Swimmer eyes jetty swim best

Dakota Parker, 14, is hoping to finish her second solo attempt at the Busselton Jetty Swim with a personal best time.

Picture by Becky Felstead

The MacKillop Catholic College student, who is also a member of the Busselton Swimming and Surf Life Saving clubs, told the Times she was hoping to complete the 3.6km swim in “just over an hour” after a tough first attempt last year.

“I’m hoping the waters will be a lot calmer this year, and the time is definitely doable if (the water) remains flat,” she said.

Dakota said she took part last year just for the challenge of completing the swim and said it was a “good achievement”.

“I’ve never walked to the end of the jetty since we moved here, so I figured I’d just swim the length instead,” she said.

The best part of the swim was the support from her friends at the Surf Life Saving club who patrol the swim on paddle boards along the way, she said.

“I really want to do the Ironman one day and figured this swim was the first leg so it’s a good start,” she said.

The Busselton Jetty Swim takes place on Sunday, February 5.

Interested participants may register on www.busseltonjettyswim.org.au.