67-year old action man takes to the Southern Ocean waters

 

I’ve always thought that Robin K-J was cast in the mould of a Boy’s Own hero and he’s proved it yet again. He went swimming to free his Open 60 Saga Insurance from a large fishing net. Easy to say, isn’t it? Just think about it. The nearest human being was a couple of hundred miles away. The water temperature was only just above freezing. He was in the Southern Ocean. There was no-one on board his 60 footer to offer assistance if he got into trouble or, more likely, was so cold that he was unable to get back on board again (see story about cold shock in Yachting World Extra, below). And his keel bulb by which the boat was tethered, was 4.5m – or nearly 15 feet – below him. And he’s 67 and fully entitled to a state pension, annual heating allowance and a free bus pass. Of course, like a Boy’s Own hero, he succeeded. Most 27-year olds would not manage it. He quite coolly recounts ‘I slipped over the transom…’ Bravo Sir Robin!