Project Ushujaa: Swimming the 36km Zanzibar Channel (November 2022)

Event: Zanzibar Channel Swim (Project Ushujaa)

Date: 8 November 2022

Distance and direction: 35.85km; West to east (Lazy Lagoon Island Lodge, Tanzania to Fumba Beach Lodge, Zanzibar)

Overview: In December 2021, one of the Flying Mullets looked across the Zanzibar Channel and saw Dar es Salaam in the distance, and Project Ushujaa was born. Ushujaa is the Swahili word for bravery and acknowledges both the difficulty of the swim and the memory of Cath Lloyd – the bravest of us all.

The Zanzibar Channel was first crossed by the Mad Swimmers in 2015 but we’re going a little further, and we’re going for records. On 5 November 2022, we’re swimming the Zanzibar Channel to support the work of Hospice Wits and we’re hoping to raise R250,000 / USD17,500.

Donate: To donate to Hospice Wits and support Project Ushujaa, please visit our Given Gain page. (All donations will go directly to Hospice Wits, a palliative care provider that seeks to improve the quality of life of patients and their families facing life-threatening illnesses.)

Participate: If you want to join us, we’re able to accommodate and partially fund 12 swimmers across three events: 3 x solo swimmers; 3 x 10km team relay swimmers; and 6 x 3km team relay swimmers. Please note that we have now filled all 12 spots.

Each swimming team will be accompanied by a dhow and a medical team. You’re also welcome to join us for the experience, without donning a swimming cap. E-mail Tim Lloyd or Mike Power for more information.