READY: Around 30 swimmers gather on the Horns Up jetty on the Kariega River, ready to swim 6.5km upstream to Sibuya Game Reserve’s Forest Lodge jetty, where they enjoyed lunch and a game drive. Pictures: SUE MACLENNAN
“This wasn’t a race – it was a revelation.”
Organiser of the inaugural Sibuya 6.5k Swim on the Kariega River last Saturday, Ralph West, said the event had created a benchmark for what open water swimming could be: “wild, soulful, and utterly unforgettable.
“This event blended the natural spectacle of the Eastern Cape with world-class organisation and hospitality.”
The founder of Open Water Adventures said the idea had been brought to life with the positive energy of Mariette Olivier of Sibuya Game Reserve.
“Roelof [Siegers] of Horns Up also generously allowed swimmers the use of his riverfront property, Chris Pike and the crew from NSRI ensuring the safety of swimmers during the swim.”
The ever-resourceful Richard Pote, a beloved local with a deep connection to the area, performed the duty of safety officer on the trailing boat.
Swimmers gathered at Horns Up Pub on the river, where excitement and nerves buzzed in the fresh morning air. After a thorough safety briefing and with the lead barge and support crew leading the way, followed by the NSRI boat, the swimmers entered the river on an incoming tide.
Swimmers were soon on their way up river with its gentle current offering a welcome push. What lay ahead was not just 6.5 kilometres of open water, but a meandering odyssey through one of South Africa’s most breathtaking natural corridors.
The Kariega River’s lush riverbanks teem with life. The river twist and turns, forming elegant bends. The stillness was only occasionally broken by the cry of a fish eagle overhead, or the flick of a kingfisher diving for prey.
“It was, in every sense, an immersion—not just in water, but in wilderness,” West said.
The finish jetty at Sibuya Reserve emerged around one final sweeping bend. There, the hospitality shifted into high gear. Hoses were at the ready to rinse muddy feet, refreshing drinks and towels were handed out. A roaring fire and a delicious meal brought everyone together as they shared the morning’s experience on the river.
The swimmers and their families were ferried across the river to waiting vehicles, and the game drive that followed rivalled the swim itself. Rhinoceros, giraffe, zebra, elephant and a host of antelope species were unfazed by the game vehicles traversing their kingdom
A pride of lions lounged under thorn trees in the lion camp, while warthogs, and a symphony of birdlife including hornbills added their own wild rhythms to the afternoon. A sunset river cruise returned swimmers to where the day had begun.
Waiting at the end: every piece of luggage carefully placed at the vehicles, and Siegers had lit up the Horns Up pub.
Participants TOTT spoke to said they would definitely repeat the experience.
Ian Thomson said he’d done a few swims in the Kariega River before and had enjoyed them all.
“This one, however, was in a league of its own. The facilities at Hornsup made for a great start of the day. The weather was perfect, as were the swimming conditions.
“The welcome we received at the swim finish was exceptional, as was everything that the staff at Sibuya provided. What a friendly and helpful bunch! Not to mention the spread they laid on for us. Amazing.
6.5km is by no means a short swim, but I think that everyone managed well. I (as would everyone else that I spoke to) will definitely be in for another one,” Thomson said.
Jenny Potts said she’d also swum various parts of the Kariega before, both up and down.
This was truly my best experience- for many reasons! The conditions were perfect- flat and glassy mostly. The distance was good- a nice overall challenge – I felt strong throughout and enjoyed every moment of the passing scenery. We had good support on the river- so no worries about being run over by speeding boats. It is great just to relax and swim without worries! And of course being outdoors, challenging oneself physically with like minded individuals in such a stunning environment.
Pat Reen, too, had “by far the best” swim in the Kariega yet.
“The condition of the Kariega river makes it the perfect safe swim for all of us. Thanks, Kenton!”
“The Sibuya 6.5k Swim is more than a sporting event: it’s a magical, world-class experience,” West said.
Next up for several of the swimmers is the two-day Kromme River swim. South Africa’s only stage-race swimming event takes place on the Kromme River, starting in the river’s upper reaches and ending in the canals of St Francis Bay. Organisers describe it as “a rare opportunity to navigate the full length of this stunning river”.
To find out more about Open Water Adventures EC visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/OpenWaterAdventures/.
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This article was first published in Talk of the Town, May 1, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.