STRAITS of GIBRALTAR CONFIRMED

Look out for a speeding fat boy in the first week of April if you are sailing between Spain and Morocco as my swim is definitely on.

Assuming that I pass my medical next week, I will swim the Straits very, very early in the season. The water should be 16C so that will be toastie compared to the mighty Nene which is most definitely sub tropical at the moment.

Last week the river was pretty hard core as the lock was open and it was big, brown and very bad. A sane person would not have got in, but hey, it had to be done. My swimmers were full of mud at the end!

I am raising my mileage now so I have to put up with the red eyes and the au de chlorine as my companions, roll on warmer weather so I can spend more time in the river.

Just got a digital radio in my car, Planet Rock is getting the doors vibrating.

2015 HERE I COME!

Where did 2014 go? With 2 swims across the Channel with the Diabetes relay team and the Alderney swim to France, it all seems so long ago!

2015 is looking promising with a Straits of Gibraltar swim in the first week of April, a round Jersey in August and a third, "special" swim planned if I can sort out the complexities. More news to come!

I have just had 3 weeks swimming in the USA, I won't bore you again about the fantastic pools there so I won't.

I am increasing the miles in the pool but also getting in a river swim during the week. It is more of a long dip rather that a real swim but I am enjoying the experience of the frozen water. Seriously, it makes you feel invigorated once you stop shivering.

Love the new ACDC album.

MERI KIRIHIMETE!

Greetings to all my loyal followers. Our annual Christmas party will be in the usual phone box.

I am building my mileage back up at the moment so I am doing a lot more pool work in preparation for my Gibraltar swim in April, but fear not I have not abandoned my beloved river. Pools are horrible but it has to be done.

Hope you all enjoy the holiday season. Onwards and upwards for 2015.

We are having a competition at the moment to name as many bands and artists from the 70s and 80s that are better than the rubbish about today. We are up to hundreds!

SEND MY BITS BACK!

If anyone sees my boys' bits please post them back to me as I swam in the river this morning in 6C water and it felt like everything fell off.

To add to the fun it was windy and raining when I got out all adding to the fun. A shiver fest of top proportions only alleviated by the wonderful bacon and eggs at the Old Barn afterwards.

A little cold and rain won't stop me as I am going to swim right through the year. If my Gibraltar crossing is confirmed I will be swimming that in the first week of April so I will need to get the miles in in the new year.

Christmas is coming, hurrah!

SHUT THE GATES!

Just kidding environment agency!

This week the river has been unswimmable as all the lock gates have been opened along the river to let the flood waters through.

For the first time ever this week I got to the river and didn't get in as the water was the highest and fastest that I have seen it. Hardy not foolhardy.

Swimming pools just aren't the same! The school pool this week was 30C, total meltdown!

I am in the process of finalising my 2015 swims so will keep you updated ASAP.

Lovely Natalie has had a baby boy. Congrats to her and to Rob.

BIG, BROWN and BAD!

Had a really trickily ( a Tabby invented word ) swim today as the river was very high, brown and the fastest that I have seen it for a while.

For fleeting seconds I was in 2 minds whether I would swim but I plunged in and swam for 40 minutes against a fast cold current. On the way back I qualified for the 10k at the Rio Olympics as I got back in 16 minutes and broke several world records. Was that me or the river, definitely me.

All Blacks vs Wales this week, is there anyone alive that saw Wales last beat the ABs?

Got Cold Chisel in the car at the moment. Legends.

ICE, ICE BABY!

Hurrah 😀 the ice is back!

On Thursday I had to scrape the ice off the car, well actually I use warm water, much faster, no cracked windscreen yet, and later that morning had a refreshing swim in the river.😁.

The water was just on11C with an air temperature of 10C. The water was beautiful but I did get the shivers trying to pour my Green Tea in the Old Barn afterwards.

Off again tomorrow for another swim but with all the rain this weekend it will be testing.
Will Owens is looking to swim as well, listen out for the screams as he hits the water around 11 00!
Gutsy boy!😝.

This is the next day's follow up. Will did nearly 30 minutes in the river with me today. Great effort, 60 million other people in this country couldn't have done that!

I will swim with him again in 2 weeks as by then my ears should have recovered from all the squealing.

AC/DC let's play ball.