Capri Djatiasmoro’s Priceless Birthday Swim

Rather, I was swimming against a 1 knot current, barely making any progress. Terry my paddler put me very close to the seawall where there was a path of least resistance, but I was still struggling. Little by little, I was getting closer to the 103 Footbridge. Terry and Morty [Berger, the race organizer] were yelling at me to “SWIM!”. Terry said, “Swim or get pulled” – then I recalled other swimmers giving me pre-race advice, “Capri, you must make it to the 103 Footbridge”. With the threat of getting pulled, I was having a breakdown. My stroke fell apart, but then I got mad and determined and made it past the Footbridge.

But I was still not in the clear. The current had not switched yet. I was barely making any progress, struggling to swim. I heard the words of swim coach Igor Shoukhardin in my head, “Capri, you only think you are tired, but you are not tired.” I kept hearing those words in my head all through my swim. That is what got me through the entire swim, because I have never swum myself to exhaustion.

Further up into the Harlem River, the current was just starting to switch. Terry kept encouraging me to swim harder. If I didn’t make it to the Willis Avenue Bridge in 30 minutes, I would get pulled … again?!? The threat of getting pulled again? Damn it!

I started swimming mad and was determined to get into the Hudson River. That is what I did; the cut-off at the Hudson was 6:15. I got to the Hudson in just over 7 hours. I knew the current would be flying downstream and I knew I would have wind, waves, and chop with the wind coming up the Hudson there were white caps breaking, but I just kept swimming, remembering advice from swimmers who like to swim in chop: go long, almost swim catch-up, try to get the rhythm of the waves and breathe on top of the wave. I kept my head down breathing every 4, 6 or 8 or 5 and 7.

One month earlier, I had swum Stage 6 of the 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim (from Tappan Zee Bridge to the George Washington Bridge) that had worse conditions: 3 to 6 foot white capped waves. I had used that very tough swim as a training session for the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim. So when I got into the Hudson [River] with the chop, I thought, “OK, I got this!” Post-race, my crew on the boat including Alan and Arlene told me my stroke rate had dropped to 44 [spm], but then I settled down and it came back up to 57-60. They told me I was swimming well in the chop – it felt good.

We kept going down the Hudson. I knew all the landmarks. The 3 pm cruise ship was pulling out. We got to Christopher Street Pier and Terry was blowing his whistle hard and yelling at me to swim out into the river. I was on a direct collision course with the pier. My support boat was at the end of the pier. I thought, “How nice, they are blocking the pier so I don’t hit it.” Post-race, I found out that they had engine issues and were pinned to the pier and had to be rescued.

Terry and I continued to the end without the boat and my crew. Then, as planned, Terry turned in at the North Cove. There was another boat that stayed with me. I was close to the seawall heading to the South Cove making progress, but I could feel the push of the current was slowing down. I passed the South Cove and continued following the seawall. I thought I saw the end of the seawall where I had to make a hard left turn into the finish cove, but NO…the wall curved in and continued to the left…oh my God. I could feel the undercurrents beneath me.

When currents switch, they do not stop and switch on a dime, there is a period of flux and turmoil. So even though I still had a little push, I could feel the cold rolling currents below me. The switch was starting. I thought oh my God! NO – all this way and you’re not to make it to the finish? Are you kidding me? Hell no! I kept swimming hard … looking for the end of the wall.