Planning for Swim Shikoku

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The planning of Swim Shikoku is underway.

Initially, the circumnavigation swim around the island of Shikoku, one of the four main islands of Japan, was going to be a bare-bones expedition. The plan was for a solo swimmer with a single escort kayaker to wind around the inlets, islets, rocky coastline, fishing nets and pens dotting the rugged Pacific Ocean coastline.

Estimated DIstance

The distance of the proposed solo adventure around Shikoku was approximately 1,188 kilometers. The swimmer (Steven Munatones) and escort kayaker (Chris Morgan) were planning to complete their expedition in 88 days, but their plans have changed after the first detailed reconnaisance tour of the island. The water flows due to currents and tides are significantly fast so a point-to-point course was planned.

Background

Swim Shikoku is inspired by the Shikoku Pilgrimage, a circular-shaped walking pilgrimage on Shikoku. The Shikoku Pilgrimage is a 1,200 km walk to 88 temples and sacred sites on the island that take most pilgrams 30 -60 days to walk.

The pilgrim’s journey around Shikoku is a symbolic path to enlightenment with temples #1–23 representing the idea of awakening, temples #24–39 austerity and discipline, temples #40–65 attaining enlightenment, and temples #66–88 entering nirvana.

The Island

The swim around Shikoku will start along the coastline of Kōchi City on the south shore of Shikoku and be swum in the counterclockwise direction due to the natural flow of significant currents and tides.

The Start

The start of Swim Shikoku is on Katsurahama Beach in Kōchi Prefecture, also known as Samurai Beach. On the beach, a statue of the famous samurai Sakamoto Ryōma stands. Sakamoto was also a political activist and an influential figure of the Bakumatsu, the final years of the Edo period when the Tokugawa shogunate ended. He helped establish the Empire of Japan with the Meiji Government – and was assassinated at the young age of 31.

Direction and Water Temperature

The swim will be conducted in a counterclockwise direction along the spectacularly rugged coast in water that is anticipated to be 17°C at the start in June and rise to 24°C water by late August.

Unswimmable Conditions

At times, the conditions may become completely unswimmable due to Pacific Ocean storms or typhoons. If the conditions are dangerously risky due to typhoon-driven winds and massive coastal swells, the traditional rules of stage swimming (i.e., to swim once during every 24-hour period) will be suspended. No kayak, no boat, no one needs to go out in dangerous conditions simply to adhere to the rules of stage swimming.

“More specifically, the swim is a physiological, psychological, and logistical venture into the unknown, with a year of planning calculated risks.” Munatones explains. “Because of the geographic layout of the island, the Kuroshio Current (黒潮) and tidal flow are significantly strong. We plan to take advantage of 4 – 7 knot currents and tidal flows along the way based on intelligent

We hope to showcase historical, cultural, culinary, environmental, and scenic perspectives of the island. Each day will have a specific theme – from the need to develop a Blue IQ to the delicious cuisine of the island. There is no driving need or pressure to set a world record and we simply want to enjoy setting off and pushing ourselves to achieve this unprecedented adventure.

Phase 1: Swim Days #1-3

Date: June 20th – 22nd
Start Point: Katsurahama (桂浜)
Finish Point: Cape Muroto (室戸岬)
Distance: 67 km
Expected Push: from the Kuroshio Current
Daily Themes: Sakamoto Ryōma, samurai swimming, self discipline

Phase 2: Swim Days #4-8

Date: June 23rd – 27th
Start Point: Cape Muroto (室戸岬)
Finish Point: Ishima (伊島)
Distance: 87 km
Expected Push: from the Kuroshio Current
Daily Themes: Yatai gyoza, UNESCO Global Geopark, Blue IQ, Kūkai (Kōbō Daishi)

Phase 3: Swim Days #9-12

Date: June 28th – July 1st
Start Point: Ishima (伊島)
Finish Point: Naruto Strait (鳴門)
Distance: 50 km
Expected Push: from tidal flows
Daily Themes: tranquility, adventure, bowing, fishing methods

Phase 4: Swim Days #13-16

Date: June 20th – 22nd
Start Point: Naruto Strait (鳴門)
Finish Point: Takamatsu (高松)
Distance: 71 km
Expected Push: from tidal flows
Daily Themes: ishin denshin, Japanese kanji, Tokushima ramen, Sanuki udon

Phase 5: Swim Days #17-19

Date: July 6th-8th
Start Point: Takamatsu (高松)
Finish Point: Zentsuji (善辻)
Distance: 38 km
Expected Push: from tidal flows
Daily Themes: anime, awa odori matsuri, indigo dyeing

Phase 6: Swim Days #20-23

Date: July 9th-11th
Start Point: Zentsuji (善辻)
Finish Point: Awajima (粟島)
Distance: 38 km
Expected Push: from tidal flows
Daily Themes: cherry blossoms, contemporary Japanese art, sumo wrestling

Phase 7: Swim Days #24-28

Date: July 12th-16th
Start Point: Awajima (粟島)
Finish Point: Imabari (今治)
Distance: 70 km
Expected Push: from tidal flows
Daily Themes: bento, tatami mat, onsen, tea ceremony, keigo

Phase 8: Swim Days #29-38

Date: July 17th-26th
Start Point: Imabari (今治)
Finish Point: Nishiuwa (西宇和)
Distance: 135 km
Expected Push: from tidal flows
Daily Themes: tai meshi, yuzu, sudachi, hamachi, sake, matcha, yukata, Japanese swords, futon

Phase 9: Swim Days #39-48

Date: July 27th-August 5th
Start Point: Nishiuwa (西宇和)
Finish Point: Cape Ashizuri (足摺岬)
Distance: 135 km
Expected Push: from tidal flows
Daily Themes: Yawatahama champon, mikan, Ishizuchi-zan, mottai-nai, keigo, nou aru taka wa tsume wo kakusu, ame futte jikata maru, saru mo ki kara ochiru,

Phase 10: Swim Days #40-42

Date: August 6th-8th
Start Point: Cape Ashizuri (足摺岬)
Finish Point: Kuroshio Machi (黒潮町)
Distance: 35 km
Expected Push: from the Kuroshio Current
Daily Themes; kelp rafts, nana korobi ya oki, ishi no ue ni mo sannen

Phase 11: Swim Days #43-47

Date: August 9th-12th
Start Point: Kuroshio Machi (黒潮町)
Finish Point: Katsurahama Beach (桂浜)
Distance: 68 km
Expected Push: from the Kuroshio Current
Daily Themes: Japanese Pipeline (surfing), ikigai, humility, giri, Kochi nabe-yaki ramen