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THE DARKEST HOURS COME BEFORE DAWN
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Suddenly, there was a flash of light. I could see my hands in front of
me for a split second. Then, it was total blackness again. My hands were
eerily pale. Still making sweeping motion in an automatic mode, as if
they are moving on their own power, no longer under my control. I woke
up from my sleep. No, it was not a dream. It was fast becoming a nightmare.
The time was 3am. The wind had changed. It now blew from the east. The
bad news was, I was heading east. The waves grew bigger and I was tossed
around like a stick floating on its angry surface. I could no longer swim
freestyle. Breathing on the side was impossible in such choppy sea. It
was breast-stroke time. Breaststroke made me a bit giddy with its head-bopping
motion.
The lightning
and thunder intensified. It started to rain heavily. I wondered if the
next bolt of mega-watt electricity was going to hit me and deal me an
instant death. I could see the headline in the papers "Swimmer struck
down by lightning in Malacca Strait". I shouted to Tang on the boat
:"What's the distance to go?". There was a long pause and then
came the answer: "14km more." I wasn't sure if that was good
or bad news. Tau Chou and Cher Huey noticed my feeding stops became more
frequent. I was growing weak. The current had changed too. It was pushing
me back together with the waves. I was struggling. During the feeding
breaks, I now had to hang on to the side of the kayak with one hand so
I could drink and eat properly with the other hand. Tau Chou and Cher
Huey saw my worsening condition, they encouraged me by peeling the bananas
and removing the cap on the water bottle for me. What an Ace Team I have.
After what seemed like eternity, I shouted to Tang again asking for information
on our progress. Again, a long pause. Then, the answer: "13km".
I told myself: "At this rate, in this terrible condition, I may not
be able to last much longer, let alone finishing the swim." I had to
dig very deep inside me to find the strength to carry on. My muscles were
aching. I was gulping sea water frequently because of the waves. The lightning
and the thunder seem to be closing in. I shouted to Tang: "I am tired."
Then, I remembered the near-misses I had before in the mountains and the
poles. The situations were much worse than this one. If I could survive
those times, I could do this. All I had to do was to keep going. One stroke
at a time. Nothing else mattered. Stay focus. It's crunch time. I also remembered
that Wee Leng, Sheng Feng and lots of family and friends would be waiting
for me at Port Dickson for my arrival. I would not want to disappoint them.
I want to bring them good news.
It was as
if God was testing me. Soon after I decided to hang on, the lightning
and thunder subsided, the rain stopped and most of all, the wind went
away. The sea calmed down from the ragging waves to gentle swells. I looked
up and said: "Thank you, God."
After awhile, Tang shouted to me: "30 done. 10 more to go. Come on,
you can do it!". His words pushed me on.
At about
6.45am, the sun appeared on the horizon. Finally, I could see the lighthouse
at Cape Rachado. I shed a tear or two. It was as if God said: "Have
a little faith in me, will you?".
And so, I
swam across the 38-km Malacca Strait in 21 hours and 53 minutes on 5th
December 2004.
The darkest
hours always come before dawn. But if you hang in there, the sun always
rises.
Cheers. Swee
Chiow
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