SWIMMING THE GREAT BEAR – By Dale Robinson

The Great Bear Rainforest, along BC’s north and central coast, is a Canadian treasure, and without question one that also holds immense global significance. The nutrient rich waters of the Great Bear Sea support a thriving abundance that sustains an equally diverse terrestrial ecosystem. Together, this perfect interface between land and sea has created one…

The Journey to Ocean Falls – GBS part II

I am not a big fan of seeing my swim route the night before I swim it. If it takes a long time to get there by boat you know it’s going to take a really really long time to get back by swim; and that kind of stuff can get into your head. It’s…

What the Heck Happened @Great Bear – GBS part I

WOW! WOW! WOW! and did I say WOW! What an incredible adventure. The Great Bear Swim was even better that I could have dreamt and beyond what I could have hoped for. Here’s how it all went down… On the morning of Sunday, July 10th, a small caravan of vehicles holding a team of 9…

Follow Us During the Swim!

If you would like to follow us along the way you can! We will have SPOT throughout the swim. Go here if you would like to see where we are. For audio updates tune into VHF channel 12 on your marine radio. If you prefer social media you can receive updates via Twitter or Facebook….

Ocean Falls : a strong community!

There is no doubt that Ocean Falls is a very special community.  Although the physical community has changed over time, Ocean Falls remains active community of people that is incredibly proud of her history, not just in the swimmer world, but as a community in general. When I first set out on my journey of discovery…

Ralph Hutton – Must be something in the water in Ocean Falls

One can’t help but wonder if there is something in the water in Ocean Falls! Ralph Hutton was Canada’s male swimming superstar in the 1960’s. In 1963 he was a boy among men; at 15-year-old he delivered a double medal performance at the Pan AM Games.  In 1966, at the Commonwealth Games in Jamaica, at…

Ocean Falls Amateur Swim Club’s Jack Kelso

Born in 1939 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Jack Kelso came to Ocean Falls, Canada, with his family when he was 12 years old. One year after arriving, Jack  learned to swim through the Ocean Falls Amateur Swim Club and was winning meets on the North West coast. The coach at the time was George Gate….

Ocean Falls Amateur Swim Club’s Sandy Gilchrist

I’ve been Facebooking and emailing a few of the swimmers from Ocean Falls to find out more about them and what it was like to swim for the club “back in the day.” Sandy Gilchrist was kindly replied. Here’s what he said: “I was born in Ocean Falls as were my eight brothers and sisters and…

Lessons from Lama Passage: part 2 – 10km of terror

Sometimes I am not the smartest fish in the school. My recent 10km test swim is a testament to that. At this point in my life I should know better than to introduce something new before a significant swim, or in this case a swim in a new waterway. To make a long story short…

Lessons from Lama Passage: part 1 – response to cold water

Some say that open water swimming teaches you more about yourself than anything else. After completing a 10km test swim in Lama Passage for the Great Bear Swim I have to agree. It truly was a swim, and experience, like no other. My adventure started on a Friday with a three flight hop from Victoria…