Ryan Stramrood Asks Everyone To Make A Difference
Ryan Stramrood inspires people from all walks of life through his passionate speeches, stories, and actions.
The South African Ice Zero Swimmer, mindset coach, and author (of Push Past Impossible) from Cape Town has many important messages to share. Most recently, he completed his 127th crossing of the Robben Island – and urged people to make a difference.
Stramrood shared the following on LinkedIn, “I was so disturbed yesterday when swimming a 7.3 km Robben Island crossing in Cape Town. For the first time ever, I had to plough through a massive collection of disgusting rubbish (as did all swimmers on the day). At one point, the boat was used to cut a path through the muck for us. Nappies, pads, tons and tons of plastic in every shape and form, even a couch and a mattress…
Before encountering the chaos, leaving Oceana Boat Club and heading to the island to start the swim, true to form, Big Bay Events boats were stopping for every packet, bottle and polystyrene cup, we drove past, removing it from the water. But as we drew closer, it became extremely obvious that our efforts were futile against the incredible scale of the disaster. But still nothing prepared me for the devastation in the middle of the bay which we did not see coming until too late.
It has always been with pride that across 126 previous crossings, the rubbish encountered in our beautiful Table Bay is comparatively minimal from the perspective of a swimmer. The odd packet here and there. But otherwise a fairly pristine bay. However swimming the day after heavy rainfall presents the true picture of the state of affairs. Our rivers, the veins of life, used as rubbish dumps, then flushed into the ocean. Repeat.
Shortly after cutting through the bulk of the 1 km long ‘patch’ of rubbish, a small pod of dolphins did a U-turn from their initial direction and a rapid B line for me. All of them came right up to my face, without warning, swishing tails within an inch. They were angry and they were letting me know it. Humans are the scourge of the planet and we are destroying their home and killing their children. And millions and millions of other innocent marine life.
It was a sad day for me, but an eye opener too. Like you, I don’t need to be told that we have a massive plastic pollution problem. We all know this. So many are doing such amazing things in their own rights to help. But crossing #127 will certainly stand out for me as the most educational of them all. I hope for the support to take action.
Please very carefully consider your single use plastic habits. Every single one of us CAN make a difference.
Courtesy of Ryan Stramrood. For more information, visit his website here.
