Singapore’s MRT and buses are certainly reliable modes of transport that bring us to work daily. However, save for the occasional drama, there’s hardly any excitement in our daily commute.
More than 10,000km away from the Lion City in Zurich, Switzerland, 35-year-old Misha Gurov challenges the norm of commuting.
He swims the final 1.35km of his work route via the city’s old moat, Schanzengraben.
Image courtesy of Mr Gurov
Mr Gurov, a full-time IT Business Analyst, shared that he lives near Zurich and takes public transport into the city.
Whenever weather conditions allow it, he gets off 1.35km from work, changes into his swimming attire, then jumps into the Schanzengraben carrying a waterproof bag containing his clothes and work essentials.
Image courtesy of Mr Gurov
Unlike in the other Swiss cities of Basel and Bern, swimming to work is not common in Zurich.
Mr Gurov said the rush-hour traffic in the water is mostly fish, while trams, bikes and commuters whiz by above them.
“I did not see any other commuter during the last 1.5 years of swimming: several people were swimming it shortly but no regular swimmers like me so far,” he told MS News.
I find it absolutely crazy — people really do not see or understand, what a treasure and opportunity is just next to them!
After about 30 minutes of water current-assisted swimming in what he calls the “Schanzengraben-Express”, he climbs out of the moat, showers and changes clothes. Then, he heads to work.
Image courtesy of Mr Gurov
Mr Gurov said swimming to work gives his workday a “nicer start” than usual.
Like many other sports, swimming has a great anti-stress effect and makes a person both physically and mentally stronger by releasing endorphins, he explained.
Moreover, he said open-water swimming is even more special as it allows him to connect with nature, which he “deeply loves”.
“I observe swans taking the morning bath, or a small bird hunting fish. And sometimes several fishes can swim with me for many metres — taking me as one of them,” he shared.
Image courtesy of Mr Gurov
It is truly a special feeling, being part of this beautiful place here in Schanzengraben moat, part of its nature life!
To give back to nature and help the city, Mr Gurov would also fish out rubbish from the bottom of the moat whenever water levels are low.
Image courtesy of Mr Gurov
Mr Gurov also swims in the Schanzengraben in rain or snow — even when the water goes below 5°C.
However, he finds what other people might write off as unsuitable swimming conditions as the “most fun swims”.
“It gets challenging and technically more interesting to organise them not to get ill or freeze,” he told MS News, adding that he takes a warm shower after these freezing plunges.
Image courtesy of Mr Gurov
However, with a very demanding job and two children aged 7 and 9, Mr Gurov sometimes has to cut his swims shorter, not having enough time for his usual 30-minute travel via moat.
There are also times when he cannot swim the moat to work at all.
“At certain rain level it gets dangerous as falling drops make a layer of dense mix of water and air above the surface,” he explained. “Breathing it can damage lungs. So I have to stop then.”
Swimming has not always been part of Mr Gurov’s commute to work. Before moving to Zurich, he lived in London for 10 years.
He said public transport there can be unreliable and often crowded, so he decided to travel to work by bicycle, which allowed him to get in his daily exercise.
However, cycling to work in London proved to be quite dangerous.
“Once I was even hit by a car as driver was on the phone and did not notice me,” he shared with MS News.
“The bike was damaged and needed replacement, luckily, I managed to jump off it before crashing.”
This goes to explain why he is particularly ecstatic to share about his unique and refreshing method of travelling to work — one that gives him more benefits than just bringing him to his workplace.
In Singapore, swimming in waterways is largely prohibited as these are connected to our reservoirs, where we get our water supply.
However, it hasn’t always been this way — as captured by the sculpture ‘The Five Boys By The River’ in front of The Fullerton Hotel and along the Singapore River.
Source: Google Maps
During the World Cities Summit, which Singapore hosted in mid-June, mayors of cities such as Paris and Budapest also shared about their efforts to make their rivers more accessible to the public — something that has positively affected the relationship between the citizens and their city.
This raised the question of whether Singapore is ready to revisit similar possibilities for its people.
But while this option may not be available for us just yet, there are certainly ways we could add whimsy and excitement into our everyday life, just as Mr Gurov did for himself in Zurich.
For now, Mr Gurov invites Singaporeans to join him for a swim in the Schanzengraben.
“Come over to Switzerland and let’s swim together!” he said.
Also read: Man plans to walk the 42km Downtown Line after walking the Circle & North East Lines
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Featured image adapted from Mr Gurov.