Swanage to Bournemouth Swim 2009

We Made It!

2009-09-20T11:29:00.001-07:00

As it was actually John that did my last post, I wanted to add my bit too!

The swim was geniunely really good fun from beginning to end. We were so incredibly lucky with the weather. There was hardly a breath of wind when we started out and although it was a bit choppy in the middle we can hardly complain.

Thank you so much to our support crew: navigator and event manager and chief co-ordinator John Gilmour, support boat no.2 and picnic makers extraodinaire Tom and Rachel, support boat crew and photographer,Barbara, support team Sally and Ben. We couldn't have done it without you.

Thank you so much also for the support of everyone who has sponsored and encouraged us. I have also almost reached my sponsorship target of 1000 pounds which I am delighted about.

The big question of course is: what next? Any one fancy the Isle of Wight next year???

2009-09-19T07:05:00.000-07:00

Proof of the pudding!

sportstracklive.com

Job done!

2009-09-19T05:26:00.000-07:00

All swimmers arrived safely at Bournemouth pier at 1031 after roughly 3 hours 45 minutes of swimming. No body seemed to suffer too much and there were huge grins all round on arrival! Well done Steve, Joe, Liz and Paul (and thanks to Tom and Rachel for safety boat cover)

More later...

All Systems Are Go!

2009-09-18T11:50:00.000-07:00

We are all on for tomorrow now!

The forcecast is still for northerly winds but very light and just now the bay looks really calm so it's going to be fine!

We are launching the boat tonight because, luckily we realised last night that if we don't launch tonight there won't be enough water at the slip way to get the boat in because the tide will be really super low - if we have got our tidal calculations right!

I am really looking forward to tomorrow. I hope we make it. Watch this space!

Weather Worries

2009-09-16T12:28:00.000-07:00

Saturday's forecast is for a northeasterly wind - which is the worst wind direction we could have - we will be swimming up wind and it is 'wind against tide' which will make the sea really rough. THIS IS NOT GOOD.

The only good thing is that the wind is forecast to be quite light - 5mph - having said that - today the wind was forecast 14mph and it was really really rough out there with big waves splashing over the sea wall in Swanage.

Blue Seventy Team Kit

2009-09-16T12:20:00.000-07:00

Our Blue Seventy caps and goggles finally arrived on Monday!

Blue Seventy Wetsuits kindly agreed to sponsor us with this kit for our swim.

I think it looks pretty smart and it is nice to have some 'team' kit.

I tried out the goggles on Monday and tonight and they were excellent - they stick firmly to your face, don't steam up and you do get all round vision because of their shape - they are Blue Seventy open water 'vision' goggles - highly recommended!

Start and Finish Times and Places

2009-09-13T15:06:00.000-07:00

In case any one wants to provide moral support and is at a loose end at 6.45am on Saturday morning, these are our start and expected finish times and places on Saturday 19th

Start:
Time: Dawn (6.45am)
Place: Swanage Pier

Finish:
Time: Approx. 10am
Place: West of Bournemouth Pier

Big Sea!

2009-09-13T14:54:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was our last chance to do a long swim before the actual event. It was also really rough at sea - the wind was easterly, that is directly on shore which creates lots of waves and a big swell into the the bay.

Only Steve and I went out. We had no boat support (John went to the Boat show with the girls!)so we had to stick to swimming paralell with the shore in the bay. We did have to stay some distance of the beach to avoid being caught up in the surf!

Surprisingly, it was good fun swimming in the waves though it was difficult to stay swimming next to eachother as the waves kept sending us off in different directions.

It was quite hardwork going up wind as we made our way back to the sailing club just because you have to bring your head really high out of the water just to see above the waves where you are going!

We are really hoping that we don't have to swim into the wind on the day - ie we do not want a northerly wind - it won't take much wind from that direction to make our mission impossible. So.... I shall be praying to the wind gods all week for a nice gentle southerly wind and bright sunshine on Saturday morning.

A week and a half to go

2009-09-09T13:56:00.000-07:00

The day is nearly here! Only a week and a half to go.

After last Saturday's swim, I think we are all feeling pretty confident that we can make it. The only real unknown is the weather. It won't take much wind to completely scupper us!

I am a bit disappointed because the caps and goggles that Blue Seventy wetsuits promised us have got lost in the post. Apparently the courier says they were delivered to no.18 on this street. Unfortunately there is no number 18!

The end is in sight

2009-09-05T05:24:00.000-07:00

A great swim today. Liz, Steve and Joe swam the furthest that they have managed yet covering 5.61 miles! Have a look here at the track to see how close they got to completing the whole distance. Each of them is now brimming with confidence and certain that, should the weather turn out right on the 19th September, they will achieve what they have set out to...swimming from Swanage to Bournemouth. YeeHa!

By the way, thanks to the Bournemouth Belle (and whoever was skippering her) for altering course today ...very courteous!

Double training

2009-08-31T15:11:00.000-07:00

So today saw two training sessions take place, one of which was a bit impromptu during a family kayak trip in Poole harbour. Here's a bit of experimental video footage off the camera!

Teamwork...

2009-08-23T00:25:00.000-07:00

Any great undertaking generally becomes a sum of it's parts. The full team for the Swanage to Bournemouth Swim is slowly coming together and is beginning to look strong. As things stand we have 4 swimmers but that is just the start of it.

Each swimmer will be accompanied by a boat which will be crewed by a driver and a spotter. Ben here is going to be the spotter for John in 'Flying Fox'.

John from PierHead Watersports yesterday offered to accompany us with his lovely big RIB which is a bonus.

Providing back-up in the kids department yesterday was our next-door neighbour Sally who kindly took charge of the rascals while we were out on the water.

The Team is taking shape!

Time and Date are Set

2009-08-22T15:37:00.001-07:00

John has done is homework with the tidal charts so the time and date for the swim are set.

We are setting out at 6am from Swanage Pier on Saturday 19th September provided that the weather forecast is OK i.e. not to windy. A little southerly wind would be fine.

Sunday is going to be a reserve date and also the next weekend although the tides won't be so favourable

There are now FOUR in the Team

2009-08-22T15:28:00.001-07:00

We now have 4 members of our team for the swim which is GREAT.

As well as me and Joe, Steve Williams has definitely decided to join us and so has Paul Hicks who I met for the first time today.

Steve is a member of Swanage Lifeboat Crew and a talented sports man as well as being very experienced on the sea both as a sailor and a lifeboat man.

Paul is a friend of a friend of my sister's and saw my e-mail and blog. He is doing a Team Channel Swim the week before we are planning to do our swim (19th September). Unfortunately I don't have a picture of him at the moment. (Paul - if you read this - please send me one). Sounds a bit hard core this Team Channel Swim but Paul told me he was using it for training for our swim!! That worries me slightly because I think he actually knows what he is doing.

Big Training Swim

2009-08-22T10:53:00.000-07:00

Steve Jo and I did a 2 hour training session today with John and Ben providing support cover in the boat.

We started at Old Harry then swam back towards Swanage round the bay.

It was beautiful weather and really enjoyable. John got some great photos.

I think we all really enjoyed and are feeling fairly confident that we are going to make to Bournemouth in a month's time.

2009-08-12T15:09:00.000-07:00

Oh my Goodness! What have I done!

I went for a swim tonight with Steve. We went to the other end of the Bay and back. It seemed pretty far and I am exhausted now. Problem is, I have just measured it - it was only 2 miles!!

Admittedly we came back against a really strong tide - but still - will I really be able to make 7 miles in a month's time?? Better get training!

What is exciting though is that Steve might join me and also Paul from London who I have never met but who is doing a cross Channel team swim. He says it will be training for this!

Maybe John is right! - Maybe this is bonkers!

Blogging Wars

2009-08-09T10:35:00.000-07:00

I was going to tell you about my lifeboat hero husband without whose knowledge and expertise of the sea and tides and everything nautical, I could not even attempt this swim.

That is until I saw the slanderous material last posted on his last on his lifeboat scrapbook blog http://lifeboatscrapbook.blogspot.com/ in which he suggests that my plan is "bonkers"!!!! and that I have a form of insanity!!!

Therefore, I have just decided to make sure that you know what John does when he is not being a lifeboat hero.

Joe Poole and Sea Monsters

2009-08-08T10:28:00.000-07:00

This is Joe Poole. I am delighted to report that he has decided to join me on my swim to Bournemouth.

Its always nice to have a big strapping chap with you in case of shark attacks or sea monsters!

Joe is raising money for the Air Ambulance.

Swanage Swim Club

2009-08-08T10:01:00.000-07:00

We actually have an unofficial sea swimming club in Swanage. I swam with these guys this morning. We usually swim over to the other side of the bay and back which is about a mile and a half or so.

Its always lovely to be out there first thing in the morning before the day and the crowds get going specially when it's great weather.

I decided to ditch the wetsuit this morning - which was great until I started to lose all sensation in my legs on the way home!

Swim to Old Harry

2009-08-02T10:35:00.000-07:00

So far my training has involved swimming up and down along the shores of Swanage Bay.

Today for the first time I ventured further with John for back up in our boat, I swam from the beach in Swanage (just under the Grand Hotel) to Old Harry. The tide was with us so it was surprisingly easy and alot of fun.

We worked out that the easiest way to go was for me to swim about 2 or 3 metres from the side of the boat and use that as my reference point. This saves me lifting my head out of the water so makes life alot easier than when swimming without an accompanying boat.

Maybe I can get all the way to Bournemouth!