South African swimmer to challenge shark infested waters for charity
"I know that I am physically ready, but I need to make sure I am mentally ready," Yach told Xinhua News Agency in a telephonic interview from Cape Town on Monday.
On Sunday, the 52 year-old completed an 11.5 km swim from Anchor Bay to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, in under three hours.
Wearing only a regulation Speedo, cap and swimming goggles, Yach braved 13 degree Celsius water, jelly fish and the elements as he swam.
"I did not expect to finish in such good time, so I think that bodes well for the 35 km swim," he told a Xinhua News Agency correspondent, adding that the swim was made special by a school of acrobatic Dusky Dolphins who swam along side him for most of the way.
"It was a highlight for me, it was incredible swimming with them for such a long time," he said.
Yach's next undertaking will be to swim from Hout Bay to Robben Island -- past Duiker Island.
The area is home to a seal colony, a food source for Great White Sharks in the area.However, in order for him to finish the swim, he needs to be on stand-by from December until Jan. 10.
"Cape Town can have three weather changes in one day! I need to be on standby to ensure that the conditions are perfect," he explained.
Perfect conditions include a water temperature of 15 degrees Celsius and friendly tides.
Yach's biggest motivator to conclude the swim is to raise funds for the Cadiz Open Water Swimming Development Trust.
The trust promotes swimming for South Africa's underprivileged and supports disadvantaged swimmers.
He is calling for donations of 100 rand (14 U. S dollars) per stroke for as many of the 34,000 strokes expected to complete his challenge.
Ram Barkai, chairman of the Trust and one of the world's foremost cold water swimmers, described Yach's challenge as among the toughest swims in the world.
Yach has also teamed up with the Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF) which is committed to protecting oceans by funding research, education, awareness and conservation projects worldwide, including great white shark research in Cape Town.
To protect Yach shark spotters will be placed along some of his swim route, as well as on his support boat.
Yach is not new to the world of endurance swimming, last year, he set a world record by becoming the first person to swim 30 km from Cape Town around Robben Island and back in under 11 hours.
He raised 150,000 rand ( 21,894 dollars) for disadvantaged swimmers, including a group of about 40 teenagers from the notoriously dangerous Cape Flats who are training for the extreme, cold water, 7.5 km Cadiz Freedom Swim from Robben Island to Blouberg in 2011.
Yach also holds the record for the most Robben Island crossings (57) and successfully crossed the English Channel in 1996 in 14 hours and 25 minutes. Kazinform cites Xinhua. See www.xinhuanet.com for full version.