38kms and six and a half hours later, South African adventure swimmer Kyle Main became the first person to swim between Thailand’s Ko Yao Yai And Phi Phi island.
Main’s Andaman Sea adventure was almost scuppered when he could not find a skipper for a support boat for several days before completing the swim in 28 degree water temperature yesterday (Thursday, 14 Dec).
“The build up of lactic acid was intense as a result of swimming in that high temperature for over 6 hours, but other than that and the strong current and distance which was grossly misjudged, the swim was great.” Main said.
Thailand is an attractive tourist destination, but travel between its scenic
islands can be onerous in heavy swell on the open seas.
Having pioneered swims across South Africa, Main recently turned his rudder
towards international waters, notching up several ultra swims including the
Rottnest Channel off Australia in an African record time in 2015 and the
Straits of Gibraltar in the fastest recorded time in 2013.
Last year and slightly closer to his Indian Ocean shores, he pioneered a
20km swim from Serpent Island, 30 km north of Mauritius, to Flat Island
days after he became the first person to swim from Flat Island, adjacent to
the notorious Shark Pit diving site, to Grand Baie a distance of 21kms in 4
hours.
Home to a population of 8000, Ko Yao Yai (island) is the largest island in
the Ko Yao Archipelago positioned north of the notorious Straits of Malacca,
one of the busiest shipping lanes on the globe.
Main trains up to two times a day in a 25m gym pool and on weekends do
longer sea swims off Port Elizabeth's coastline. This December swim was the longest of his open water adventure career.
Issued by Deon Engelke
