In the heart of the Sunshine Coast is the Barefoot Capital of South Africa (aka Kenton on Sea). It’s a special place for many reasons, but on the Freedom Day long weekend in 2026 (25-27 April), we’re gonna make a splash about two of those special bits – the Kariega and the Bushmans River.

It’s Water Festival time! In conjunction with the Kenton and Boesmans Tourism agency, we’re working to get everyone, of all ages, of all swimming ability, into those two rivers to celebrate life, love and laughter.

There’s a kiddies Boesmans bank to bank (400m) dash on the Saturday 25 April, and on Sunday 26 April the kiddies take on the Kariega, also bank to bank.

Then for the traditionalists, there’s a one-mile (1,6km) on the Saturday in the Boesmans, and the Kariega does it’s one-miler on the Sunday. Both are timed events, but up to you whether you race or chill.

For those intent to spend a little longer in the water, on Saturday we do a 5km (yep that’s 5000m or 200 laps of a 25m pool) in the Boesmans. Also, a timed event.

And then for those with rocks in their heads, and in a class of their own, there’s the 14km (yep 560 laps) long haul in the Boesmans on Saturday. Again, it’s a timed event and in this case, you’ll need to show some previous experience swimming long distance.

At this point the tides suggest they’ll be up-river tide-assisted swims, but we’ll release a detailed schedule closer to the time.

On then on the Monday public holiday, we do the barefoot thing, and we drift in an anything-that-floats. Not timed, totally chilled, this is a let-the-river do the work, and you and your mates go along for the laughter.

Open-water swimming is the real deal, and doing it in some of SA’s prettiest rivers, in the Barefoot Capital is the cherry on the top. Block it out in your diary now, sign up when we open registrations, and pack your shoes… away. Come experience the Sunshine Coast at its best.