Mermaid’s new swim milestone

A WOMAN from Binfield Heath has completed the triple crown of open-water swimming.

Laura Reineke, 52, a member of the Henley Mermaids, swam 21 miles across the Santa Catalina Channel on Wednesday last week, in a time of 14 hours and nine minutes.

This follows her successes in swimming the English Channel crossing in 2023 and the
20 Bridges Swim around Manhattan Island in 2024.

Ms Reineke, the founder of Friends of the Thames, swam from mainland Los Angeles to Catalina Island and raised more than £3,000 for her charity. She did the route in reverse due to tidal changes.

She set off from Smuggler’s Cove, accompanied by crew members Richard and Lee Saudan — the latter of which acted as Ms Reineke’s support swimmer and swam alongside her for the first hour.

Ms Reineke said: “The first hour was amazing — beautiful evening, nice clear skies. There was quite a bit of swell but not too choppy. Then we got out and gradually the sky got darker and cloudier and that was when the sea sickness kicked in.

“As we came out of the shelter of the inland waters, the sea started to get more choppy and bouncy and my seasickness lasted for around 10 hours. It was absolutely brutal.”

While Ms Reineke’s seasickness subsided once the sun came up, she was stung repeatedly by jellyfish and struggled to keep down her feeds, taken in liquid form via a line in a bottle.

She said: “I was beginning to lose a bit of power. Lee jumped in again to give me a bit of motivation. I had managed to get a feed in and then carried on. The next hour was absolutely lovely.

“Lee had to stay just behind me but I knew she was in the water, so that was nice. Then my rotator cuff went so the final three hours were very painful.”

The seasickness and rotator cuff injury left Ms Reineke feeling unwell after her swim, which she said was unusual for her.

“I think it really took it out of me,” she said. “This was the most challenging swim I’ve ever done.

“I went into it thinking the thing I was going to be most worried about was the wildlife. I’d heard dolphins but I didn’t see any of them — I kept my eyes closed. In the dark I didn’t really want to see what was below me.”

Ms Reineke was motivated to complete the challenge by a desire to raise awareness of the of the threats faced by waterways.

She said: “I’m not going to stop until I see the River Thames clean, healthy, full of life and safeguarded for future generations.

“I’ve got a deep connection with the Thames. I’ve always lived about two miles from her. She has been my constant. I swim in her daily. She’s my peace. Everybody’s lives in the Thames Water catchment is dependent on the River Thames.

“We’ve been manipulating and mistreating her for so many years. It’s now time we give back and look after her and restore her to her health. Without her we don’t have life.”

Ms Reineke was supported by a WhatsApp group of more than 100 friends and family members, where her crew shared regular updates on the challenge.

Less than a week after her swim, Ms Reineke got back out on the water in the crew of her support swimmer Lee.

Ms Reineke said: “It was the most brutal swim of my life but every stroke, mile and hour was to raise funds to restore our beautiful River Thames.

“I didn’t complete it with any kind of style, panache or grace but I did complete it.”

Ms Reineke is hoping to complete the Oceans Seven marathon challenge as her next swim.

To donate, visit www.crowd funder.co.uk/p/lauras-catalina-channel