Crossing To Isla De Lobos
Photos courtesy of Ricardo Figueredo. Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California. Arturo Santos and Ignacio “Nacho” Bussy pioneered a new crossing from the Punta de la Salina peninsula to Isla de Lobos in Uruguay, a 9.5 km swim that took 3 hours 15 minutes after swimming across strong currents.
Santos and Bussy started from the rocks near Punta de la Salina, the southernmost boundary that divides the waters of the River Plate with the Atlantic Ocean after the ocean had been illuminated by a full moon.
Their team included a prefectural support boat with their skipper, officer, lifeguard and nurse – all necessary for the difficulties of this crossing included currents, sharks and orcas.
Their wetsuits offered protection against the 2m tentacles of Portuguese man o war while they also swam with lifesaver buoys. “We went with the full moon behind us and the sun began to appear in the east. Because the waves were very difficult in the first hour, we spotted off the lighthouse on the island,” said Santos. “After the hour and a half, we stopped to hydrate with gels. I felt so good.”
They felt even better when they finished, their second long swim in a year. In March 2014, they both swam a triple crossing of the 3 km channel between Punta del Este and Gorriti Island.
Copyright © 2015 by World Open Water Swimming Association
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.
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