Rod Watkins - Derwent River (Tasman to Iron Pot)
Tasman Bridge to Iron Pot Island
22.4 km (13.9 miles)
6 hours, 51 minutes on 12 February 2022
Observed and documented by Diane Lester
First
Contents
- Swimmer
- Support Personnel
- Swim Parameters
- Swim Data & GPS
- Observer Log
- Swimmer Statement
- Photos
- Video
Swimmer
- Name: Rod Watkins
- Gender: male
- Age on swim date: 60
- Nationality: Australian
- Resides: Melbourne, Victoria
Support Personnel
- Stuart Lester - boat pilot
- Diane Lester - observer
- Sue Lester - backup observer
Escort Vessel
| Name | Type |
|---|---|
| Koolong | Avor 250 |
Swim Parameters
- Category: Solo, nonstop, unassisted.
- Rules: MSF Rules of Marathon Swimming, without exception or modification.
- Equipment used: Textile swimsuit, cap, goggles.
Route Definition
- Body of Water: Derwent River
- Route Type: one-way
- Start Location: Tasman Bridge, Hobart, Tasmania (-42.865215, 147.339972)
- Finish Location: Iron Pot Island (-43.057731, 147.416909)
- Minimum Route Distance: 22.4 km (13.9 miles) (map)
History
No known previous swims of this route.
Many swims on the 33.5km Derwent River route between the New Norfolk Bridge and the Tasman Bridge - see Derwent River swims.
Swim Data
- Start: 12 February 2022, 06:00:00 (Australian Eastern Daylight Time, UTC11).
- Finish: 12 February 2022, 12:51:55
- Elapsed: 6 hours, 51 minutes, 55 seconds.
Summary of Conditions
| Feature | Min | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Water Temp (C) | 18 | 19 |
| Air Temp (C) | 10 | 21 |
| Wind (knots) | 0 | 5 |
GPS Track
Trackpoint frequency: 20 minutes. Download raw data (CSV).
Speed Plot
Nutrition: See observer log.
Observer Log
Swimmer Statement
by Rod Watkins
Iron Pot Swim Derwent River, Hobart Tasmania
Swim Description
The swim commences at the Tasman Bridge in Hobart (the finishing point of the Derwent River Big Swim) and concludes 22.3km at the Iron Pot Lighthouse which is located at the mouth of the Derwent River in Storm Bay.
Inspiration
I grew up in Hobart and it was the opportunity to be the first to swim this iconic course. The Iron Pot is one of Australia’s most iconic Light Houses. It is the oldest lighthouse in Australia.
To the best of my knowledge (after researching this with Chris Guesdon) this swim has never been attempted.
The swim starts at the Tasman Bridge where the river is approximately 1km in width. It continues downstream to the mouth of the Derwent River where the river widens to 6km. The water around the Iron Pot Lighthouse is notoriously rough and prior to the construction of the lighthouse in 1833 it was the location of several shipwrecks (Bombay, 1930, SS Lintrose, 1832 and the Princess Royal in 1932).
Planning
The main planning issues were:
1. securing a suitable boat and crew for support,
2. researching tidal flows, and
3. picking the suitable weather pattern.
How did the swim go?
The swim was a great success.
It commenced at 6.00 am under the Tasman Bridge.
Weather throughout the swim varied from light winds and slightly confused seas to totally calm conditions and a slight Southerly swell.
While we anticipated an outgoing tide for the entire swim there were sections where the water was moving in the opposite direction, possibly due to eddies.
The swim took an hour longer than expected which I put down to the unexpected currents.
Nutrition Plan
Breakfast of porridge and coffee Swim Nutrition (30 min feeds, 1st feed after 1 hr)
• Coffee
• Powerade
• Endura Gel
• Chocolate drink
• Peaches/Banana
Photos
Click to enlarge.
