Swimming day 536 - Wednesday 8th August 2012

No hours left….

Picked up in my car and on the way to Dover: –

Leo - 11.45pm – done  

Fiona - midnight -  done

Bob & Lindy - 12.15 -  done

Alex - 12.25 -  done

Shoichi - 12.30 -  done

James - meeting there – done

Everyone in the car and we got to Dover by 2.30am and met James and Lois (our 14 yr old crew member, back up swimmer and definitely future channel swimmer).  We were on the Louise Jane by 3.30am, all loaded and read to go.  The swimming order was set as follows:

Lindy, Alex, Leo, Shoichi, James, Rob.  The order was based on various things; the most important being that the two quickest swimmers get us out of Dover as fast as we can covering as much distance as possible; as expected Lindy & Alex did just that.

We had expected, and hoped for, a calm sea throughout and a bright sun once the moon had dropped off.  What we got was a gale force 4 from start to finish, a cloud covering that was greyer than something very grey and the odd splat of rain.  So this clearly was not going to be a channel swim with ease.

The swim itself was gladly not plagued by jellyfish as we all feared and a force 4 gale, whilst very choppy and bumpy, was not enough to stop 6 swimmers who spend every morning in the sea off Brighton; a sea which mirrors channel conditions so much.  In fact I would suggest that a lot of the unsuccessful attempts are because people simply do not have the opportunity we have to swim in such a similar sea everyday.  Saying that, I can easily think of at least 3 big differences between Brighton beach and the English Channel:
1) Sal content – the moment I jumped in the sea when James was finishing his leg I was shocked not by the cold water (it pretty much averaged 15 degrees the whole time which was spot on) but by the salt.  It was so acrid in the water, a mixture of salt content, natural chemicals that build up and also shipping oils (as well as the diesel fumes from the back of our back) that the moment I hit the water my throat started to swell up and the inside of  my nose started to burn – I had no idea how I was meant to swim for an hour like that.
2) Water volume – not only is the volume of water in the channel so much more than the local beach, but we were on a spring tide, which I now at last understand means that the water is building up for a bid tide and adds to the volume.  This makes swimming a lot harder and makes the waves and bumps massively heavier.
3) Shipping – Very rarely one is confronted by million ton tankers in Brighton beach!  In the channel they are like insects; none one minutes and hundreds the next.  Incredible to see, but very challenging when they are heading to you and creating massive waves.

Despite all of this Team Starrfish rocked.  Lindy was a speeding fish and was averaging 84 strokes a minute each time, Alex was hot to trot covering massive ground with an average 74 strokes per minute, crazy Leo & Shoichi were ploughing through with averages of 64 strokes a minute, Dr James was out old stalwart with no fear and no excused and was averaging around 60 strokes a minute and for me, well my average of 52 strokes a minute was good enough for someone who two years ago could hardly swim and had never been in the sea.

The Louise Jane, our boat, was perfectly adequate and the crew led by Andy King, were wonderful.  They wee totally supportive and did everything they could to protect us from the waves by trying to block them and by battling a massive tide to keep us as lose to our landing destinations as possible.   The Louise Jane is a fishing boat, as are all the pilots for the CSA, and it was basic to say the least.  There was the wheel house for Andy and his two crew, there was a small (elphin like) toilet outside the wheel house and then there was the back of the boat for us!  This was simply an open backed boat with large storage containers where we could keep our bags to protect them from the sea & rain and then we get to sit on them for 20 odd hours!  From the moment we boarded the sea was sloshing in over the decks and throughout the swim we were in a mix state of being thrown left, right, up and down and being sloshed in sea water. Getting into the sea was almost a welcome relief (almost!).

It worked like this; Swimmer 1 gets in by jumping in to the sea from the side of the boat.  The pilot offers his preference as to which side to try to protect you from the massive swells, however the choice is yours.  As it started at night time we wore flashing bright lights.  A whistle is blown and you start swimming.  The first person swims to the beach at Dover form the boat 9a few hundred metres), walks out to the further place beyond the sea and then enters the water to start the swim once the pilot sounds his horn.  The swimmer then swims as fast as possible for an hour.  Five minutes before the hour is up, with the second swimmer now changed into swimming gear and has Vaseline in the appropriate places (!), a whistle is blown and the swimmer is given a hand signal to show 5 minutes.  After the 5 minutes (which feels like another 20!!)  the swimmer hears two sharp whistle blows and then treads water.  The second swimmer then jumps of the boat, landing behind the first swimmer.  The firm swimmer then swims around the second swimmer, to the back of the boat and climbs out, with help from the crew (you are rather exhausted by then).  The next swimmer, now in the sea is signalled to swim for a hour.  The process is then repeated throughout the swim, with each swimmer doing an hour at a time exactly and following the sae swim order as was started.  If during this any of the swimmers in the sea touch the boat you all go home, if any of the swimmers touch another swimmer who just came in you all go home, if any of the swimmers swim out of the agreed numbers you all go home and if any swimmer refuses to go back in you all go home.  Oh yes and the pilot can call of the swim at any time if he fears for your health or simply feels you can not make it.  Lots or regulations and rules.  It goes without saying as well that wetsuits are not allowed, men must wear Speedos or trunks that are just below their bits and women can only wear small costumes suits.  Whist all this is going on the swimmer who just got out has to somehow, whilst the boat is rocking madly and the sea sloshing on the floor, get out of their costume, dried, get into their clothes, get as warm as possible and consume a hot drink an get some food in them.  Everyone else is simply sitting around on the boxes trying to stay warm and dry and trying not to be sick.

This is not a challenge for everyone; it takes a decent level of swimming ability (which I have only just got), a stomach that can take the boat rolling around for 20 + hours, a mental ability to just get in again and again and a need to complete the task.  If you have all that, plus a small amount of eccentricity, then maybe you can give it a go!

Our swim went as well as we could have hoped for, and with the help of Lindys fish like ability in the water, we reach our almost finishing point in amazing time; going passed a number of other channel swimming boats who mostly ended up going back home without success. BY the time we could see our destination up ahead the tide turned and we spent 90 minutes swimming in the wrong direction.  Thankfully the tide then changed back and the last two swimmers; being Me and then Lindy, had the tide behind us and enabled me to get us within half a mile of the coast and Lindy to then roar in like a mermaid possessed! Just a magical moment.
Job done we packed up and stored everything as best as we can and then settled on our boxes whilst Andy King put his foot down and darted back to Dover at top speed.  About 2½ hours later we were back at Dover and had the much welcome site of Little Bob awaiting our arrival and with him as the dedicated driver we headed back to Brighton at midnight.

All in all I was up from 6am on the Tuesday and then got finally into bed at about midnight on the Wednesday.  I guess that’s all I can say now. Mind you the Blog word count, being 189,080 words has probably said all that can be said!– blimey I really had way to much to say didn’t I; did anyone other than me actually read all that!!

So for me this journey, which started on Day 1 – Sunday 26th April 2010 and ended on day 536 – Wednesday 8th August 2012 saw me manage to learn to swim, battle the sea and gym daily and then eventually conquer the English Channel as team Starrfish.  It has to be said that so many people encouraged and helped me, but a few in particular went way above in support.  My wife Sharon particularly put up with 2½ years of me training for stupid amounts of hours every week and then coming home and moaning and complaining and worrying all the time; she is without a doubt my Starr.  Big Bob was my training partner for two years and has probably put up with as much of my madness as Sharon has – he really is a wonderful friend and if I got nothing from this experience apart from his friendship then it was worth all those hours in pain.  What can I say about Fiona; wonder women and almost every sense; without her I doubt I would ever have been able to take this challenge on.  Then finally all my BSC friends; all of them new friends to me and I hope that friends for life.  To LB and Lindy particularly, you are special people and I am honoured to now count you as my friends.

So what has my experience taught me; well for one that every challenge one takes on has to be about the journey; the end result certainly seems important, but it is the journey that shapes us and it is ultimately the journey that we remember.  It has taught me that when things get tough we can still do our best; our best may change from day to day, but we must always still do our best.  It’s taught me that if we are heading in one direction and then life decides to change that direction that maybe we should be big enough to let it happen rather than fight for something that perhaps is not for us after all and perhaps we should see where the new direction takes us.  For me to sum that up I have to use the words of a much brighter person that I…
“If you believe you can or if you believe you can’t, either way you are right”.

And finally for my Father, Edward Starr; you may not be with us in body Dad, but you inspired me all your life and you continue to inspire and teach me now and every day.  The day we meet up again will be nothing but joy for me, but in the meantime I will always do my best and will always try to make you proud.

The End

Until the next challenge that is…………………………………………. 2014 !?!?!

Swimming day 535 - Tuesday 6th August 2012 at 10.00am

This is the actual Starfish that was stuck to my shoe at the weekend; now my lucky starrfish!

18 hrs left to go …….

This morning saw the team down at the beach and having a gentle swim in preparation for later on.  Big Bob, James and I took a leisurely swim around the pier, nothing strenuous or fast.  The sea was an enjoyable 16.5 degrees, the air was a pleasant 14 degrees and the wind was down to a simmer (it was howling last night and clearly wore itself out).   We are still on for a 4am start and I am picking up the team on route to Dover from midnight tonight; I can’t believe after 2½ years of learning to swim and daily training that it’s almost here.

I’ll be keep an on-boat blog of the adventure and will upload it on Thursday for any interested persons to see; that will then be the final blog date.

Feel free to text me on 07771 921276 or email me at rob@starrtrust.com during the swim and it will be read; with any positive comments written on the white board so I can see it whilst swimming.

My boat is the "Louise Jane" and you should be able to log onto the Dover Harbour Master website and track the boat online if you want to - may be boring though as it's just a line accross the blue (hopefully a straigtish line!!).

My next blog, please god, will be following a successful and trouble free swim.  Please keep all fins and gills crossed for team Starrfish x

Swimming day 534 - Monday 6th August 2012

2 days to go …….

I awoke this morning to the sun and the rain and at 6.30am on the way to the beach I was met with this wonderful rainbow; yet another sign of the amazing world  we live in.

 

An email from Fiona today…

Hi All,
The CSA have ask me to be the official observer.....  Yippee!! No Cheating on my watch! 
Our Pilot thinks its a 95% chance we'll be going at 4am Wednesday. I have confirmed the logistics of this with another pilot whom I trust explicitly he informs me that he will also be taking a solo at that time,  Their feeling is, its better a flat sea on a spring tide than a choppy sea on a neap tide! - it makes sense!!
I will know for certain at 8pm tomorrow evening. 
Fiona xx

So it is all set for Wdnesday at 4am; leaving Brighton at Midnight Tuesday and then driving to Dover and getting it done!

What is a Neap Tide or a Spring tide; perhaps I should have looked these up and studied them before I even committed to the swim.  In hindsight, if I wasn’t so impulsive, I would have looked into channel swimming before I decided to learn to swim and take it on.  It’s such a massive task and there is so much to learn; least of all about swimming and about tides.  Anything I take on in future I shall slow down a bit and learn about it!  Saying that, this channel swimming journey over the last 2½ years has changed my life beyond recognition in so many ways and perhaps if I had understood the task ahead I may never have started on that road; so possibly ignorance was bliss after all!

Neap Tide & Spring Tide

The following is an explanation of spring and neap tides in relation to lunar and solar cycles - 



Since antiquity, people have noticed that oceans exhibit a much greater tidal range around the time of the full Moon and new Moon. This is when the Moon and Sun are either together in the sky or are on opposite sides of the heavens. Higher tides occur during these Moon phases because the Sun also exerts a gravitational pull on our oceans, although it is only 46 percent as strong as the Moon's.
When the gravitational effects of the Sun and the Moon combine, we get spring tides, which have nothing to do with the season of spring. The term refers to the action of the seas springing out and then springing back. These are times of high high tides and low low tides.
A week later, during either of the two quarter Moon phases, when the Sun and Moon are at right angles to each other and their tidal influences partially cancel each other out, neap tides occur, and the tidal range is minimal. In fact, because the oceans take a bit of time to catch up to the geometry of the Moon, spring and neap tides usually occur about a day after the respective lunar cycles.
Now morn has come,
And with the morn the punctual tide again.
–Susan Coolidge, American writer (1835-1905)

So that clears that up then!!!!!

Due to the volume of water being lower in a Neap tide it seems it’s a better option for a channel swimmer, however we are on a Spring tide and that is that; we have no choice as our window is our window.  The dice will be rolled and the result will be the result.  We will be successful I know that for sure, however what we judge success is a personal thing and it isn’t always about crossing the finishing line; it is so very much about the journey.

As Fiona wrote on the wall at the Kings Head Pub in Dover after her successful swim in 2009

“It’s not the sea we conquer but ourselves”

Swimming day 533 - Sunday 5th August 2012

3 days to go …….

With just a few days to go (hopefully) and a lazy Saturday yesterday, I thought a nice Sunday swim would be good for the mind.  I was in the gym today at 7.30am and did an exhausting hour and then got to an empty arch at 8.45am.  The sun was mostly up and the sea was mostly calm; a strong tide to the West, but hardly any waves.  There I was getting changed and about to slip on my crocs when I noticed something stick to the inside of the shoe.  I figured it was a piece of seaweed that must have been on the ball of my right foot on Friday and I must have simply trodden it into my shoe without knowing.  However on closer inspection it was not seaweed at all, it was the smallest, most perfectly formed Starfish. I’ve never seen that before. It was embedded in my right show, in the ball of the heel and it was absolutely perfect. 

I didn’t put the shoe on!!  I repacked them and when I got home after my swim (a gentle hour around the pier & buoys a couple of times) I had Sharon use a pallet knife to gently peel it off and save it.  As my Relay team is team “Starrfish” I shall take this as a very good omen indeed. 

Swimming day 532 - Friday 3rd August 2012

5 days to go…

Having been off the sauce for some time I hit the bottle last night; oh dear!  Let’s just say an incident at work with a member of staff letting me down very badly made me turn to the bottle!  Two cold beers and two very large whiskeys later I was more relaxed with life.  Sleep was fine (I wonder why!), but the head and stomach were a tad shaky this morning.  Definitely the last drink until the swim is over.

The sea this morning was nicely warm at 16.4 degrees; actually felt warm for the first time this year.  A very low tide and a very high sand bank let me stand with both feet flat on the ground and the sea only to my chest right next to the second buoy; that has never happened before – was I perhaps in a state of such peace and calm that I floated up without realising?  Despite the low tide and also an almost stationary tide, the waves were very choppy indeed.  After leaving the second buoy Bob and I headed around the pier and it was bump slap bump slap all the way.  He and I took completely different routes, with him heading straight to the pier and up along the side and with me heading straight out to sea and then along to the pier; we still met at exactly the same moment at the head and even crashed into each other; with the entire sea before us and heading in from different places we converged on exactly the same spot as if it were a target; funny really that this happens.  Olympic Gold for the swim target shooting!!

A good strong swim followed by a very strong coffee made for a good end to a tough week.  I know I’ve still got today ahead, but I have the feeling it’ll be OK!! A gym session with Ross after work (last before my swim as I’ll leave next week clear until after the relay)  and then home for a relaxing evening with a good book (no pipe or slippers as I’m not yet the age of LB or BB). 

Last night I laid out all the stuff I need to take on the swim.  It was really odd getting my bag together after almost 2½ years in preparation.  Butterflies were flittering in my stomach throughout and probably now will remain with me until after it’s completed (please god!).

Next week marks the Relay week, amazing!

Swimming day 531 - Thursday 2nd August 2012

With 6 days to go the sea throws a treadmill at us!

Great fun actually and superb exercise. Bob and I started at the groin, swam our hearts out for 20 minutes and were still at the groin!  The tide can be so powerful that sometimes it keeps you still and sometimes it shoots you back; without us swimming like that we would have been shot back across the whole beach and into the pier in a matter of minutes.  Our aim was simply to get across the groin to the next beach; it took 3 concerted efforts to do it and on the third we did it.  It was perhaps 2 metres only, but across the line is across the line and job done.

Afterwards I headed off to my final Physio appointment before my Relay and had an hour of Kim stretching my neck until I looked like a giraffe and squashing my shoulder muscles until they looked like squashed shoulder muscles (sorry I can’t think of a suitable alternative!).

Tomorrow will be an easier Friday swim and a Roaster coffee, plus a gym later in the day.  Then it’s a restful weekend awaiting next week .  I’ve got that excited Christmas feeling; nervous with anticipation but excited about the event approaching!

Fiona decided on our order today; based on who she needs to swim when in terms of speed, endurance and ability to handle the cold:

The following in order of starting:

Lindy

Alex

Shoichi

James

Rob (me)

Leo

The big Six Starrfish; wey hey

Swimming day 530 - Wednesday 1st August 2012

7 days to go…

A week today and game on (weather permitting of course).  If all goes well my final blog will be in 8 days times and I will be looking back over the last couple of years with some wonder; everything that can be crossed is being crossed by me at the moment.

Back to reality …..  Last night was “once again” busy at home with Jesse for some reason joining Mia in our room – just as we thought he had nailed it!!  By around 1am ish I was receiving physio treatment in my back and neck by Mia; thump thump, dig dig, thump, dig, push, pull; the full works.  She may only be 4 years old but boy can she kick and pull; a true physiotherapist in the making.

I was at the seafront by 6.45am and walking with Flick and Bog Bob to the arch.  It was busy there for a change; David, LB, BB, Me, Flick, Damien, James, Mark, Martina, Charlotte, Naomi and about another 4 or 5 I can’t remember.  It was nice to get some life back in the old place again after so many quiet months.  As for the swim today; Bob wasn’t feeling totally great and as such not wanting to push it too much, which suited me as I am in my last week of training and wanting to tail it down a bit.  So we headed out to the first buoy, rest, then the second buoy, rest, then the third buoy by the pier, rest and then diagonal back to the first buoy and rest!  At the last buoy I raised my goggles to my head and let the sea slowly bring me to shore.  I’ve never done that before and let just the sea take me in without any swimming at all; it was strange to do that as instinctively you want to kick, but it was nice all the same and very calm.  The thing about the sea in Brighton is that when we say that the tide is coming in or going out what we mean is East to West or West to East (left to right or right to left).  Many places the sea genuinely pulls you in and out, but in Brighton you will go left or right (or right to left) rather than out to sea.  The natural pull is to bring you in.  The lesson  is that if you are ever in the sea in Brighton and are too tired to swim in, don’t panic, just relax and let the sea do it’s thing.

Swimming day 529 - Tuesday 31st July 2012

8 days to go…

The house last night was busier than the sea this morning; but only just.  I was bounced to the end of the bed by Mia, then bounced back to the middle of the bed by Jesse, then kicked to the bottom of the bed by Sharon and then eventually at 2am kicked out altogether by Asher.  By 2am I was alone in Mia’s room and whilst it is a kiddie bed it was a lot calmer than my room!

The sea was not much of a contrast to that.  Bob, Shoichi and I headed into quite a rough sea; wind blowing, rain dropping, waves rushing; but no tide movement – strange.  We headed to the Brighton Centre and then back again, about 40 minute swim I think and the temperature 15.5 degrees, but I thought felt warmer than that (others thought it felt colder though).  It was bumpy all the way there and even bumpier all the way back.  We didn’t go out too deep, just to the first buoy, but that makes it bumpier as the waves are heading in at a pace and really pick up speed at about that distance.  So you find that all of a sudden you are hit in the side and spun over and it takes all your strength to stop from completely rolling over and keeping your pace going forward.  It’s certainly great exercise and each day you learn something from it.

Back at the arch we found David with the largest bucket of mackerel I’ve seen in months, he must have caught 25, which in this sea is astonishing.  Also Yvo was there with her hand a bucket of boiling water and the kettle hotting up for the next; she’d been fishing with David and unknowingly had caught a weaver fish; she certainly new about it when she picked it up to remove the hook – yowch!!!  First time I’ve seen a weaver bite on a hand!  Leo was bitten on the foot at the weekend as well and was hobbling for days.  You don’t get these in hobbies such as cake making or sowing!

The swim is now just 8 days away, however there was talk of us possibly going early; even as early as this week, but the weather has now turned again.  Not a bad thing as we have all prepared next week with work and social diaries and it would be difficult for the majority of my team if it came early.  This from Fiona’s father, who apparently understands these things (it’s all gobbledegook to me to be honest)….

Weather update for your coming Channel relay if you went early.

Not very good at the moment.

North Foreland to Selsey Bill

Strong winds are forecast

For coastal areas up to 12 miles offshore from

1800 UTC Mon 30 July until 1800 UTC Tue 31 July

24 hour forecast:

Wind -- South-westerly, backing southerly for a time later, 5 or 6, occasionally 7 in east, decreasing 4 for a time.

Sea State -- Slight or moderate.

Weather -- Showers, then occasional rain for a time.

Visibility -- Good, becoming moderate, occasionally poor.

Outlook for the following 24 hours:

1800 Tues 31str July to 1800 Wed 1st Aug

Wind -- Southerly or south-Westerly 5 or 6, decreasing 3 or 4 for a time.

Sea State -- Slight or moderate.

Weather -- Mainly fair.

Visibility -- Moderate or good, occasionally poor at first.

--------------------------------------

Dover

Shipping Forecast - Issued: 1625 UTC Mon 30 July

Wind -- South or south-west 5 to 7, decreasing 4 for a time.

Sea State -- Moderate.

Weather -- Rain for a time.

Visibility -- Good, occasionally poor

--------------------------------------

Whatever that all means, it seems that up to next Monday it’ll be rather unpleasant.  Tuesday and Wednesday next week look good at the moment though and as such I remain very hopeful, and almost positive, that Wednesday 8^th August will be our day.

Swimming day 528 - Monday 30th July 2012

9 days to go…

Saturday - 28th July 2012

After watching an amazing Olympic Games opening ceremony last night into the wee hours I was inspired enough do an early saturday swim. Only me at the arch when I got there at 6.20am, although when i finished at 7.30 there were a few others there, including yet another film crew - I really don't understand the fascination with filming middle age men & women in their swimming gear first thing in the morning.

A clear sky, 15.9 deg in the sea, felt colder though as the air was colder this morning. I swam for an hour around the pier, the buoys and back again and again.  A nice start to the weekend.

The rest of the day is being spent at Arundel castle as they have a jousting day on; kids (and me) very excited. Then tomorrow a belated “Thanks Giving party” for 60 at my sister’s house. A good weekend of fun.

Sadly Monday I have an early start in London so will miss my morning swim, but should get back for an afternoon gym and then a late afternoon swim & gym at home; so all not lost.

Tuesday morning, weather permitting, will go for an hour morning swim.

Monday today  – this morning as predicted in London, then back to work and to the gym for an hour.  No swim this morning has made me grouchy!!  How rubbish is that; I have an addiction it seems!!

Swimming day 527 - Friday 26th July 2012

12 days to go…

Not a bad nights sleep thankfully; a decent 5 hours so I was ready to get up and head to the beach.  Not as hot today, possibly rain later, but still dry and clear and a very flat sea yet again.  A strong tidal pull to the West made the swim a decent exercise and a very clear ocean made the fish and starfish watching rather pleasant. 

A quiet arch today as a lot of them on a weekend Devon trip, including me mate Big Bob.  So I had a nice gentle swim; around the buoys both sides of the pier, around the pier, around the buoys again; an hour of gentle swimming.  I’m still achy from all the exercise and the physio so this was sensible I think!  Tonight I will grab half an hour in the gym at home, but again on more gentle exercises rather than caning it.  Then tomorrow (assuming the wife allows,) I’ll grab an hour in the sea first thing in the morning. 

Next week I’ll do a couple of West Pier swims and a couple of gyms, but then will tail the exercise off to make sure I am not achy or overworked for the big swim – how exciting to think about tailing it off for a while.  Jeeze this swim better happen and better be successful; 2 ½ years of learning to swim and aiming for this is a long time for me.  Having been watching a lot of Olympian biogs on TV this month I am astounded as to their dedication to their sport.  I know my 2½ years does show some sticking power and is certainly more than I expected I could do, but compared to the Olympians it is less than a weekends work. These are seriously dedicated special people.

Swimming day 526 - Thursday 26th July 2012

I was absolutely EXHAUSTED this morning.  Thankfully the boys are now staying in their own beds all night, but Mia still insists on ending up with us.  She then bullies me to the end and then places an elbow in the small of my back all night.  Last night she took to slapping me in her sleep until I go so fed up I moved to the floor (really should have gone to the spare room, but I just was too tired to take the walk!). 

I literally dragged myself out of bed at 6.05am and drove to the beach in a semi coma and sat in the car outside the Brighton wheel for a good 10 minutes just trying to get the energy to open the door – I was seriously that exhausted.  The arch was quiet when I got there; just Big Bob, Flick and David.  Dragging my feet after Bob down the beach I suggested the first buoy and back; like he was ever gonna accept that!   He suggested the three buoys; which I naturally had to agree to.  Of course he bluffed me and when we got to the second buoy he took of for the pier and dragged me along with him.  By the time we got to the head of the pier my exhaustion had vanished and I was back in the game.  We held a good pace all the way and landed back onto a crowded beach in a decent time.  I guess without the swimming I would have been exhausted all day, so I’m pleased he pushed me. 

Why was the beach crowded at 7.30am; well as usual a film crew were there and those interested BSC members were hanging around to watch or be filmed.  This time is was with Rory Bremner and I think it was Paul Smith promotion for his business; I’m not entirely sure.  Bob and I however skipped the theatrics and headed of for a shower and then to the Roaster for a Friday cake and coffee – I know its Thursday but he’s away tomorrow so we made Thursday a Friday instead!

After the wonderful Roaster I headed to the Withdean for an hour with kim my physic and boy that hurt!  I have been getting some quite bad shoulder pains in my left shoulder and Kim recons (knows more like) it stems from all the swimming and the fact that in the sea I breath one sided; thus stretching my neck one way for hour on end.  SO I paid for it with an hour of pain – no pain no gain of course!  With 2 weeks to go until the swim I am seeing Kim again next week to get a top up session; lovely to see her always as she is just fab, but I never look forward to the torture.

As for the rest of the day; it’s a good one today.  A couple of business meetings then followed by afternoon meetings with architects and council members regarding our King Alfred project – exciting day for sure. If energy levels continue I’ll also grab half an hour tonight in the gym at home; energy and shoulder permitting of course.

Swimming day 525 - Wednesday 25th July 2012

Another beautiful day (and I am not sick of writing that).  Temperature at 6.30am around 18 degrees and set to hit over 25 degrees by the end of the day.  The sea was once again flat, although quite a strong tide pull to the east made it sluggish to swim in.  Big Bob and Sean wanted to head to the West Pier, but I didn’t want to today (just because!) so I bade them farewell in favour of twice around the pier (beach2beach2beach).  Thinking better of swimming without me they changed their minds and with Shoichi leading the way we headed of around the pier.  Sean was wearing his flippers today and that put him in second position to Shoichi, with bob and I a couple of metres behind.  My challenging mind kept saying “well he is wearing flippers” whilst my more practical mind replied “yes but he is almost 70”. My challenging mind then was saying “well he has been swimming all his life and I’ve only been swimming 2½ years ” whilst my more practical mind replied “yes but he is almost 70”.  Swimming is an amazing sport; not only is it a full body none impact sport (as long as you stay out of a rough sea of course), but also it can make time/age almost irrelevant in terms of speed/agility.  The fact that Sean is some 15 years older than Bob and some 27 years older than me makes no great difference.  Sure in truth his flippers were a big help to him as usually he is behind us (but he is 70 my mind screams as I write this!)  however to be doing an almost 2 mile swim at 7am is pretty impressive no matter your age, let alone someone in his later years. 

As for me (the youngster), I am also at the gym today at midday with Ross working on Abs, back and chest – no doubt no food will be taken before or after (so far nothing except a strong coffee consumed!) and then whilst the rest of Brighton suns itself on the beach I will be stuck at my desk trying to make headway into my Everest of outstanding paperwork – living the dream baby, living the dream

Swimming day 524 - Tuesday 24th July 2012

15 days to go …..

Sea held steady at 15.6 degrees and was flat once again; air temp a lovely 18 degrees this morning and set to rise; and the sun was already up and glowing nicely next to the receding moon.  And let’s not forget the very clear sea, which was sitting at a nice high tide and allowing me to view all it had going on; about a dozen starfish, a couple of crabs and some weird worm like fishy thing. 

I was at the arch a bit earlier today (6.20am) and as it was too long to wait for Bob and the others I went straight in.  There were already a couple of people in (Shoichi, Paul F and Damien maybe – only saw some random clothes).  After yesterdays gym with Ross and the previous swimming adventures my shoulders were still a little sore so I took it slower today and went twice around the pier; beach to beach to beach. Total swim around 50 minutes I think.  Coming back around the pier and the buoys I met up with David and LB and then nearer the shore it seemed to be a school of people swimming by; all the BSC members who have been absent for so many months.  Being the first in and first out meant a leisurely shower before the queue started and then an early start at work.  All in all a nice start to the day.  I do hope that after my channel swim is done I will continue to do this as it really is a great way to start the day. I would imagine that without the pressure of considering every single swim “training” that I will get a lot more pleasure from it than I do even now.

Interestingly we at the arch seem to think it's a lot colder now than last year, however my blog from last year shows these same last two days in July 2011  were 15.2 degrees and 15.7 degrees - just goes to show that actually we forget sometimes and that sea probably is similar year on year.

 Batman movie – long at 3 hours, but tremendous – 9/10 for sure.

Swimming day 523 - Minday 23rd July 2012

16 days to go …..

Summer is here; wey hey wey hey wey hey (am I excited or what!)

The weekend was beautiful; 22 degrees and sunny.  Apparently it’s here to stay for the month; through the Olympics and throughout our swimming week.  Could we really be that lucky; could we get a clear day after all this crazy rain!

This morning was beautiful; bright sun by 6am.  I was at the arch by 6.45am and in the sea within minutes.  I was on my own as Big Bob not around today, but others were there and doing their own thing.  I did a decent swim this morning; a pier triple which I’ve never done.  Girly beach around pier to our beach, then back all the way around to start and then back all way around to end on our beach – beach to beach to beach to beach.  It was so calm out there that it was really easy just to keep going.  Also the temperature was 15.6 degrees; over 1 degree up from Friday.  I am now keeping everything crossed that the temperature keeps rising and the waves keep falling!

Rest of the day is a usual day at work (although not too many meetings), then an hour with Ross in the gym at the end of the day and then the new Batman film tonight – what a nice day.

There is however some sadness. A 45 year old chap swimming the channel at the weekend got within a mile of France and died.  I am sure we will learn more as the story unfolds.  It is such a sad time to hear someone, especially so young, being lost in pursuit of a dream.  The sea is a dangerous place to be even in calm days such as today; so much can happen that could end your life that you had no control over.  Should we not follow our dreams because of it?  Should we somehow water down our hopes and expectations of our possible achievements?  Maybe we should, who knows.  But I for one believe that we should always do our best whenever we can and we should always follow our dreams wherever they may take us. The sea is a dangerous place to be respected, but it is equally as dangerous on the roads and equally as dangerous on the playing fields as it is in the deserts.  When your time comes it comes and up to then we need to grab life and follow whatever dreams we can.  Dare to dream and dare to follow your dream; the rest as they say is in the lap of the gods. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18945333

Bless him and love to all his family and friends.

EVENING Friday 20th July 2012

 US all in together - 5 minutes later it was simply nuts out there

On the way back to the Marina (about half a mile out) and the waves were gone!!

Whoa what an evening.  My relay team and I met on James’s boat at 3pm and headed about 4-5 miles out to sea.  James, as part of the relay swim tream, brought along with Wife and a Friend to act as Pilot and Co-Pilot; cool characters they were as well; undaunted by 6 of us jumping of their boat.  It was basically “choppy” right from the moment we left the Marina and ended up being force 6 & force 7 gales throughout.  It turns out that in a force 7 gale it is much nicer in the sea than on the boat! 

Once we were in position 3 of the team (Lindy, Alex & Lois – Lois is our new member and acting as our backup member if anyone can’t make it on the day – she is 14!!!) all got changed into their costumes and then launched themselves with a leap of the back of the boat into the ocean.  It was particularly impressive watching a 14 year old slight of a girl such as Lois jump from a boat in the middle of the ocean straight into a force 6 storm.  Whilst the rest of us hung onto the boat for dear life, they simply got on with the job at hand and swum for an hour. 

A short 55 minutes later, Myself, James and Shoichi were standing at the backing our trunks and ready to jump.  On the hour we jumped in and swam passed them and then they clambered out.  By this point the sea was at force 7 and the boat was a roller coaster.  The actual swim itself was fine, almost enjoyable; it is certainly different swimming in that tpe of sea way out in the middle of the ocean compared to our swims around the piers.  Due to the crazy conditions it wasn’t possible for James, Shoichi and I to stay together and very quickly we became a challenge to the boat; them trying to somehow stay near 3 of us when we were all literally 150 metres apart in rolling waves – they did a tremendous job.  I have to say that at times when I could barley see the other two and the boat was a few hundred metres away I did feel somewhat vulnerable and did wonder on what would happen if they lost me.  After the hour they called the whistle and came to collect us.  By the time I was coming out, last of course, the boat was being thrown about so much that I have to keep swimming away from it for fear of it being dropped back down on me.  Once safely abroad it was then that the fun and games started.  James, Shoichi and I were downstairs in the cabin area trying to get dry and change into warm clothes whilst the boat was doing acrobatics.  It took a good 40 minutes to get dressed and in that time I had the pleasure of meeting each wall and corner of the boat several times; each one leaving me with a bruise as a momento.  Back on deck I found that out of all the people on board, only Fiona, James, Shoichi and I were not sick or feeling sick.  This is no slight on anyway else as it is by no means shameful to feel ill in a boat in a rolling gale force wind; but it shows how much harder it is on the boat than in the sea.

 This experience, which was fantastic for us all to have, really showed me that a Relay is a tough challenge and should not be taken lightly.  I have at times felt that changing from a solo to a relay was somehow an easy option – I shall now take that right back!  A relay is a massive challenge – hence so far this year only having one successful team.  For me having only been swimming for 2 years it is perhaps even more of a challenge; although for my team having me as a novice swimmer is a challenge for them.  All of this and Lois our 14 year old took it in her stride; impressive to say the very least!