OCTOBERFEST!

As you can see dear reader that I am just amending the blog of 28 August in order to keep the You Tube clip of my Alderney to France swim at the top of the page. Greater minds than I have tried without success to move it to the side. One day this may happen. I shall ask a child to do it.

The start of October has seen balmy days so the Nene has maintained a steady 16/17C. The weather looks like cooling now but fear not, I shall still dip my toes and swim as long as I can in the river.

The big problem last winter was not the temperature, but the height and speed of the river as the winter rains made it dangerous to swim. I am hardy, not foolhardy!

I am planning my 2015 campaign at the moment. Looking at round Jersey and hopefully one other big swim. I will keep you posted.

Just received Blackberry Smoke live. Fanbloody tactic! Southern rock lives on.






The swimming season is rapidly drawing to a close with shorter, cooler days.
I am still getting into the river a couple of times a week and the water is still a very pleasant 17C.

Yesterday I had a great swim with 24C air, just lovely! I intend to swim all winter so hopefully we won't have all the rain that fell last year as the river then was the highest and fastest that I have seen.

Despite mentally retiring in the middle of my Alderney to France swim, I am now looking at swims for 2015. I have a slot for a 44 mile Round Jersey swim but this slot may be taken by one of the many swimmers that had their swim blown out this year and will be resheduled next year.

Rest assured, I will do something long and hard and I really fancy a warmer water swim somewhere in the world. Keep buying the Lottery tickets!

Elton John's High Flying Bird. How good is that!


MEDIA FRENZY



Well dear reader, it has been a hectic 10 days since my historic aurigny Alderney to France swim.

As well as appearing on ITV, I have been on 3 BBC stations and have had a ridiculous amount of coverage in local, national and international press.

This was a very tough swim as the Race of Alderney was very challenging and never let me get into a settled rhythm. The tidal movement was immense and took me way around the top of the Cap de la Hague landing me on the northern coast of the peninsula.

As you can see from the You Tube clip above, my landing lacked a certain amount of elegance! Just as I was approaching the coast the tide changed and started to take me back out to sea. I had to fight the tide to land and the beach had rough boulders under the water. There was nowhere to put my feet, hence my Frosby Flop onto the shore.

The fun didn't finish there as the RIB that was picking me up to take me back to the pilot boat couldn't get in through the tide flowing over the rocks. I had to climb off the beach, walk over a track over a headland and climb down to the next beach where the RIB could get in. All in my swimmers, cap and goggles at 7 45 in the evening. Luckily there were no locals to be seen as they must have run off as I emerged from the deep!

Many thanks to everyone in Alderney for making us all feel so welcome.
aurigny  for all your support.
Bugsy, Roland, Paul, Holly, Tim, Diana. Stephen and Lucy you were all wonderful.

Back to the real world now, school is open, Kate, Tabby and Phoebe have gone home and Lizzie has gone with them for the week.

Got The Best of Pink Floyd. Never been much of a fan but I am actually enjoying it!