Ever thought, 'I could never do that'? Know that you are not alone.
Introducing Katie Binstock. Katie never set out to become an endurance swimmer. Now, most triathletes will tell you they hate swimming, yet they will pull out all stops to get that 350m, 1.9km or 3.8km done during a race. So yes, despite the icky feels, that does make you a swimmer! But when Katie saw a friend take on the epic Derwent River Big Swim - 34km from New Norfolk to Hobart - something stirred. She didn’t dismiss it that feeling...you might know it! She reached out. She asked questions. She said yes!!
Over the next 18 months, Katie went from 2km ocean dips to completing marathon swims of 10, 15 and 20km - and ultimately, the full Derwent River. Twice!! Battling tides, darkness, wind and her own doubts, she crossed under the Tasman Bridge solo and unassisted after 9 hours in the water.
Her story isn’t about records. It’s about realising you can. About what happens when you follow a friend’s nudge instead of brushing it off. And yes - it’s about what to wear when you’re swimming for nine hours straight (spoiler: Katie found her perfect match in FOHER’s Halcyon Days swimmers).
I hope you enjoy reading Katie's journey into endurance swimming and achieving something pretty dang epic!
x Kylie and the FOHER Team
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'What has she done? … That's crazy! … I could never do that!' In March 2023, I had just seen that one of my waterpolo uni mates had done a 34km swim down the Derwent River from New Norfolk to Hobart - the Derwent River Big Swim.
Pic: Katie swimming the 34km Derwent River Big Swim.
Everyone has THAT friend. It turns out, it's not crazy (well, maybe just a little bit) … and YOU can do it!
I grew up swimming. Mum tells a story that she had to enrol me in swimming lessons because about the same time I learnt to walk, I threw a tantrum because she wouldn't let me jump off the Harbour Bridge. So, it was swimming lessons for me.
We moved to the NSW Far South Coast in 2000. I don't know if it was the encouragement of the local swim club or the Olympic spirit but it was then that the twice a day squad started. I bet mum regretted those swimming lessons when I was waking her up at 5.30am most days. I wasn't the fastest kid in the squad (probably the slowest) but I had a great time. Back then, short was best and racing 200m was a long way.
Pic: Open water swimming at night can be absolutely breathtaking
Through school and uni being 'a swimmer' kept taking me places. Carnivals and trips interstate. It also gave me my first jobs lifeguarding on the beaches and helped me make friends fast at uni.
By the time I finished uni I had stopped swimming and then I did a few triathlons. The swims started getting longer: 300m, 750m, 1.5km, 1.9km. Then I realised you don't have to run and ride after the swim and they got longer again. 2km, 2.5km, 5km, 10km. The 10km National Capital Swim Canberra was a huge milestone. That was the longest swim around. Then I saw my friend swim 34km!
I reached out to congratulate her on the 34km and she encouraged me to do a 15km swim, the Cliff to Bridge, with her from New Norfolk to Bridgewater in February 2024. About half her epic marathon swim. So I signed up.
Pic: Katie swimming the Cliff to Bridge Swim.
Next up, she suggested we do the Swim Around Keppel in April 2024. 20km…just 5km longer. So I signed up.
Sitting on Great Keppel Island after the swim, I reached out to one of the local boat pilots and I was locked in to swim the Derwent in January 2025.
Pic: Look at those reefs! Katie swimming 20km around Great Keppel Island.
January came around fast. You need a boat pilot experienced in the river and you need to pick the right tides so we set off at 4am in the dark (I might have exaggerated my 'night swimming' experience) and about 11 hours (and 21 gels) later (after battling a strong headwind for hours) we reached the Tasman Bridge. My partner decided to jump in for the challenge and, while tandem swims are recognised, he wore a wetsuit which also categorised my swim as 'assisted'. I was chasing the 'unassisted swim' ratification so I found a second swim window and two weeks later was jumping off the boat again at the New Norfolk Bridge at 4.30am. This time, just under 9 hours (and 17 gels) later, I was swimming under the Tasman Bridge again.
Pic: Swimming the Derwent round 1 - Katie's swim was classified as assisted as her swim partner was wearing a wetsuit.
I was chasing the 'unassisted swim' ratification so I found a second swim window and two weeks later was jumping off the boat again at the New Norfolk Bridge at 4.30am. This time, just under 9 hours (and 17 gels) later, I was swimming under the Tasman Bridge again.
Pic: Snack time during Katie's second 'unassisted' Derwent swim
The swims took me through beautiful sunrises and past cliffs, farms, factories, and vineyards. At times, with no current. Other times, with the wind in my face as I wound around the river and, when I was lucky, with a helpful outgoing tide. Both times, there was that moment, about two-thirds into the swim when I knew I was going to finish it and I thought back to how under 24 months before I thought this was impossible.
Pic: Stunning vistas along the Derwent during Katie's second 34km swim
There were some challenges along the way. How do you swim in the dark? How do you swim next to a boat? What do you eat? How do you eat it? What do I wear that's going to be comfortable for that long? Someone always has the answer. Thanks to my friends for answering the 'what do I wear?' question after some trial and error (of the chafing variety). The FOHER Co Halcyon Days swimmers were the perfect match for the idyllically happy and peaceful swim and were great for the entire 34km distance.
Pic: Katie with her Derwent finishers medal and rocking her FOHER Co Halcyon Days swimmers
A couple of people have called me 'insane' this week. If you are 'that friend', keep pushing the boundaries and remember to encourage others to do what they think isn't possible!!
Katie Binstock
https://au.srichinmoyraces.org/sri-chinmoy-national-capital-swim
