42 mile swim

42mileswim Team successfully cross the English Channel!

2.30am on Wednesday 5th September. Looking out of the window I could see lights on in a neighbouring caravan where another team were preparing for their crossing. It was an exciting time for us all.

We were on our way to Folkestone Harbour by 3.30am. There we met our Channel Swimming Association official observer, Keith Jeffries.

AUGUST TRAINING CAMP

With just three weeks to go before the 42mileswim Team swim the English Channel we had our final training weekend. This took place in Swanage, on the weekend of 11/12 August. The weather and sea conditions were perfect and it was, without doubt, the best weekend we’ve had.

James M, James S, Jamie, Nick, Alan.

With just three weeks to go before the 42mileswim Team swim the English Channel we had our final training weekend. This took place in Swanage, on the weekend of 11/12 August. The weather and sea conditions were perfect and it was, without doubt, the best weekend we’ve had.

This image is a snapshot of the boats crossing the channel at noon on Tues 7 August - apparently this isn't busy, it's just normal....

And I thought Swanage was bad!

Alla Cassidy, a bubbly little Russian girl whom we met in Deal during our June training weekend, is aiming to be the first Russian female to swim solo across the English Channel.

On Mon 30 July Alla writes:

Hello All,
Thanks for all your support and believe in me.
My swim should be tomorrow, 31.07.07 at 8am.
I hope the weather stay nice.

Phill, Alan, Nick, Andrew, James S

Just to update you on our July training weekend at Budleigh on Sat/Sun 21/22 July.

The guys swam 5 x 1 hours each. Approx times are:

Session 1: Sat - 11.15am - 12.20pm – Calm sea conditions.
Session 2: Sat - 4.35pm - 5.35pm – A little more choppy.
Session 3: Sat - 10.30pm - 11.20pm – Fun in the dark!

Well today is the 26th July and there’s about 5 weeks left.
Water Temp: 17.0 ºC at the Dover buoy (10am) today, and last weeks average surface temp between Dover and France was about 16.8 ºC by the map at http://www.bsh.de/aktdat/mk/nordsee/actual.pdf
Last weekends training in Budleigh seems to have had a temp almost 0.5 ºC lower looking at the map.

Well done everyone with the training this weekend. I thought it was definintly the hardest swimming I've done to date not only the distance but mainly the cold. Big thanks to Andrew for the food, accomadation and coming out in the kayake, it really was much appreciated.
See you next weekend in August keep up with the training.
right I'm knackered and off to bed... !

James

Now we are counting!
8 weeks today and the water temp’ has reached 16 ºC.

There is a great arcticle in the Express and Echo Newspaper (Exeter, Devon) today which publicises our swim. Check it out or visit

Excellant training weekend.. hope you all got back home afterwards ok .. despite the queue at the M26!

I'll enquire about the Isle of Wight as a destination for the next weekend...

No excuses now. :-)
______________________________
Weather
Dover
Air Temp: 16.2 ºC
Water Temp: 15.2 ºC
Wind Direction: SSW
Wind Speed: 8.9 knots
Wave Height: 0.4 m
Time 17:40

Excellant site looking forward to some comments on my first blog :)

Any chance of a link through to the just giving site?

James

I recommend "Open Water Swimming"
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Open-Water-Swimming-Penny-Dean/dp/0880117044/ref...