With Every Stroke a Message: Cardiologist Swims from Menorca to Cala Mesquida

From Morning Mist to Evening Light: 13.5 Hours on the Open Sea

As the sun still hung pale on the horizon over Menorca and the seagulls circled, a man from Manacor entered the water and set off, an act recounted in Con cada brazada un mensaje: cardiólogo nada de Menorca a Cala Mesquida. Not a professional sea athlete, but a 52-year-old cardiologist who has overcome his own cancer. His goal was not fame but a clear message: to make WHO factsheet on cancer prevention, courage and support for those affected visible.

Waves, Salt and Breathing Rhythms — a Personal Journey

The crossing was tough, changeable and deeply human. He covered around 35 kilometers, accompanied by a small escort boat, a rescue team, a few friends and the ever-present surf. For hours there was only the rhythm of arms against the water, the grinding of the boat propeller in the distance and the monotonous roar of the sea — sounds as familiar on Mallorca as the clatter of fishermen in the harbor.

The wind picked up, salt stung the eyes, and from time to time one asked: Why do this? The answer came in simple sentences: not to break records, but to show that illness is not the end. "After such a diagnosis, priorities shift," he said before the start. That calm, that determination could be felt in every stroke. Not a professional sea athlete — though other doctors have taken to the sea, as told in De la cirugía cardíaca a médico de a bordo: cómo un cirujano bávaro empezó de nuevo en el mar.

No Big Stage, But Many Witnesses

In the evening he reached Cala Mesquida. Not a pompous reception, but neighbors on the beach, a few clapping children, the deep, solemn sound of a bagpipe and the smells of fried fish and sea salt in the air. There are few simpler celebrations — and perhaps that is exactly right: genuine human togetherness instead of the spotlight.

The support crew had water bottles in nets, packed snacks and even homemade cookies. Practical, down-to-earth, Mallorcan. A neighbor summed it up dryly: "He swims better than some people drive." Laughter, respect and a little pride mixed into an atmosphere that will be remembered along the promenade for a long time.

Why This Gesture Matters for Mallorca

The action is more than a brave deed by one man. It is an impulse for places like our island: it brings conversations into waiting rooms, cafés and onto beaches, as local incidents such as Paro cardíaco en Caimari: ¿Están los pueblos de Mallorca preparados para emergencias médicas entre turistas? showed. In the coming days doctors will hear about it, self-help groups will talk about it, and perhaps the image of a sweating cardiologist in swim trunks will remind someone not to postpone their check-up.

Donations were collected on site for a local self-help group — not a big gala buffet but a practical, immediate contribution: cash in the boat's coffee tin, a few transfers from fellow travelers, a bit of solidarity that arrives directly.

A Personal Goal with Public Impact

For the man from Manacor the goal is achieved when one person, because of a photo or a small story in a waiting room, says: "I'd better go to the doctor." Such gestures do not need TV cameras; they need witnesses, conversations and perhaps an ice cream afterwards at the harbor. On Mallorca, where people know each other, such images carry weight.

Facts in brief: Age: 52 years. Duration: 13 hours 30 minutes. Distance: around 35 kilometers. Start: Menorca (early morning). Finish: Cala Mesquida, Mallorca (evening reception with bagpipe players). Escort: small rescue team, friends. Purpose: education, encouragement and fundraising for a local self-help group. For safety advice relevant to such crossings see RNLI guidance on open-water swimming safety.

The sea holds many stories; this was one of courage, community and the quiet will to make prevention and support more visible on Mallorca.

If you now think such feats are only for exceptional athletes: perhaps it is exactly the opposite. It takes people who, with small, genuine actions, show that life is possible after a diagnosis — and that we can remind each other to take care of our health.