News / Whalsay swimmers raise thousands
OVER £3,000 has been raised for charity after five locals shrugged off Shetland’s orca fever and swam two miles in the open sea from the mainland to the island of Whalsay.
Julie Leask, Vanessa Irvine, Rhonda Sandison, John William Simpson and Gibby Williamson donned their wetsuits and left Stava Ness on the east of the mainland at around 9am on Friday.
They arrived to a hero’s welcome from an awaiting crowd around one hour and twenty minutes later at the Sandwick beach, in Whalsay.
The swimmers were undeterred by the recent spate of orca sightings around the shores of Shetland, with killer whales even being spotted in nearby Yell Sound later that day.
The five raised thousands of pounds for Cancer Research UK as the public dug deep. The money will be used to improve early diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer.
Rhonda Sandison, who used to swim competitively, said the group had been training in the sea two or three times a week for at least one month before the big day.
“There was a bit more swell than we were expecting, so it was tougher than what we had trained in,” she said.
“It was cold, but it wasn’t enough to make you feel like you needed to get out of the water.”
Sandison added that the group were a little anxious over the increased risk of meeting orcas, with extra boats asked to keep an eye out for any whales.
“I’m glad we didn’t know about the whales in Yell,” she laughed.
It seems the swimmers, meanwhile, may have found a new hobby after their two-mile trip out in the elements.
“I think everyone is keen to keep up the open water swimming,” Sandison said.
More photos and information how to donate can be found on the charity swim’s Facebook site.
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