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Taiwanese Children Conquer Ocean Swim, Challenge Fears in New Documentary 

Thirty young swimmers, all under the age of 11, embarked on a daring journey, a feat now documented in the newly released film “Swim Against Fear.” Their remarkable achievement—swimming distances of up to five kilometers in the sea—was met with both awe and skepticism but for the children, it was a moment of triumph. 

“I feel a sense of accomplishment,” said swimmer Chung Ren-an. “Seeing that I can complete this impossible mission, I feel happy.” 

The swim took participants from Bisha Fishing Port to Keelung Islet, a rugged island off Taiwan’s northern coast. The children were grouped by skill level, covering distances of 1,500, 3,000, or 5,000 meters. The journey, though challenging, was one of perseverance and self-discovery. 

Director Wayne Chien, who documented the event, is also a parent of one of the swimmers. He noted that Taiwan, despite being an island nation, has a cultural tendency to view the ocean with fear rather than familiarity. “Taiwan always says it’s an ocean nation,” Chien said. “But in practice, or in our experience, we always feel like we are facing away from the ocean. We’re not facing toward it.” 

Chien emphasized the importance of educating children about the ocean’s unpredictability. “In the long run, it is about making children aware that the ocean has many unknowns. The more you know, the better you can protect yourself,” he said. “You’ll know which sea conditions or coastlines are unsuitable for swimming. When they understand this, they won’t take unnecessary risks.” 

Triathlon coach Tsai Song-you echoed these sentiments, explaining that ocean education in Taiwan still faces obstacles. “We’re still quite conservative in Taiwan when it comes to teaching about the ocean,” he said. “Whether through popular culture or through the government, it’s still something that’s quite hard to promote. Mainly that’s because Taiwan doesn’t have sufficient resources for it.” 

The swim was not without its challenges. Some children shed tears while others battled their fears. Shan Yun, one of the young swimmers, recalled how he kept his focus on reaching the shore. “It just looked like a blue, blue, watery thing. And then a green thing right ahead of me. So I just told myself, ‘I’m almost there,’ and I just got there.” 

Others faced more immediate dangers, including jellyfish stings and muscle cramps. “I was most scared when I got stung by a jellyfish and got a cramp in my legs,” Chung said. “I could not move.” 

Despite these difficulties, the children’s parents stood by them, offering encouragement and support. “I want him to develop courage,” said parent Shan Kang-ning. “And he can conquer the fear of the unknown things in his life. I think that’s very important.” 

The experience, while physically demanding, became a lesson in resilience. “As a parent, you won’t always be able to be by the side of your kid,” Shan said. “But whenever he’s facing his challenges in his life, even after his parents pass away, we always hope they can conquer their fear.” 

With the release of “Swim Against Fear,” these young swimmers now have a lasting reminder of the day they took on the ocean and overcame their fears, proving to themselves and others that they are capable of extraordinary feats.