Meet Kaye Mueller….
Kaye (far right) was so amazing as a swimfluencer last season that we are stoked to have her back for the 2021/22 season! Kaye is based in Leigh, a small coastal community in the north of the Auckland Region who will not only look after you when you are out in the water when back on dry land she will stretch you out with a good dose of yoga!
| How long have you been swimming? | I’d been a pool lapster for decades. I loved the ocean but was PETRIFIED by the dark shapes lurking below. My catchword for 2014 was ‘dauntless’ so I decided to wrestle that fear down and dive in the deep end. |
| Whats your favourite event in the series? | No. 1: The 2014 Bay of Island classic from Russell to Paihia. No. 2: The 2021 Waiheke Iceberg swim. |
| Why that one? | In my ‘dauntless’ year, I’d set myself the goal of swimming the Russell to Paihia event. I totally panicked, gulped water, choked, gasped, panicked again and had to rip my wetsuit down to my waist... but I survived and it taught me a lot about resilience and overcoming panic. I was so chuffed with myself. |
| What is your favourite pre-race snack? | I have a post-race snack: Whittaker’s Creamy Milk Hazelnut Block and lots of it. |
| What song is on your raceday music playlist? | Not music! But the excited chatter and laughter of my swimming buddies. |
| What do you hope to achieve by becoming a swimfluencer? | I absolutely adore being the catalyst for courage and joy and seeing rusty/rookie swimmers get into the ocean tentatively and get out with shining eyes and wide grins. It’s my passion. |
| If you had ONE PIECE of advice for a new ocean swimmer - what would it be? | Find a supportive pod. Get in the sea and fill your wetsuit with cold water. Put your face under and blow soft-lipped bubbles. Start off super slow, stretch, glide, sip air in, long exhale underwater. |
