastic.
“Our sponsors, Consol Glass, are a perfect fit for what we are trying to promote, which is sustainability. They have been great supporters of the Breathe Conservation campaign and we are delighted to have them on board,” added Ferguson.
Applications for Consol Breathe World Ocean Day Swim 2022 can be found at roag.co.za
