Breanna Ward: Swimming for Sharks
While many people fear swimming in the ocean because of sharks, one woman is doing it for sharks. Breanna Ward, driven by a passion for the ocean and its inhabitants, is taking on challenge after challenge to connect with the natural world and support conservation efforts. As she prepares to swim the Foveaux Strait (Te Ara a Kiwa) in New Zealand, a known great white shark breeding ground, we spoke with her about her inspiration, lessons she’s learned from Indigenous culture in New Zealand, and how she prepares physically and mentally for such a feat.
As Breanna swims across vast waters, one stroke at a time, she carries with her the hope of a healthier ocean, where sharks thrive and where fear gives way to respect.
SC: What motivated you to embark on biking and swimming ventures for marine causes?
BW: Concern for our ocean. I've been so lucky in that I've been able to experience and connect to so many beautiful environments. When people are connected to places, they are more likely to protect them. As Jacques Cousteau said, "People protect the things they care about". I've seen how these local environments are struggling and under threat, and I've learned that taking action is a cure for despair. In doing these ventures, I hope to help others see the beauty in our oceans and be inspired to take action too.
SC: How do New Zealanders view sharks in their culture? Why is this important?
BW: I can't speak for all New Zealanders, but I do think that in our media, sharks usually only make an appearance when a human has been injured or died. This leads to a warped perspective where humans only associate sharks with fear. It's a negative and human-centric perspective and only focuses on three or four shark species out of the ~500 species out there. It also means that people have more awareness of the approximately six people who die from sharks annually, instead of the 100 million sharks that are killed by humans every year.
On the other hand, Māori (indigenous people of New Zealand) have always valued and respected sharks and the role they play in the ecosystem. In Te Ao Māori (the Māori worldview) local environments are part of one's identity. Indigenous peoples have always been the world's original environmental protectors. Despite only making up about 6% of the world's population, indigenous peoples safeguard 80% of the planet's remaining biodiversity. Indigenous culture gives me hope that we can systematically change how we view and treat our world. I think that listening to, valuing, and prioritising indigenous voices will help shift the narrative not just around sharks, but all of the environment. Te Ao Māori teaches us that species in the environment are complexly interconnected, and we are part of it. The ocean and everything in it, including sharks, is something to embrace, respect, and work with, rather than something to fight or a resource that can be used.
SC: Tell us about your previous experiences swimming in Lake Taupō and Cook Strait. What did you learn from those adventures?
BW: I swam Cook Strait (Raukawa Moana) in December 2018 and Lake Taupō in January 2020. There were some amazing learnings from both of those adventures. Raukawa Moana was my first big swim, and I didn't know what I was doing. I was very grateful for everyone who helped me on that journey, and it taught me a lot about the importance of community. It also taught me to value my body for what it can do rather than just what it looks like, and that I'm capable of more than I think. With Taupō, the swim itself was really challenging. It started around 4 am, it was choppy, and there was no sunrise - the sky just went from black to grey. Within a few hours, I felt seasick, was starting to have an allergic reaction to the pollen in the lake and my shoulder was playing up. With all these things happening so early in the swim I felt like there was no way I could make it for another 12+ hours. One thing Lake Taupō taught me is to just focus on the one step in front of you; even when something feels hopeless and impossible, you can make it through.
SC: Your dream of swimming Foveaux Strait (Te Ara a Kiwa) is both captivating and daunting. What draws you to this particular challenge?
BW: So many things! Te Ara a Kiwa is such a special piece of water. I feel drawn to how cold, wild, and full of life those waters are — Albatross with wings bigger than your arm span, notoriously rough weather, clear and cold waters, and of course, the sharks. Te Ara a Kiwa is something that's been important to me for a long time and feels like a big milestone in my life. After cycling the North and South Island, and swimming across Taupō and Cook Strait, it's kind of like the final piece of a journey for me.
SC: How do you prepare mentally and physically for such a feat?
BW: The physical preparation involves a mixture of technique, strength, and endurance training. Mostly it's just lots of time in the water, doing between 30-60km of swimming a week (2-4 hours a day) and spending lots of hours in the sea acclimatising to the cold.
The mental preparation is focused on awareness of my thoughts. I try to consciously challenge and shut down any unhelpful thoughts. When I'm swimming, I'm always thinking and visualising how I want my technique to be. I also do a lot of positive visualisation about the day of the swim.
SC: What is the most memorable moment from your adventures?
BW: So many moments in Cook Strait! There was one moment when Phil told me we were halfway across. I remember treading water in the middle of the ocean, looking between the North and South Island in the distance. I felt simultaneously so small, but also in awe of my body for getting me so far. That whole swim was insane - I could feel the magic of the water and the power in the currents. It was humbling. I felt like I became part of the ocean during that swim. As I got to the end, the water was sparkling light blue. I had to push against the swell, the ocean breathing in and out. We landed on this beautiful beach with a cave to the side.
As I swum in, I saw the pebbles beneath me, but I didn't let myself believe I'd done it until I put my feet down and touched the stones. The shorebreak was strong; I knelt down to time it so I didn't get pushed over and then stumbled up the beach. Looking back at the North Island was such a magical moment. I felt a year's worth of training and years of dreaming about the swim pile down on me at once and felt a bit teary. It was an overwhelming moment.
SC: Why did you choose to do this swim for sharks, and to support Shark Allies specifically?
BW: Te Ara a Kiwa is a great white shark breeding ground, and it is one of the few places in the world where sharks congregate. Every summer, around 80 great whites return to Rakiura. This is significant because fewer than 3,500 great white sharks remain worldwide, and they are decreasing in number. Shark populations in general are dropping at a terrifying rate.
Sharks are so important to protect. They help keep fish populations healthy and abundant, and they keep the ecosystem balanced. In Shark Bay, Australia, the presence of tiger sharks encourages sea turtles to limit the length of their dives. This results in the turtles not overgrazing the seagrass and letting it grow back to a healthy population. As seagrass aids in carbon sequestration, this is an example of sharks helping to mitigate climate change!
I chose to raise money for Shark Allies in 2021 and will continue raising awareness for Shark Allies moving forward. The work Shark Allies does is powerful and impactful, and I believe in their mission. Shark Allies’ policy work, education, and awareness-raising make a real difference to shark protection, not just in the United States but also internationally, and is crucial for the future of sharks.
SC: As an advocate for marine conservation, what actions do you believe individuals and communities can take to protect sharks and the ocean?
BW: There are so many actions individuals and communities can take. Here's a list of just a few:
Call on your government to increase marine reserves, ban bottom trawling, and have stricter regulations on overfishing.
Squalene is derived from shark liver oil. Look out for squalene products and avoid them, unless it states that it's plant-derived squalene.
Make sure you know what is in your pet food and local fish & chip shop fish, as often it can be shark.
Eat, shop, and buy local.
Take steps to minimize your climate footprint such as walking, busing, and biking places.
Reduce waste by refusing single-use plastics, reusing as much as possible, refilling from refilleries, and not buying things you don’t need.
Take action by going to protests, writing letters, signing petitions, and putting pressure on governments and companies to prioritize equity, and look after our beautiful planet.
Limit your meat and fish consumption/eat sustainably sourced fish.
Invest sustainably - check your bank and retirement savers' investment portfolios to ensure you aren't unknowingly investing in fossil fuels or companies that exploit the environment.
Tune into what is normal for your local beach, river, forest, and so on. This helps you know when something is wrong in that space so that you can do something to help. Share the magic of your environment with others around you!
SC: What advice would you give to young people who aspire to combine their love for the outdoors with environmental activism?
BW: Just go for it! Everyone has a role to play, so be creative about what you can do and focus on your strengths. Once you have ideas and are inspired, back yourself. Reach out to other groups doing the work, and collaborate within your community for a more powerful impact and wider reach. Lastly, look after your wellbeing. You are part of the environment too, so looking after the environment also means looking after yourself. Stay connected to the places you love, and think and act holistically. And remember, you've got this!
