The scale of South Africa’s Midmar Mile is easy to see when busloads of school children from all over the country begin to descend on the province of KwaZulu-Natal.

Thousands of students participate for their schools, all competing for participation prizes for their schools. With such a vast mixture of youth and adults in the waters and on the shorelines, the ambience of the Midmar Mile is wonderous to observe.

Tomorrow, many eyes will be on Prince Albert of Monaco’s bride-to-be Charlene Wittstock who raised £60,000 for Special Olympics South Africa. Throughout Midmar Mile week, the overwhelming gestures of hospitality, goodwill and charity are overlaid with a sense of adventure for many newcomers to the sport and a healthy dose of friendly competition for those elite swimmers including several Olympic medalists from the pool and open water swimming world.

Copyright © 2011 by Open Water Source