Coldwater Culture training trip 15th December 2012

The Coldwater Culture team met at Dover marina at 9am, a few introductions before casting off. It's a regular booking, practice swims following the boat to get a flavour of what to expect on a Channel swim.

Wind was too high for the open sea today so we did loops around Dover Harbour on 20 minute turnabouts. 9 degrees today, so late September lake temperature for some of us. Eleanor Woodward expressed a desire to be first in, perfectly diving off the rear of the boat & getting straight into a good powerful stroke. Eleanor is getting ready for a big lake race next year with a Channel solo ambition for the year after.

Jim Malone was next in, having (he says) studied Tom Daley at the Olympics knew everything he needed to know about diving.

 

 

The ensuing perfect belly flop was planned he assured us later.

 

Jackson Carroll leapt in next finding no difficulty with the temperature or following the boat which was a good first boat trip for him. Jackson is making a solo Channel attempt with us next year.

Glenn Hatrick followed on, formally an avoider of swimming, now a regular at the coast with us. Glenn became World Quintuple Ironman Champion in Mexico last month which was his last swim too. A big difference swimming in Mexico wetsuited to Dover Harbour without in December. "I didn't enjoy any of that," he said on climbing out.

Chloe Johnson, training for a Solo attempt with us next July dived in next encouraged on by beach butler Harry.

After that it was Dan Earthquake. 

 

 

It was a good morning of exercise, the team made use of the time well with no difficulties in reasonably choppy conditions.

 

Report by Stuart Gleeson.

Coldwater Culture Training Trip, Saturday 3rd November 2012

We met at Dover Marina to join Sea Leopard at 1030am. A happy team of Culturists: Eleanor Woodward, Jim Malone & Chloe Johnson (with beach butler Harry) & I (Dan Earthquake) made our way down to empty public pontoon in the sunshine. I laughed to myself at that-how many of us usually walk these steps to swim/crew/support/observe in the middle of the night & find the pontoon full of swimmers, bags, crates with loved ones insisting on photos & the pilot boats lined up nose to nose?

Jim Malone

Eleanor Woodward

Jim swims back to Sea Leopard.

Introductions for the new faces & hello to Steve Franks who joined us to take some photos & off we go. Some big gusts today so Stuart & Sam took us North to St Margarets bay which gave us some shelter from some of the prevailing winds. It was thirty minute turnabouts, Jim Malone was in first, easily ploughing through the waves with measured strokes.

Chloe Johnson dives into the English Channel

Chloe dived in next, her first proper sea swim - November, 2 miles offshore of Kingsdown. An excellent effort in unfamiliar conditions with a few stops to cough out some seawater. Cough & vomit on the outbreath is an easy skill to be learned, & practice makes perfect.

Chloe Johnson swimming offshore against the tide

Eleanor followed on, swimming at an amazing pace that impressed us all.

Eleanor Woodward (with Kingsdown in the background)

A bumpy ride back against the tide was a good test for sea legs, the late lunch in the Lifeboat very welcome.

Icelandic Open Water Team - 21st September 2012

Report by Stuart Gleeson

Met the team at 0300, Introductions - hello again to Arni who swam with me last year, joined this time by his friends Halfdan, Birna, Kristinn, Bjorne, Hegier & supporter Heimiron. Crewman Stuart Adams & I made preparations for leaving as CSA Observer Sam Jones runs over the rules of relay swimming to remind the team of how the challenge will be regulated.

 

At 0409 the swim was recorded as beginning. Cool air, but swimmers happy enough encouraging & looking after each other. Into the Sou'West lane at 0715. Usual conditions, a bit choppy but nothing too severe. A few big ships today - notable in the North East Lane is the Ebba Maersk - one of the 8 E class ships that are the biggest in the world - 1306ft long & 186ft wide. It is bound for Rotterdam. Everyday there is a Maersk ship that docks at Felixstowe, known as the "Daily Maersk." Felixstowe have not long extended their terminal to accommodate the new triple e class - 10 ships that when completed will slightly bigger than the E class. Traffic in the Channel - some 900 ships a day - is not likely to reduce in the near future - a new container terminal still under construction called the London Gateway situated in the Thames Estuary aims to attract more ships to the UK markets.

 

The team are engaged in a friendly battle against the team on Pathfinder - the lead shifts a few times on the way to France.

 

At 1418 we leave the traffic of the North East Lane & the team is happy. Weather conditions are perfect with no wind making for a calm sea. Even the sun shines on us occasionally.  1500 - a seal is sighted & some fishing nets to avoid. Debris in the Channel is common - discarded ropes & nets aren't good for swimmers or propellers. We keep a sharp watch.

 

1555 - Pace Arrow passes by close to give our team a cheer - their team are returning home.

 

We head towards Tardinghen beach - visibility is good, & team are in good shape so I'm happy for them all to swim in to shore together. The swim is recorded as complete by Sam at 1653 giving the team a time of 12hours & 44 minutes. Well done!

Deborah Traher - Successful Channel Solo Swim - 20th September 2012

Report by Stuart Gleeson.

 

We met at 0200hrs. Introductions - Deborah & supporters Emma & Andrew - meet crewman Garry Clarke & CSA Observer Sam Jones. Safety briefing & reminder of the rules & we are off. I steer us out of the Western Entrance towards our starting point of Samphire Hoe.

 

Some early seasickness from the supporters, small boats move in ways that upset many people & the feeling is very bad.

 

0246. Swim starts. It's a cool dark night.  Entered Sou'West lane at 0600. Some close traffic today from some large ships. 0845 Entered Separation Zone. Some sickness from swimmer & supporters.

 

The morning changes to afternoon & Deborah continues to make steady progress. A text message sent at 1222 to Steve Ladner at Radio Kent leads to a dedication live on air. Waterproof radios aren't allowed in the swimmers ears though, so only Deborahs friends will get to hear it.

 

The afternoon turns to early evening - Deborah going strong, very determined & happy. 1620 - Channel Swim boat Sea Satin passes close by on return trip to give a blast on the horn & some happy waves & shouts.

 

At 1648 Deborah lands at Cap Blanc Nez after 14hrs & 2mins. Well done! Another swimmer who can say forever that they have swam the Channel.

Coldwater Culture - Feb 24th - Offshore Adventuring.

For some reason this stayed as a draft in the webpage archive, but now that the season is coming to an end swimmers who are thinking about their preparations for next year would do well to consider hiring Sea Leopard for some out of season training. The Coldwater Culture training weekends that I run visit Folkestone every month of the year as a rule, & we get out to sea with Stu & Sea Leopard as much as the weather allows. It is tough, no doubt about it, but if you are going to swim the Channel next year some experience with a boat & pilot is invaluable. There is plenty to do: beach practice starts, swims against & across the tide, follow the boat drills - it's amazing how many people leave it to the day of their swim before realising that they will have to jump overboard (likely at night) & swim to the starting beach. Then when they get back parallel to the boat they find that they feel uncomfortable with it being close & consequently waste valuable time by confering with supporters & pilot about the best position to swim in. Of course, I recommend it: I've been hiring Stuart for training trips since 2007 & have had some of my best swims with him. I have found it to be very useful & most of all fun. No point pushing yourself to the limits if there isn't some element of enjoyment in it. Anyway, back to the story.

We met at Dover Marina, not a tickle of breeze: a bit overcast. Introductions to those who hadn't previously met: 8 of us swimming today off the coast with Stu Gleeson & the Sea Leopard.

Dan Earthquake, Jim Malone, Hanno Nickau, Anji Page, Ali Hornby, Sue Brooks, Victoria Hill & Nicky Graham

New to sea swimming, Jim Malone entered the water first, 7 degrees the reported sea temperature, though the Folkestone weather buoy recorded the water to be 6.2oC. Jim got into a comfortable stroke early on making a credible 25 minutes, the swimming in more severe temperatures inland showing its worth.

Jim Malone getting in for his first ever swim off a boat.

Jim Malone swimming off coast of Samphire Ho/The Warren

"Can't get the gloves off Jim? - I'll surgically remove them if you like."

Next in was Nicky Graham, very fast stroke - hard to get a good photo of her. 20 minutes no wetsuit made for another good effort.

Nicky Graham with the Warren in the background.

Curious Seal

A seal watched us from a reasonable distance, I've had to blow the photo up - I guess he/she was curious. Living on the beach near Samphire Ho, the local seals see plenty of Channel Swimmers - but not in February.

Sue Brookes jumped overboard as much to dare sister Ali as anything else, swimming strongly for 25minutes - again impressive for a first session in the Channel in February.

No Fear for Sue Brookes.

Anji Page followed after, 20 minutes easily accomplished.

Anji Page

Anji Page swimming - swimming off shore with the cliffs of the Warren behind

Ali Hornby couldn't be cajoled into jumping in despite the taunts from Sue & I. Goggles were her enemy today - spares as it turned out due to lending usual ones that had not been returned. We all agreed that lending best goggles is beyond reasonable generosity.

Ali Hornby - Folkestone is in the far distance.

Victoria Hill lowered herself in next, noticeably faster than last time - training with Duncan Goodhew (see http://twitpic.com/8nk6yl ) obviously helped on Thursday with a good thirty minute effort.

Victoria Hill with the Warren in the background

Hanno Nickau programmes his cybernetic interface whilst Jim looks on...

Unplugging before the swim...

...six million euro man Hanno Nickau dives into the Channel

Hanno Nickau - half man, half cyborg - unplugged himself from his computerised life suppport & dived overboard. Tide in full flood meant we had to change direction, we opted not to tell him so as to test whether he would follow the boat. He did & completed a full hour.

Warn the shipping - Dan Earthquake jumping into the Channel...

I jumped overboard armed with camera to get some swimmers eye photos of Sea Leopard. Then I got back on board so we could cruise back towards Shakespeare as the drift was taking us closer to Dover harbour than was desirable. I got back in for a short swim - lazy today. Without a hat the neuralgia was severe & it took me 62 breathes to feel comfortable, swimming with the tide almost to Admiralty Pier.

Self photo with Sea Leopard behind. Note the blue sky.

By this time we were all hungry, adjourning to the pub was not productive as Rugby was on & kitchen closed to cope with the multitudes glued to the TV. Sarah Dodsworth and some of the Blue Tits were there, having swam on Sunny Sands in the morning, I stopped short of accusing them for eating everything, saving that for Victoria who had got there just before us and had the last order of the day. Ugh! Ball games, they should be kept on school playgrounds where they belong. For me real sport is swimming, running, climbing, athletics, gymnastics, powerlifting. The only team sport I ever liked was Tug of War. Ball games. And no dinner. We reconvened at the Chinese buffet & made plans for a night dip on the beach. I gave my friends a short safety briefing, always best to have some sort of plan especially for swimming at night.

Lots of people avoid, fear or simply never get round to swimming at night. I've swam a few times in various lakes at night and it is enjoyable, sometime magical if the sky is clear and the stars visible. Channel solo and relay swimmers may have to swim in the dark for some part of their trip; there are a lot of early morning starts and if the first experience of swimming at night is the swim to Shakespeare or Samphire Ho beach at 1am on the day of your attempt then you have only yourself to blame if it bothers you. Stu and I can help: A practice start; some swimming offshore away from the protection of the cliffs at different times of day; varied conditions; swimming across and against the tide - these are advisible before committing to a date and the expense of the whole adventure. It is always a shame to hear of those who set off unprepared and don't make it - I was one of them a few years ago, suffering dreadful seasickness. It's what started me hiring Stuarts boat - to try and overcome it and I enjoyed it so much I kept coming back.

Thanks to Victoria Hill for additional photos.

The Drifters - Successful Channel Relay Swim - 15th September 2012

 

 

Report by Stuart Gleeson

 

We met at Dover Marina. After loading gear, introductions - Ram, Mark, Tom, Andrew, Nick, Ben - meet crewman Stuart Adams & CSA Observer Sam Jones. Safety briefing & confirmation of swimming rules/regulations follow.

 

2340: Leave marina for Samphire Hoe swim start. Ram starts the team off at 0010hrs.

 

First few hours saw the usual settling in: a few bouts of seasickness but good team spirit. Air temperature is cool & the team have noticed it. Of course dawn follows even the coolest of nights & the first sunshine always lifts the spirits. Not a great deal of traffic in the lanes today, but some good sized ones.

 

It is in great spirits that Ben ends the swim by landing on the shingle beach of Ambleteuse, his team mates join him for the usual pebble souvenirs.

A finishing time of 11hrs 32minutes is recorded & out comes the champagne. Well done team.

--------


Hi Stuart, Thanks again for getting us across the Channel safely! - The Drifters -

Coldwater Culture training swim - 9th September 2012

We met in the lobby of the Grand Burstin Hotel at 730am: Jackson had to head off home whilst the rest of us drove to Dover to meet Stuart Gleeson & the Sea Leopard.

 

We left the Western entrance of Dover Marina heading for nearby Shakespeare beach to practice beach starts.

 

Jim dove in first, we looped him round in a circle followed by Glenn, Eleanor & Nicky.

There are many in the triathlon world who barely believed it when photos appeared of Glenn swimming last winter, even more incredulity when the wetsuit came off. His swim today in trunks with white cliffs behind will bring many accusations of "cheating" from various rivals I'm sure.

 

 

 

Unfortunately for Glenn, he lost his wetsuit sometime over the weekend, so he's going to have to get used to swimming in the trunks.

 



Eleanor Woodward dives into the Channel with Shakespeare Beach in the distance.



 

 

Jim had a short go without his wetsuit - diving in meant that it was then minus trunks as well. He recovered them quickly.

 

Practicing following the boat seems easy enough - like anything a few goes makes it simpler.

 



Shipping was warned as I jumped in to an otherwise calm sea.



 

 

Then it was me (Dan Earthquake) I swam us back towards the marina, sea very flat & warm: the conditions we all dream of for our crossings. I love these trips out with Stu, always good to head out to sea with friends & practice for Channel crossings.

Each of us had commitments to fulfil so said our goodbyes & went our separate ways. A good fun weekend. Thanks Stu.