Surf lifesavers take on ocean and more in club member's memory

Don Reid (L) and Nathan Harris. Picture / Alan Gibson

By the time most of us wake this morning, a hardy band of surf lifesavers should be well into a daunting 12 km ocean swim.

The swimmers are taking on 12 km of exposed ocean between Motiti Island, 12km off Tauranga, and Maketu, on the coast south of Papamoa.

Don Reid, 34, Boyd Harris, 38, and Boyd's nephew Nathan Harris, 14, are attempting the swim partly in honour of Boyd's brother Peter, who was killed in a train accident last year.

Peter, like the others, was a member of Maketu Surf Lifesaving Club.

The swimmers hope their effort will raise the profile of the club.

It is believed to be only the third time that the swim has been attempted.

The trio plan to begin at Black Rock, in waters off Motiti, at 5am, each swimming with a support boat and boarders paddling alongside to guide him.

"When you're in the middle of the sea, you can't really see land," Mr Reid said yesterday.

Mr Reid, who is the only one of the group who has done the swim before, was also confident the support crews would keep unwanted marine life at bay.

"The sharks will probably be more scared than anything ... hopefully."

The first time the swim was attempted was in 1969, and the second in 1997.

Mr Reid was one of three swimmers in the 1997 crossing, finishing in 4h 36m.

This time, he wants to get his time down to under four hours, but said a lot would depend on the current.

In 1969, it swept the two men doing the swim off course by several kilometres.

Mr Reid said that in the event of bad weather today, the swim would be postponed until tomorrow, but would definitely take place this weekend.

A fundraising sausage sizzle is to be held at Maketu Surf Lifesaving Club after he and the others arrive at the beach.