Day 283 - 30th June 2011

Another swimming day much like yesterday, virtually the same conditions although a little warmer at 15.2 degrees. Still not what I would consider “warm”, but certainly much better. This morning I swam an hour at a fairly constant and decent pace. I went once around the pier and then to the fifth buoy along to the marina and back; basically 6.30am – 7.30am.

Good news on the channel front; I have a new date – wey hey!! I have a week booked 8th – 16th August 2012; Olympic Year!! I have the 1st swimmer spot, which is basically as good as it gets. It means that for that whole week my team will get the first clear day to do the challenge. What I now have to do is get a team together. I’m not sure how easy or hard that will be, but I am confident that in Brighton Swimming Club there will be enough good swimmers who would like to join me in this; I certainly hope so. If not then I will look further afield. In Brighton, especially with my connections at the Esporta Club, there are a lot of swimmers and triathletes and amongst them I am sure there are people who would love to join us. This is not however a simple case of someone being able to swim an hour at a time; the relay has so many other challenges; least not sea sickness in the boat, air temperature when you come out and try to warm up before you have to go back in again, taking a year to train, taking a week off work awaiting your slot. An easy option it isn’t! However between Fiona and Myself I am confident we will find five stars to join me. My boat pilot is Andy King and his boat is the “Louise Jane”; this is a link to his boat -

http://www.channelswimmingassociation.com/Pilot%20Andy%20King.html

Now I have a new and confirmed date in place I am reinvigorated and excited about the swim again; about time!

By the way the couple outside the Arch in the morning are Glen and Simone; nice to now know their names.