Carina Bruwer

1. What’s your biggest achievement / Something you’re proud of yourself for?
“My greatest pride in life is my three incredible kids who inspire me every day with their unique challenges and talents. Apart from them one of my proudest moments was swimming 21 km across Walker Bay from Hermanus to Gansbaai. Not only was I the first and only person to cross this unchartered and shark infested bay, but I also raised over R200000 for musicians and performers struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although it wasn’t the longest or hardest swim I’ve ever done the experience was incredibly intense. I was close to collapsing from the cold and shoulder pain when I finally stumbled out on the other side. This swim felt different — it was the most meaningful and connected project I’ve ever undertaken. Battling a fierce current most of the way there were moments when I felt like I was going backwards. Midway through, an old shoulder injury flared up making it nearly impossible to lift my arm with more than 7 km still to go. My entire body was shaking from the cold and pain. Despite my instincts telling me to give up, the cause kept me going, and I managed to turn the pain into power. This wasn’t just a personal challenge — I was swimming for a greater purpose. This determination enabled me to overcome both the current and my own physical limitations.  

The 6+ hours it took to complete the swim may have been the slowest I’ve ever done for 21km, but it remains one of my proudest achievements. I conquered not only the physical challenge but also my internal struggles, inspiring others to face their own challenges. Seeing the community rally together with me during such a challenging time reaffirmed my belief in our collective strength and resilience.”

2. What’s your biggest fear / something that holds you back?
“One of my biggest challenges is overcoming perfectionism. I have a natural inclination towards striving for excellence in everything I do which can be both a strength and a hindrance. While setting high standards for myself has driven me to achieve great results in the past, it also comes with a significant downside. I often find myself unable to participate fully in something where I don’t believe I would meet my own lofty expectations. While it is my mission to engage in the variety that life has to offer I have to consciously remind myself that failure is part of success, and that quite often it’s neither failure nor success that results in making a different; it’s simply showing up!   Embracing this mindset allows me to move forward with confidence, knowing that growth often lies outside the realm of perfection.“

3. What’s your biggest contribution / Something you like to share?
“In a world where there’s often pressure to constantly pursue high performance and success, it’s crucial to recognize that we are not defined by our victories alone. Rather it’s the moments spent persistently swimming against the current that truly shape us, enabling us to leave a meaningful impact on the world around us.  “

4. Fun Facts:
“One of my unique “skills” is speaking backwards. I picked up this quirky talent during school mainly to entertain myself during those particularly “riveting” classes.  Occasionally I still use it to create a bit of intrigue especially when I want to make it seem like I don’t speak English. Interestingly backwards Afrikaans sounds remarkably similar to Russian!”