Carina Bruwer (46, South Africa, MSF bio here, @carinabruwer) has a habit of making hard things look easy – whether it is swimming in the rough waters of her home of South Africa or on stage while playing the flute or creating AI-powered platforms for the events and entertainment industry.

Bruwer, a celebrated flute virtuoso, a SAMA-winning musician and producer, mother of two, and owner and founder of Five Seasons Entertainment, recently completed a 17 km point-to-point from Durban to Umhlanga on October 26th, finishing in 4 hours 45 minutes after enduring painful jellyfish stings.

The swim, presented by logistics group GoReefers as part of its See It All campaign, raised R52,000 for the South African Association for Marine Biological Research (SAAMBR), with donations continuing to come in.  Observer and event coordinator Christopher Shipley, escort pilot Geoff Philips, and support crew and feeder David Welensky assisted with the swim that was hosted by the Durban Undersea Club.

Originally planned from Umhlanga to Durban to take advantage of the prevailing south-flowing ocean current, the crossing was reversed following an assessment of the weather and sea forecasts. With strong southerly winds predicted, Bruwer’s team opted to swim north with the wind rather than south against it, despite knowing this would mean swimming against the current.

But when the winds blow in the opposite direction of the currents, Bruwer knew she was in for a turbulent, unpredictable swim which deteriorated as her swim progressed. She explained, “That was a tough one. We made the decision to swim north based on the wind forecast, knowing that it would mean working against the ocean current. What we encountered was messy, unpredictable water that became increasingly difficult as the swim progressed. Add to that the constant stings from jellyfish and other tiny marine creatures, and it was certainly a test of endurance. But that’s marathon swimming. You keep putting one arm in front of the other, and eventually you get there.”

Other swimmers have previously completed the course previously, but Bruwer’s crossing was an officially observed and documented crossing between Durban and Umhlanga. She did it in the hopes of establishing the 17 km coastal swim as an internationally-recognized marathon swim to encourage others to experience the KwaZulu-Natal coastline. “There’s something special about setting off from one coastal town and arriving at another, having crossed that distance entirely through the ocean. I’d love to see this become an established swim that attracts athletes from around the country and beyond.”

SAAMBR

The campaign supports SAAMBR, which has spent 75 years advancing marine conservation through scientific research, animal rescue and rehabilitation, and environmental education.

Its work includes rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing endangered sea turtles, many of which arrive injured, ill or severely weakened. Through specialist veterinary care and dedicated rehabilitation, these animals are given a second chance at life in the ocean.

Equally important is SAAMBR’s work with children, many of whom have never had the opportunity to explore and understand the marine environment, despite growing up near the coast.

Just R200 (US$12) can give ten children access to an educational ocean experience – an opportunity that might otherwise be beyond their reach. For some, that single experience could be transformative: sparking a lifelong interest in marine life, inspiring future careers in conservation or nurturing young ambassadors who will help protect our oceans for generations to come.

At that rate, the R52,000 raised so far could provide these experiences for as many as 2,600 children. “We’ve raised R52,000 so far, which is wonderful, and I’m enormously grateful to everyone who has contributed. But I’d love to do more. When you think that just R200 could open a child’s eyes to a world they’ve never experienced, or help support the rescue and rehabilitation of an endangered turtle, it’s incredibly motivating. We can’t know which child might become a future marine scientist or conservationist because of an experience like this. But we do know that without these opportunities, that spark might never happen.”

For Bruwer, the cause is deeply personal. “I’ve spent 20 years swimming in oceans around the world. They’ve given me extraordinary experiences, but they’ve also made me acutely aware of how much we stand to lose if we don’t protect them. Marine animals and ecosystems don’t have a voice in the decisions that affect their future. As someone whose life has been shaped by the ocean, I feel a responsibility to use whatever platform I have to help make that voice heard.”

GoReefers

GoReefers underwrote the entire operation, including the escort vessel, crew, independent observation and livestream production, ensuring that 100% of public donations go directly to SAAMBR. GoReefers also pledged R1,000 for every kilometer completed, bringing its distance-based contribution to R17,000.

The swim formed part of GoReefers’ See It All campaign and coincided with its annual conference in Durban, where Bruwer was scheduled to deliver her keynote, The Art of Turning the Tide, shortly after completing the crossing.

GoReefers CEO Delena Engelbrecht said, “The initiative reflects the company’s commitment to making a meaningful contribution beyond its core business. At GoReefers, See It All is about looking beyond the obvious and recognising the opportunities we have to make a difference. The ocean is fundamental to our industry, but our responsibility to it goes beyond the movement of goods. We wanted to use this event to support the incredible work SAAMBR is doing, and Carina’s determination out there was an inspiration to all of us. We’re proud to have made this swim possible, and we hope the wider logistics community will join us in taking the fundraising even further.”

Bruwer also paid tribute to the team behind the crossing.

“People see one swimmer in the water, but an undertaking like this is only possible because of the extraordinary work happening around you. From the crew on the boat and the people managing the livestream to everyone coordinating logistics, supporting the campaign and making donations, this was a genuine team effort. I’m enormously grateful to everyone who helped make it happen.”

See It All

The fundraising campaign remains open. Individuals and businesses are encouraged to contribute here. To watch the swim, visit here.

For more information, visit www.carinabruwer.com.

© 2026 Daily News of Open Water Swimming

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