Robben Island crossing, swimming Between the 5 th and 9 th of April, Christine Roos (29) – a passionate swimmer and philanthropist from Benoni – will brave the cold Atlantic in a 7,4km swim from Robben Island to Big Bay to raise R50 000 for the SA Bone Marrow Registry. The historic Robben Island crossing, dubbed the “Island Escape” is described as “gruelling” by elite open-water swimmers, but this has not deterred Christine, who is a novice swimmer. To allow for safe weather conditions, a five-day window period has been allocated for the swim. Christine says the challenge is nothing compared to suffering from a life-threatening blood disorder and not being able to afford the treatment.