LEVANTE 2 ME 0

Levante, the strong easterly wind has arrived and blown my swimming plans apart once again.

Sadly, can't be helped so I am just getting on with it.

Re booked for April 2017.

Third time lucky!

WAIT, WAIT, WAIT,

Here in Tarifa waiting for a weather gap for my Straits of Gibraltar swim. Fog today and tomorrow, looking at early Monday morning.

GIBRALTAR HERE I COME!

I have to admit that it has been a long summer and now autumn as I have never had to wait so long for a major swim.

The end is in sight as I will be looking to cross the Straits of Gibraltar sometime in the next 10 days.

Looking at the weather forecast for Tarifa does not make hugely satisfying reading as there will be some days that appear too windy for swimming.

Hopefully there also seems to be a few suitable days so I am confident of getting away.
No repeat of last year please!

The Internet connection was rubbish last year but I will do my best to keep you updated.

MEDICAL TICK

Another major event in the build up to my Gibraltar Straits swim ticked of this week.

Yesterday I passed my medical so there is nothing stopping me swimming now except the weather which is obviously out of my control. Hopefully it will behave this year, second time lucky.

I have had a long build up for this swim and I am more than ready and now in the process of tapering towards the end of next week when I leave for Tarifa.

It will be nice to get back into warmer water as the river temperature has slumped to 12.4 C this week. This is 4C colder that in was at this time last year so a cold winter?..............

Got Bad Company/Free Greatest Hits in the car at the moment. Love Seagull.

6 HOURS IN WATER UNDER 16C, TICK

I have started my tapering as I enter the final few weeks before my Gibraltar swim. 

Last Saturday I did my final 6 hour swim starting in the dark at 6 20 am. The water never rose above 16C and was still only 15.7C when I finished. 

Double plus! 

Not only a great training swim, it will also count as my 6 hour qualifying swim for the Channel next July.

This week I will be down to 15k in the river and will begin to rest up in the next 10 days. I am ready to go, it has been a long summer as I have never had a major swim so late in the year.

Rock on!

WHAT HAPPENED TO SUMMER?

What a great week of weather we have had. But what has happened?

After 3 swims in beautiful warm conditions with air temperatures over 30C, today we swam Lilford Lock to Barnwell Mill and it was 11C! Fortunately the water was still warm at 18C.

A lot of social media chat about the 24 hour 1 mile every hour swim next year.

 Not for me! I don't want to be ploughing out huge miles just to do that swim in April and keep that level going right through to my Channel swim in July. Plus, I hate getting in and out of the water, I would rather choose an event that would allow me to swim continuously.

Anyway, swimming well at the moment as Gibraltar is now a month away. Can't wait.

Back to a favourite in the car this week. Saw Doctors live. I have fallen for another you can make your own way home.

DURDLE DOOR AND ALL THAT

Had a lot of fun swimming some of the iconic landmarks of Britain's south coast at the weekend.

On Saturday I swam through Durdle Door in rough seas and then pottered around in Man O War bay playing in the waves breaking over the rocks. We all then hiked and climbed down, yes climbed not walked down, to the pool at Dancing Ledge. Just amazing experiences but did not enjoy hauling my low centre of gravity up the cliff face looking for leg and hand holds.

On Sunday I swam in the Round Brownsea Island event. Brilliant swim but pretty lumpy for over half the course. I was the second oldest real swimmer, non wetsuit, finished 8th in the 50-60 age group and 23rd overall in the non wetsuit event. Not bad for an old fella!

Onwards and upwards towards Gibraltar. I am in a good place for someone with degenerating shoulders and wish the swim was tomorrow as I am ready to go.