KNYSNA NEWS - As is tradition, the Knysna Seahorses swimming group recently unveiled their brand new swimsuits for the year that lies ahead.

This year's swimsuit, designed once again by Knysna Seahorses founder Delle Henry, features a beautiful floral design and will be worn by the Knysna Seahorses until the next one is designed next year. 

Henry is ecstatic with how the swimsuit came out, having officially launched them to the public earlier this month.

For the uninformed, the Knysna Seahorses is an open-water swimming group that was founded by Henry in 2015 when she moved to Knysna from Cape Town. 

"I was a keen open water swimmer in Cape Town, and was disappointed to find there wasn't an open water swimming group in Knysna when I moved here," she said. "So I started one myself."

From the desire to swim in the open water of the Knysna Estuary, the Knysna Seahorses group was born, named after the tiny Knysna seahorse that calls the estuary home.

The group started with only a handful of members, but has since grown to now include roughly 40 regular local members according to Henry, who also pointed out that joining the group is entirely free. "For us it's really just all about being in the water and having a swim. We're really a social swimming group at the core."

If you've ever paid attention while looking out on the estuary you may have actually seen the Knysna Seahorses without even realising it.

They can be distinguished from other swimmers by their bright pink swimming caps, which were a happy coincidence for Henry.

"When I started the group I really wanted us to have pink swimming caps. And as it so happened, the NSRI endorsed the colour pink as the one that would be the most visible in the estuary. So, a perfect outcome in my books."

Henry is also responsible for designing the Seahorses' swimsuits every year, which often take on bright, colourful designs. They are only made available to the ladies of the group, while the men can still don the bright pink swimming caps. As time has gone by the Knysna Seahorses have even been recognised by the Knysna Yacht Club as they always launch their swims from there.

"We swim at least three times a week – Monday, Wednesday and Friday – at 07:00, come rain or sunshine," Henry said. "We also try to have longer swims on weekends, but these depend on quite a few things. The weekday swims always take place though, no matter what."

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