Diving Deep into the Summer’s Zenith

A group of individuals from Queenstown immersed themselves in the longest day of the year on Saturday with an early morning summer solstice swim.

Commencing at 4am, 11 participants from the Southern Lakes Swimming Club swam 6km in Lake Wakatipu, traveling from Frankton to Queenstown Bay.

Accompanied by two kayakers and two stand-up paddle boarders, the swim lasted two hours in water temperatures of 13°C.

Upon arrival at Queenstown Bay, they were joined by seven additional swimmers for a more relaxed dip at the more agreeable hour of 7.30am.

Paul Jaquin, president of the Southern Lakes Swimming Club, remarked that this annual swim is now in its fourth year.

“Swimming into the sunrise is an excellent method to commemorate the summer solstice,” he stated.

“It’s the longest day of the year. It may seem a bit crazy to start so early, but that’s all part of the enjoyment.”

This year’s swim served as a valuable training session for some members of the Southern Lake Swimming Club as they prepare for various challenges in the upcoming year.

Ultra-marathon open-water swimmer Liana Smith, hailing from Arrowtown, seized the chance to practice early on Saturday morning — she will attempt to swim the entire length of Lake Wakatipu in February.

The weekend swim also featured some participants from the Frozen Ferns, who plan to compete in the World Ice Swimming Championships in Italy next year.

The Southern Lakes Swimming Club will also welcome the new year with a swim in Lake Alta, located at the summit of the Remarkables on New Year’s Day.

olivia.judd@odt.co.nz