Lake Windermere

Lake Windermere

Sunday 30 June 2013

JERSEY RESCHEDULED

After the stormy weather last weekend, it is teeth grinding to see perfect calm and warm weather this weekend. Hey ho, such is the trevails of open water swimming. In fact the wind speed topped 50 knots last weekend, much worse than forecasted.

I have rescheduled the Jersey swim for the week of July 15 to 20. It will be a different tide so I will be swimming Jersey to France, which to be honest is my number one choice.

My Dover/France swim is at the end of August so a rare, if not first, opportunity to swim the channel from 2 different places in the same calendar year.

The British Red Cross still needs you help. Please be generous.

www.virginmoneygiving.com/DavidColeman8

Pop is dead. Rock lives.

Thursday 20 June 2013

JERSEY BLOWN OUT!

As predicted, my Jersey swim has fallen foul of the weather and will not take place this weekend. The forecast is for heavy duty winds so she no go bro.

Don't despair dear reader as I have moved the swim to the week beginning 15 July.
Hopefully by then summer will have started!

Don't forget this suffering is all for a good cause. The British Red Cross needs you.
Please donate at:

www.virginmoneygiving.com/DavidColeman8

Don't worry, the heart of rock and roll still's beating

Monday 17 June 2013

GALES IN JERSEY

It seems incredible that the weekend has arrived for my swim around the island of Jersey.

Guess what? The weather forecast is for Force 4 winds and above. That is baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad news as the swim can't take place in anything above Force 3. There are many safety reasons for this as I have to consider not only my own safety but the safety and comfprt of everyone on the pilot and support boat.
Unless the forecast radically changes it ain't gonna happen this week baby! Good ol' British Summer.

So what to do? I am already looking at other dates in July but I need to be mindful of my Channel swim in August and not get too close to that as it is impossible to do 2 huge back to back swims. If I can't fit a date in, as these are booked up years in advance, I will look at dates for next year.

All disappointing BUT I still have my Channel swim to come for this year so all to play for. I will keep you in the loop.

The British Red Cross still needs YOUR help. PLease donate at:

www.virginmoneygiving.com/DavidColeman8

Keep rocking. I will be!

Sunday 9 June 2013

NORTH SEA SPA BATH

You will be very pleased to know dear readers that Lizzie and I ventured over to Aldeburgh for the day so that I could have a splash in the wonderful blue, warm, clear and calm North Sea.

Except it was anything but! The northerly wind was howling at its cold best, the waves were 6 foot plus going north to south along the beach, the water had the visibility of exactly 1/2 an arm distance (yes I did measure it!) and the water was a balmy 11C.

Not surprisingly I swam from the north to the south and I loved it as I was swimming at an olympic swimmer's speed. It was cold but once you get over the first 10 minutes you are fine as everything is numb. Poor Lizzie who was crewing for me on the beach was frit ( local dialect, look it up) to death as one minute I was 10 feet above her and the next minute I had disappeared under giant waves. She wanted me to bale out and come ashore as she was really worried about my safety. I thought that she was being friendly and waving at me. Polite bloke that I am, I waved back.

2 weeks now to Jersey. The long range forecast is terrible for that weekend, but here's hoping.

Many thanks to the people that continue to support the British Red Cross. You can donate at:

www.virginmoneygiving.com/DavidColeman8

Pop is dead. Rock lives


Setting off. 7am. Only 13 and a half hours to go!