28.5 Mile Manhattan 20-Bridges Solo Swim 1st June 2019

The attempt at a circumnavigation swim of Manhattan island was special in so many ways. It helped me close the file on wanting to do this swim since 2012 but so many things kept getting in the way. The result of the swim is that it has enabled me to feel SO much more at ease in New York being able to see the much quieter and more thoughtful spaces that I like to occupy in my mind with when not at work. After being quite down on NYC, I can see how people can cultivate a life here now having done the swim, stayed on the Upper West Side, having visited Governor's island and being taken training to Brighton Beach on Coney Island (many thanks to Arik and Jaimie). Given I work in a big city myself (London), unsurprising that I like to find quiet on vacation days.
Thanks to the generosity of colleagues and clients, this swim also raised over £4200 for Haven House Children’s Hospice in the UK

For this swim, I had enlisted the kayaking skills of all-round swimming California legend and one of my best swim buddies in Dan Simonelli (pic above) who had been my observer on Catalina and fellow completer of SCAR, Arizona in 2015. We were afforded an absolutely top observer/crew and all round great guy in John Humenik who looked after everything on the boat with NYPD fireman Eric (below) at the helm. At the end of the swim, fireman Eric literally gave me his fireman's T-shirt off his back!
It’s worth me, at this juncture, noting that I had updated many vaccinations (MMR 1&2, DTP and Hep A 6 weeks before the swim) plus was prescribed Doxycycline to take pre- and post swim to ward off any potential nasties. 

Our ‘Jump’ was 09:20 and due to the tides the start was held at Mill Rock Island which was half way up the Eastern shore of Manhattan (just off Randall island) which was different to most of the swims starting and finishing at North Cove.

After an early 06:30 registration, some nervous ‘Hellos’ complete with group photo taken above, I finally got the chance to meet the charming Rondi Davies and Dave Barra, we made our way round to the start, John ‘ghosted me up’ using the rubber gloves caked with sun cream and zinc (sudocrem) to prevent any ill effects of the sun. I applied Vaseline where I usually chafe and luckily our diligence paid off as not much chafe or sunburn ensued save for patch on front left shoulder from stubble that one will always get on a long swim. It always seems to get you somewhere no matter how you try and prevent it!

I was in wave 3 out of 5 with the slower swimmers heading off first led by Jessi from Vancouver. The start was a whistle and we all jumped out off our boats into the cold <60f (ca. 15c in British money) water to get the party started. The first hour was a tough battle without the pull of the tide (in fact the remnants of the ebb were hitting us head on) and constantly needing to pee but didn’t want to stop so battled on and tried ones best to cope whilst moving!

After the first feed post the first hour, you could now feel the current helping to push the swimmer up the Harlem and many of the 20 Bridges came thick and fast with one of the group who started 10mins after me (Israeli swimmer) Avishag, absolutely leathering it past me like a rocket. That made me want to raise my stroke rate so I upped the game and got stuck in. We were being swept along and although the water was brisk it wasn’t totally unmanageable given the time of year and being the 'earliest ever in the season' swim in history of Manhattan swimming. Given the tow we were getting from the current, at the next feed I joked to paddler Dan ‘Even a sodding plastic bag could swim this’ and he came back with ‘yeah - even a condom!!’. We overtook Ger Devin from Ireland and Jessi from Canada during  this stretch - it was obvious who they were as their kayakers had small Irish and Canadian flags flying from poles at the stern of their kayaks respectively.

There was one doubt though in my mind that kept nagging me as I had forgotten to bring my lucky duck (!) who turns up to all swims and events usually sitting on the bow of the boat (on my Channels) or kayak taking the conditions head first. I was hoping that wouldn't be my undoing but one stroke of luck I counted was my new shiny union jack swim cap presented to me from a few kind colleagues at work. I consoled myself that would mitigate the duck staying at home. I had fretted pre-swim that the unique tight fit of swim caps can be very personal but amazingly this one worked a treat so will be getting another outing next month in the US.

Anyway, we continued moving northwards and we passed the Yankees stadium on the right and I continued to hold most of the chasing pack (starting at later times) well at bay. We passed a shack on the left which looked like one of the coolest residences on the island:

Then the super humble Anna-Carin (Ocean’s 7 first female) caught us up with another swimmer both turning over their arms in quite a rapid stroke rate but we cracked on and she never really managed to get past us the whole race thanks to Dan’s expert kayaking and me trying to get my head down.

Rounding the top of the northern part of Manhattan island gave the swimmer a huge sense of achievement having clicked off ca. 1/4 of the endeavour and all of a sudden after passing the ‘C’ representing Columbia Uni (above), the next thing I knew the swimmer and Kayaker basically got jettisoned at pace thru a rail bridge (looking East below) into the temperate (5 degree warmer) Hudson. As we were 'whooshed' under the rail bridge into the Hudson I let out a massive yell of excitement - this was sensational - both warm, fast and now non-salty!

We could then see the George Washington Bridge (GWB) reveal itself (below) spanning the brackish Hudson in all it’s iconic majesty. I just felt this overwhelming sense of privilege to be able to be here to do this with Dan by my side and gunning for the triple crown. I didn't want to be anywhere else and found it really easy to stay in the moment for a change.

The flow from the previous days rains in the Hudson allowed us to fly down to the GWB in 30 mins from the top of the northern part of the island and now the enormity of the swim started to kick in with a plethora or sky-scrapers (what’s the plural?) WAY further down in the far distance. This was a low point for me and probably due to giving it too many beans in the Harlem river trying to chase Avishag and fending off Anna! I did, however, take the opportunity to do a few turns of backstroke under the GWB which is a customary rite of passage!

Gradually we made progress and eased our way down the Western shore and some sights became familiar given the walks we had done having stayed on W 88th Street on the Upper West Side. I was convinced I was swimming slowly and flailing around but we had long dropped any chasing swimmers and Dan reassured we were averaging 3.5-4.5 knots. That made me feel mildly more positive.

(All under control - thumbs up Shez if want flat coke on next feed?!)

We were cracking along nicely and I was beginning to think this was an absolute breeze given the 4 hours taken so far (as I could count them feeding only once per hour) but then we hit the parallel with 40th street and the chop from the wind over tide, boats, helicopters, yachts, tugs (you-name-it) kicked up the water creating a very random rhythm. I generally like it when it properly kicks off and this reminded me of swimming a double Bala 10km in Wales a few years before which almost got cancelled. The only trouble this time was that there was no consistency in the waves coming at you. I couldn't look up to sight as kept getting mouthfuls of water so I resigned myself for letting paddler Dan sight for me so got my head down, endured and properly got stuck into what was coming at me. I was in my element. I caught up a couple of other swimmers who went of in earlier groups and was told by John that the chop would last to just after the battery close to the southern-most end. Water temp was no issue but huge ferry boats and the like were bearing down on us constantly. I didn’t have to worry as I knew Dan was all over it and looked relaxed as only a Californian man can in such a situation. I duly informed him at the next feed wanting to prize a smile that ‘I like it rough’ and ‘love it when it kicks off’ drew a grin. 

I knew we were within 20mins of the southernmost end after going past the North Cove marina where registration earlier on took place but could now see the Freedom Tower standing proudly over us. Very humbling experience indeed. John took the cracking pic above from the comfort of the support boat.

We were close to rounding the southernmost end where the Staten-island ferry comes in and heard loads of hoots of ferry horns and Dan told me to stop dead in your tracks ‘do you need to pee as this is a good time?!’  We were now back in more tidal seawater rather than the brackish Hudson and the temperature dropped back below 60f within a few meters and it stopped me so quickly in my tacks that I couldn’t muster up a pee whilst we spent 30 seconds treading water much to my frustration. The tide was still 45-60mins from turning so in effect we had arrived too quickly knowing that we'd be taking some ebbing current head on.

We rounded the point and it was majestic looking up the south eastern part with the trio of ‘BMW’ bridges (Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg) all within sight. The chop was now really bad, the water was bl00dy freezing and we were stopped in our tracks by the remnants of the outgoing tide. The chop was coming from all angles including some weird under-tows. I began to feel disheartened and cold to the bone with frozen hands and forearms having borne the brunt of the kicking we were getting in the chop which was showing no signs of abating. I did begin to wonder whether I would actually get the job done. Feeds had now switched from carb powder to flat coke which raised spirits somewhat and we battled on through the violently unpredictable water and under-currents clicking off the miles.

(Passed the Brooklyn Bridge in the background - even creating a bow wave with my head if you look closely!)

Eventually we rounded the Williamsburg bridge and made the left turn up the Eastern side of the island, the water calmed down and we now had the tide in our favour feeling the gentle push behind. Dan expertly navigated the fastest course possible but pointed out that my ‘stroke rate had markedly slowed’ (I did warn them I didn't appreciate comments on stroke rate before the swim!). I was feeling very cold and informed him that my forearms and hands felt cramped up frozen solid where I just couldn’t relax them. I felt pretty beaten up having to constantly squeeze my goggles into my face so they didn't get swept away and was secretly glad that this swim was no ‘gimmie’. I was deeply regretting making the comment about the plastic bag being able to do it! I was convinced that there might be someone who wouldn’t get it done given the water temperatures but evidently the extensive screening process for this earliest ever attempt at Manhattan works as everyone made it as the field was littered with cold water practitioners!

The finish was now in sight and with every arm pull the current seemed to power us along, past other swimmers following Dan on the paddles who tried to find the smallest advantage in the fast water. The last mile seemed like we totally blasted back up to Mill rock and before you knew it we went past the imaginary finish line, a hooter went off and I was informed to stop swimming. It was over. Round of applause, hollering and waving from whoever was around. Relief, joy and deep sense of accomplishment as I scrambled back onto the support boat (on the 2nd attempt) and whole body cramping like mad. 

I looked over and saw the safety boat captained by Dave Barra and thought how safe and well organised this day was from start to finish with everyone on radios, NYPD on the water and nothing left to chance. Dan came over and said ‘great job Man’ and I got changed and drank hot water during a particualrly bumpy & nauseating boat right back to North Cove Marina. I realised we had overtaken a few other swimmers in the latter stages but didn't know till later that I had come 8th overall and 3rd male home with a time I would have died for - 7 hours 52 mins! (Rondi later informed me the current we had on the day was about average).

Completing this swim allowed me to earn the right to label myself as the 210th ‘Triple Crowner’ alongside the 20 other Brits who had gone on the journey before me.

You can read more about that here: https://db.marathonswimmers.org/triple-crown/

In conclusion this is a great swim and I would definitely recommend that UK aspirants choose first swim of the season as I really couldn't bear the thought of doing this in heat and warm water - makes me feel ill just thinking about it. Many will come and not give this swim the respect it deserves. The southern section on West- and East sides present a real threat of chop and all swimmers felt pretty beaten up afterwards. The views of the city are breathtaking but I wouldn't want to do it being a right-side breather only which is worth bearing in mind. Luckily, I am left-dominant on breathing. This swim is exceptionally well run and the safety boats were literally everywhere including race officials, NYPD constantly interacting on the radio with ferries etc. These are busy waterways after all. Highly recommended.

Question is, will I return for the 40 Bridges? Always fancied the sightseeing tour at night!

21.3 mile Lake Tahoe Solo Swim - A New British Record - 11/12th August 2018

2 dominant forces drew me irrepressibly to Lake Tahoe. Firstly, the purity of the water (deemed to be 99.994% pure versus commercially bottled water at 99.998%!)  and, secondly, the continuation of the path-less-travelled (the feeling of being a bit of a pioneer). This is a common thread of many of my swim challenges when I reminisce (see blogs on Loch Lomond, Lac Leman, SCAR etc)

This challenge saw me commit over 18 months in the planning then just over 12 hours in the execution. Indeed, for this one, I had to reappraise my adaptability not only to the cold, fresh water but the altitude at over 6200 feet (!) which is considered to be far more impactful on the swimmer than the runner or cyclist. This was a whole different ballgame altogether. When I asked the only other Brit I knew who had completed it solo (Kevin Murphy in 2003) he repeatedly expressed to me the difficulties of altitude combined with a particular lack of buoyancy.

I remember being pretty nervous in the few days leading up to this swim given the altitude, the fresh water, the lack of references or islands breaking up the swim. There had also been widespread forest fires in northern California in the few weeks before so I was praying for the air to clear (which thankfully it did JUST before my swim). The task at hand was still an English Channel distance after all but with way less buoyancy. The best word to describe Lake Tahoe is 'vast'. However, experience definitely counts for something and my 70km Lac Leman swim in 2016 (see blog below) certainly put this one into very meaningful perspective. More recently though, I was appreciative of my friend Jane Bell who had helped me execute an absolutely flawless OVERNIGHT one-way Windermere 2-weeks prior which really stood me in good stead mentally the whole way as we started the swim in the final throes of daylight (see pic below) and the next 10 hours (i.e. 5/6ths of the swim) were pretty much in the pitch black. In this situation you really have to trust your stroke and be on your mental game as there's no sensation of moving anywhere like in a pool or a narrower lake - the only reference points were the feeds on the hour which helped to break the swim down into manageable chunks (I fed every hour on the hour). I told myself, therefore, that it would be a ca. 12 feed swim as I knew deep down I could swim the 1st half in around 6 hours.

(Stunning sunset just before our 'jump' on 11th August 2018)

On the evening of 11th August, my wife Emily and I turned up at Camp Richardson Marina at the southernmost end of the Lake at 8pm to meet with the support team. Thanks to the Swim the Suck swim in 2016 in Tennessee and the SCAR Swim in Arizona in 2017, I had the chance to get to know not only a very able and chilled out swimmer/pilot in Tom 'Reptile' Linthicum but also a very accomplished swimmer and kayaker in Amy Appelhans-Gubser who had recently smashed out a very enviable 14 hour North Channel (body of water between Ireland and Scotland). At 8.30pm I was ready for the 'jump' as Reptile likes to put it. Looking over to our left & at the western-side mountain range on the western part of the lake, we were treated to absolutely incredible pinks, purples and reds illuminating the sky as the previous day's proceedings were concluded. After seeing Bill Shipp, another soloist, and his crew including (the great) Sarah Thomas off, I entered the chilly waters at around 08:30pm.

(Only 21.29 miles to go...)

At first the water felt pretty bracing and the task at hand rather overwhelming but I soon got into my usual predictable swim rhythm of ca. 50 strokes per minute. The water never really felt cold (it may have been 18c) and at that temperature it was never going to bother me greatly or put the solo in jeopardy. Over to my right I could see the bright lights forever delineating the state line between California and Nevada. Reptile warned me that I would be able to see those lights for hours and once long behind me there was then going to be extreme darkness (and a meteor shower that at least the crew would enjoy!)

I am not going to lie. The first 3 hours of this swim were very tough indeed. During the first 25% of the swim, the mind starts to complain along the lines of 'WTF are we doing this again?' & I had to dig deep to combat this & hide it from the crew. This wasn't helped by a very unpredictable and choppy current for the first 3 hours which left the sense of humour elsewhere making it tough for the kayaker, the boat crew and the swimmer. Thank god it settled down and I got into a rhythm, got on top of the swim mentally by deciding to pretend I was doing a Two-way Windermere & visioned all the landmarks that I knew from that swim (Belle Isle, Storrs, Fell Foot, Bass rock, you name it!). It worked a treat putting myself mentally somewhere else!

It's funny but I realise now that it takes me sometimes until during the actual swim to fully understand why I am fundamentally undertaking the thing deep down. The aspect that really cracked this swim for me was visualising a 12 hour swim with feeds every hour on the hour pretending I was doing a 2-way Windermere. There were no islands breaking up the monotony and the notion of having to nail this swim predominantly in darkness that made this very gutsy.

Hourly feeds came and went. As usual I got my mojo after around 6 hours when I promised myself I had to have been half-way with the rest of the swim downhill to the finish. I decided I would throw the proverbial kitchen sink at the swim and my 5:47 overnight 10.5mile 1-way Windermere only 2 weeks prior really stood my confidence in great stead. My friend Amy was nothing but encouraging at feed times telling me 'Mark you are a beast, you are a machine my friend'. Her positivity was infectious and I really didn't want to let her down. All of the crew were here just for me and to see me succeed! At 6 hours I decided to change my feeds from maxim & a mini choc-chip cookie to something entirely new of flat coke & bit of banana (really enjoyed that btw). That was pretty much all I had in the 2nd half save for a bottle of water. Whenever I felt thirsty, I have to admit, I just opened my gob in the lake and drank! LOL.

Nothing was really too much bother other than the air temperature dropping to a fresh feeling on the shoulders at around 4am. I had the best support team in the world being led by swimmers for a swimmer with my wife diligently sorting feeds on the hour. It was lovely having the kayak to my side and the support boat further to my left. I generally kept my mouth shut and got on with the task at hand. It was really no bother.

(magical moment welcoming in the sun with my friend Amy smiling all the way)

(we spotted 'Tessie' - the Tahoe monster)

After about 9-10 hours, darkness lifted and the next day gradually dawned. I could see I was approaching the last u-shaped bay which housed the finish line. It was a bit of an optical illusion (similar to the lighthouse on the Catalina swim) and after enquiring to kayaker Gavin how much longer he noted '5-miles'. WTF....I was feeling suddenly disheartened as I had kidded myself I was closer. My mind was beginning to play tricks on me. I thought I had less than 2 to go! I got my head down and focussed hard on my stroke (especially ensuring to breathe close to the water and get chin to chest). Now and again I would start to try and count to 400 with each stroke to distract the mind. I also reminded myself of Teresa Roberts' mantra of 'Just keep moving forward' from my Geneva swim and Gez Lyon's 'If you can still put one arm in front of the other then you can keep going'.

During this time we overtook a wetsuit swimmer who had gone out 25 mins in front of us and I was also closing in on skins soloist Bill Shipp & his boat ahead who also went out ahead by about 30 mins. I also hit a lump of wood/branch in the water (which I tried to throw to the boat as a souvenir) and then below me saw a massive dark shadow move in the motion of a shark. It was scary and stopped me in my tracks....I laughed and told myself to get a grip: Tessie (the Tahoe monster) doesn't exist - it was just the light & depth playing tricks on me in the water. Now I was in daylight with the sun rising above the mountains (pic above), this was magical moment and nothing but encouragement from Amy and thumbs up from Reptile confirmed that I had this one pretty much nailed.

Slowly but surely we approached the very quiet Incline Village and just before 9am on 12th August we meandered our way through the moored boats. At last I could see the very welcome sight of sand confirming that I was going to be successful. Amy piloted me into the finishing beach where I limped ashore and we had a massive hug declaring our victory - Amy maintaining I 'had smashed it' and that 'I was a beast' and 'a machine'! 12 hours 26 mins and 58 seconds for the 34.2km. I had done a fresh water 21 mile PB by over 1 hour (my prior best was 13hours 29 in Two Way Windermere which is shorter at 33.8km) and smashed Kevin Murphy (King of the Channel's) British Record by almost 90 mins (and note that the route that he took from Pope's Beach to Kings Beach is actually 1km shorter at 33.2km). I had become only the 52nd human in history (and 2nd Brit) to swim the full length of the course from Camp Richardson to Incline Village! That feeling of humble achievement suddenly just sat so well and I patted myself on the back for all the hard training & preparation i had put in over the prior 18 months.

Hugs all-round then a mere 1 hour boat ride back to Camp Richardson where I treated the crew to breakfast at Bert's cafe (which is becoming a rite of passage for soloists!)

(Team Shezza: Gavin (kayaker), Reptile (pilot), Shez, Em, Joel (observer) and Amy (kayaker))

My recommendations for completing Lake Tahoe:
1. Do an overnight swim of over 10 miles within 3 weeks of the swim. This will give you confidence on the night and will be great prep without overdoing it.
2. Get to Lake Tahoe at least 3 days prior to your swim. The altitude might mess with you. I was pretty breathless for the first 2 days but was fine on the night. I have heard stories of many others turning up on the day or day before and feeling very sick the whole swim.
3. Train hard in fresh water. This is not the sea and doesn't offer much buoyancy. Some say that altitude also offers less buoyancy.
4. Try and do some workouts in an altitude chamber. I did HiiT classes on a rower at the altitude centre in London. That definitely got me fitter, gave me a new outlet during the week and replicated oxygen at 2700 metres (which is actually higher than Tahoe).
5. Work hard on your stroke. I did the weekly Tuesday session under the watchful eye of Dan Bullock from SwimforTri. Those sessions helped get me ready.
6. Swim feed to feed
7. Choose a good pilot. I chose Tom as he is a swimmer, has done this solo 3x, follows a straight course marked by GPS and therefore there is absolutely no wasted effort or a question over the course. He only wants to see you succeed and has piloted people who have taken over 20 hours to swim the length! His patience is incredible.

Some random facts about Lake Tahoe:
1. Lake Tahoe is the 2nd deepest lake in the US and 10th deepest in the world with maximum depth of 1645 feet
2. Average surface elevation is at 6225 feet
3. 2/3rds of LT is in California and 1/3 in Nevada
4. The sun shines in LT 75% of the year or 274 days
5. The lake holds 39 trillion gallons of water, enough to cover the state of California to a depth of 14.5 inches.
6. The place is vast - there are 75 miles of shoreline around the lake
7. The average surface temp in winter is 42f with a peak around 65f during the summer months
8. 125 inches of snow falls at lake level every year with 500 inches not uncommon on the surrounding peaks
9. The surface of the lake takes up 191 square miles. If you stood on the lake surface shoulder-to-shoulder you could fit nearly 1.87 billion people on it - that's over 5x the population of the US.

(Southern 1/2 of Lake Tahoe looking south from atop Cave Rock - the start is in the far distance left of centre!)

(Northern 1/2 of Lake Tahoe looking North atop Cave Rock - the finish is below the mountains in the very far distance to the right!)

Swimming La Bocayna Strait (Lanzarote to Fuerteventura)

I have been fortunate enough to have swum all over the world but I think this relatively short ca. 16km swim has served to remind me the entire reason why I took up this fine sport and genuinely define what I want to get out of it...'To plan and complete the pioneering swims of the path less well travelled'. This was a similar vein in why I took on 70km Lake Geneva solo in 2016 (and indeed Loch Lomond in 2012) but this one actually was remarkably easy to plan/execute and involved some fun strategising with a local pilot, Mauro Poggi, who takes a real pride in his piloting. I only knew of 2 soloists in skins prior to our swim in December 2017 but again the beauty of this swim is that it can be done all year round! We completed it on the 27th Dec 2017 so if you are wondering what to aim towards to keep the training fun in the Winter, why not aim at this one which is only a cheap 3.5 hour flight from the UK?

I had been holidaying over the Xmas period for a while in Lanza (the girls can surf and I can swim!) and in the last few years had witnessed posts from Vicky Middlemast (nee Miller) and Ned Denison succeeding so wanted desperately to get a window to execute this before getting any older.

To cut a long story short, organising one of the finest pilots I’ve ever met was just luck. A friend of a friend of Vicky’s pilot was around during the dates, not only had the fastest 34 foot rib Lanzarote had to offer, was willing and keen to meet me beforehand to plot the route, answer questions etc so that all I needed to do was swim. Mauro Poggi was outstanding and a craftsman of his art with a perfect boat for the job - very stable in a wave, easy to get into and out of plus 640bhp thus only a 10 minute ride back to base. It has two engines, great at idle speed and holds the route perfectly with autopilot. We essentially plotted a route which would be longer than the birds-eye route but would avoid 2 very busy ferry routes.

I managed to rope in Lucinda and Mark Bayliss who also came along for the swim and are always up for one mad harebrained scheme or two! (Most of the photos on this blog are theirs btw - thank you).

We decided to start our swim at a particularly secluded beach 1/2 km west of the famous Papagayo horseshoe shaped bay which Lanza is famous for. Our starting beach was ONLY accessible by boat (in centre of pic below). The coldest part of the swim was stripping off at 9am but once we jumped into the water to swim to the beach, it felt so much warmer in the water than on the boat. The beach was magical and encircled by an amphitheatre of steep rocks. Quite a contrast from a Channel Swim beginnings I remarked! We soon cracked on with the task at hand, cleared the beach and slowly got into a rhythm making steady progress as we could still see the bottom and after 20 mins cleared the southern most point of Lanzarote. 

(Papagayo beaches)


We were headed for the eastern flank of the island of Lobos which marks the 2/3 point of the swim and breaks up the vista with a lovely lighthouse and volcanic rock. Our sighting point was actually the large mountain on the left of the picture below which is a volcano on FV. The water was stunningly clear turquoise with terrific visibility but save for the odd fish, very little came into view in terms of marine life the whole trip. Not a single jellyfish!
After 4.5km, we were in the middle of the channel,  Mark’s calves cramped up and his swim was over having to spend the next 10km helping with feeds and chatting to the pilot - his payback from doing too much running (something I will not suffer from)! Lucinda and I upped the pace and we thumped out a good 3.4km hour. We were absolutely flying along with a pleasant 10mph northerly breeze helping to blow us towards FV! After the 3rd feed on the hour, the lighthouse at the northernmost point of Lobos was right upon us and it was stunning having the island as a distraction. The feeling of liberation being out in the middle of the ocean for me was pretty magical. For someone who limps around on land, this felt like proper nectar. I loved every single minute of it tbh. All the winter training (including a 100x100m session only 11 days prior) really paid off as we flew alongside Lobos island. 

(Looking out from the Papagayo beaches across the straits past Lobos island to Fuerteventura)

(Lucinda and Shezza in the middle of the straits with Playa Banca the southernmost town on Lanzarote in the background)

At the end of the island, we had a good 2km stretch to the sandy beach at FV famous for its kitesurfers and we made towards the right side of a big hotel. It was going to be a tough last hour as now a decent westerly wind was cracking in and the sea felt REALLY big. These were some of the biggest swells I have ever encountered in my life but just felt so much fun. I was never far from the support boat and couldn't wipe the smile off my face. Contrastingly,  Lucinda was now beginning to feel sick in the swell but we had come so far, throwing in the towel was never going to be an option. 'Look how far you have come' I urged! She really showed considerable bravery after being sick to crack on to be within sniffing distance of landing the swim.

We battled through a confused sea into the last kilometre and after seeing the sea bed again, felt reassured we were making enough progress to conclude this swim was ours for the taking. One arm after the other we finally got into a position where the breaking waves meant we could navigate our exit which was easier said than done. I raised by goggles on top of my swim hat to try and work out a clear path to take to walk out of the water but a wave came and ripped them clean off my head never to be seen again. I put my right foot in a hole in the sand (there were many voids from a big rocks) which could have been a real ankle breaker if you didn’t have your wits about you. Eventually, inch by inch we were freed from the breaking waves congratulating each other and in search of shells for the kids as souvenirs! I found 2 massive rocks and shoved them down the back of my trunks without realising how much they were doing to drag me down in the goggle-less swim back to the boat!

It was easy to use the stern ladder to haul oneself back onto the boat and the boat ride back was 10 mins of thrill-speakers exhilaration as Mauro unleashed the potential of 640bhp across 2 engines. It was something to behold being on a boat which only takes 2 hours from Lanza to Africa! Back on the dock, Mauro pulled out some lovely local beers (8% strength!) out of the boat's bountifully-stocked fridge and we toasted with smiles all round. He even stopped at the local Queseria on the way back to wash some local goats cheese down with the beer - sure that helped with the recovery!

I never felt cold once and could estimate the temperature of the water around 18c-20c the whole way. Even Simon Griffiths could do this in skins I think! We reckon the swim was around16km all-in which is an ideal marker for someone new to the sport or upping their distance. I actually couldn’t think of better training for Catalina than this. Would I do it again? Certainly. Everyday of the week. I am even plotting returning for a few other swims I want to do in these waters. Mauro was awesome from start to finish and charged us 100 euros per hour whilst on the boat but threw in pick up and drop off from the hotel too. Between us execution was Eur 700 which I think is a bargain for such a trip. Everything was just perfect, all we had to do was swim.  This is no 'gimme' of a swim and the last 2km is tough (but isn't it always!?) but if it were too easy, it wouldn't be worth doing!

Get in touch if you want more details of the swim. You can find Mauro's page here: https://www.nauticplus.com

Reminiscences of a BLDSA President (2017)

So, the last BLDSA swim of the season, Lynn Regis, is complete and swim event appearances as BLDSA President have drawn to a close for 2017. Everyone has got home safe n' well and everything else is merely a bonus, if truth be told.

It's hard to believe that one can take up this sport in 2010 (barely being able to swim a mile) then emerge 7 years later as president of the nation's most decorated & prestigous long distance swimming club, the BLDSA. The Association would not be run without the dedication of volunteers and it seemed fitting to do one's duty after 4 years on the committee and the whole swim series under one's budgies. The summer has been a delicate balancing act of juggling 60 hour weeks in the city; becoming an expert on the country's transport network; organising 2 major swims; and meeting loads of new & old inspirational people with the backdrop of some of the most stunning locations the country has to offer.

The first port of call for the Presidential year was actually abroad in a swim capacity taking on the SCAR swim in Arizona for the second time after a 1 year break. Pete Fellows was kind enough to donate his time and kayak expertise again as we reunited for the 5000 mile trip stateside. Race Director, Kent Nicholas, RT and the crew run an amazing event of 42-ish miles over 4 days at the end of April and that swim is highly recommended for getting in early-season miles in possibly one of the most beautiful and warmest landscapes on earth. The application process starts in November and sells out in minutes. It's fair to say that Arizona has become almost a second home for me now and it was great to have that 'selfish' release before the season started properly. It was a new experience (to say the least) finishing the C (2nd SCAR swim) at Canyon Lake where a rattlesnake had been swimming only 10 mins previously!

Back in Blighty, the first swim of the season saw a decent contingent of swimmers from far and wide congregate in Nottingham for the annual Colwick Park swim on 21st May. It became apparent very quickly to the safety officer on the day, Richard Hardy, that after taking out the boat for an initial circumnavigation, a thick layer of blue-green algae was seen across the entire 1km course and it was going to be absolutely unavoidable (and potentially very dangerous to all participants). Concurrently, the officials received accounts of how 3 swimmers had been ill during the week, so the difficult decision was made to abandon the event before swimmers had been given a chance to get their budgie smugglers & cossies wet! Safety first.  This decision was not taken lightly, however, in hindsight, absolutely  the right decision was made and all swimmers received a full refund including Entry Central fees.
('All dressed up but nowhere to go?' - Peter Ingham, Howard James and Ollie Wilkinson)

Next up on 4th and 5th June was the annual Wykeham weekend, superbly organised & marshalled by Liane Llewellyn-Hickling with all the help from her family and friends. The swim offers a night-swim (5km on the Saturday) washed down with 5km, 2km and 1km events on the Sunday. Needless to say the event ran as smoothly as ever. Phil Yorke kindly stepped in as President-elect to hand out prizes/certificates as I was rushed stateside again sadly for my father-in-law's funeral in St Simon's Island, Georgia. Liane has been running this swim now for 19 years and steps down as Race Director this year. Million thanks Liane from all of us at the BLDSA for your (and your family's) selfless service to the Association.

The organisation and planning for the Champion of Champions this year made the D-Day landings look like a spur-of-the-moment decision.... In March, we were told that we wouldn't be allowed to use Dover Harbour for the annual 9-miler (despite having 65 sign-ups and 20 on the waiting list) due to pile driving for a new marina which would potentially damage the swimmers' hearing. However, after consulting extensively with Mike Oram (President of the CSPF and experienced pilot), Jane Bell and I managed to find an alternative site in Ramsgate with the help of Mandi Bodemeaid. Our application to Ramsgate was within 13 weeks of the swim but unfortunately we had missed their deadline by one week (wasn't like the pope was coming!); thus we pleaded with Dover to re-accommodate us. They relented and agreed but couldn't guarantee a start time! It is impossible to describe how un-nerving it is to organise a swim not knowing start times OR length of event. As usual we muddled on! In the end, swimmers & volunteers enjoyed one of the finest weather days Dover has ever seen and even an accident in the Folkestone Tunnel blocking most of our kayaker volunteers for over an hour wasn't going to spoil what was, in the end, an amazing day. Once we got the green light, a 10km event with 5km, 3km and 2km events were then swiftly implemented. For someone who really appreciates observing the dark art of front crawl, we were treated to a masterclass with James Leitch (all the way from Glasgow) and Ollie Wilkinson (all the way from Cheltenham) go at it 'hammer-and-tongs' until James emerged as victor by only a couple of minutes. Val Smith showed great tenacity and stubbornness to complete the event with only 5 mins of allotted total time to spare before the cut-off.
It was lovely to meet so many new faces this year, along with the more familiar faces of the Red Top and Nutters contingents. Thank you to all swimmers for being so understanding and I look forward to directing an easier race to organise next year!

One week later, it was up to Ellerton Lake near Richmond in North Yorkshire. Amanda Bell has pioneered a new swim for the BLDSA mirroring the meteoric success of the Champion of Champions (South) format but on the doorstep of our Northern members. Amanda is one of the most charismatic people I know and was able to deploy one of the most enthusiastic gangs of volunteers ever seen at a BLDSA swim. Again it was ace to see so many new faces and the Association is very thankful for this awesome new event. It was very well attended, with very few places spare given no kayaker is required. Liane Bentley and James Leitch dominated the Ladies and Gents 9-Mile event with a young Ellie Knight becoming one of the only juniors in recent years to complete a Champion of Champions event in its entirety. Great swim, Ellie and very much one to watch for the future! Swimmers enjoyed the pure 20c water. Behind the scenes, one of the rescue boats broke the axle of the trailer on the motorway on the Friday (thank god no-one was injured) meaning Mick Blackburn & Martyn Coates dropped everything to repair the axle on the Sunday in time for the long journey to Torbay the following weekend. Oh boy, there's just so much going on behind the scenes to make this all happen!

Andre Roberts stepped up to give back to the sport & the Association by running a sold-out Torbay swim this year. Again, the weather gods smiled upon us and the full experience of the event was  shared thousands of times over social media thanks to incredible footage taken by a drone from a very experienced media friend of his. How innovative! The water was a refreshing 14.9c and very welcome given the blazing sun. The President was treated to kayaker legend Mike Roberts leading him to the first of his PBs of the season but the swimmer made the schoolboy error of forgetting to put sun cream on backs of legs and thus spent the next week regretting it massively (hardly being able to sit down!) Ollie Wilkinson showed again why he is a force to be reckoned with in the briney with a storming 3-hour swim over to Brixham n' back. No doubt this swim will be sold out in minutes after release next year and it is a 'must-have' badge of honour for any Channel aspirant. Andre's enthusiasm is infectious and his experience in swimming & organisational skills boast that of someone far older than his years suggest.

The Bala weekend this year was run by President-elect Philip Yorke (aka 'Yorkie') who is everyone's friend. Again, great weather was enjoyed by ca. 81 swimmers during the course of the 3km, 1km, 6- mile and 3-mile events. 17c water was more than comfortable for most, and we were treated to young Ellie Knight walking away with a new record in the 1-Way 3 mile breaststroke. You have never seen a 15-year-old more comfortable in the water without a wetsuit than Ellie. Without fanfare or bravado, she just 'gets on with it', leaving many experienced front-crawlers in her wake. Yorkie went on to become only the 2nd person in history to swim the Catalina Channel in California on breaststroke during the summer, breaking the previous record by over 7 minutes. Many congratulations from us all mate and good luck in your year as President in 2018!

The Coniston weekend saw both the Veterans (on the Saturday) and Seniors (on the Sunday) take to the water. 35-odd swimmers took part during the weekend. It was a pleasure to be Race Control on both days for Swim Sec. Patrick Smith, who appeared chuffed to get both swims off the ground, especially after all his hard work for the Colwick Park event was snookered by blue-green algae earlier in the season. It was an absolute treat & honour to meet (and re-clothe (!) a cold) 74 year old  Bryan Finlay who is one of the BLDSA all-time greats, joining us all the way from Canada. His stories, energy and 'joie de vivre' are exemplrary; he had Karen Throsby, Stephanie Voss and yours truly mesmerised with his tales of the glory days & sensible views on the state-of-play of the world. The Sunday Seniors event proved to be the more blustery of the two days. Most memorable was witnessing an incredibly brave 13-year-old Isobel Kelly, who came an impressive 3rd in the overall race despite having already swum across the bay before the start, shivering for 10 mins before the swim even got underway (faced with the same situation most of us would have had our first DNS!). That was one of the bravest things seen during  the season; unsurprisingly, she walked away with the Perseverance Trophy presented by aforementioned Bryan. Priceless. I walked thru the door at 1/4 past midnight back in Sevenoaks smiling from ear-to-ear re-living this achievement trying to forget about the 5.49am train a few hours later taking me back to work on that Monday.

Barbara Harding from the Warrington Dolphins then invited the President to be referee for the annual Albert Dock swim with the added bonus of joining the Dolphins for a 90 mins workout the night before at a local pool. I enjoyed learning what a Hungarian Rep session looks like  as I led the second lane, chasing down Michela Richard in the fast lane. One of the best (if not THE BEST) pool workouts of the year. Thank you Barbara & co. The Albert Dock swim itself is open-to-all and superbly organised by Barbara and her group of enthusiastic Warrington Dolphin volunteers. If you are based in that area and are not a member of that club, then you are seriously missing out, as I am envious of the vibe they have. It was a treat to get to know Barbara who does a fabulous job volunteering in the sport and having a few hours along with Andy Wright on the safety boat was ace. Must admit, I was itching to get into the crystal clear water the whole race - definitely one for the bucket list next year.

The weather gods smiled again with Two-Way Windermere this year being the longest and most challenging event of the BLDSA calendar. Being Swim Secretary for 2WW presented challenges due to not only organisational workload but also residing a mere 312 miles from the venue! Thankfully, 20 (YES, TWENTY) volunteers put their hands up to spend a weekend sans-sleep to help,  including the entire 'Class of 2015' swimmers. Thank you all! En-route to the swim a detour was taken on the Friday to pay respects to a hero (who I never met) and first person to swim Loch Lomond, Gerry Forsberg. Anyone can make that pilgrimage to Morecambe. It is an amazingly uplifting experience and one that has been done by past presidents too I see.

10 swimmers managed to get to the start line with their crews, with 50% completing. Rebecca Lewis again smashed her own course record by ca. 8 mins with most spectators wondering how her Dad, Roger, managed to keep up with her.  She set off over 2 hours after the initial wave of swimmers and finished before the whole lot while it was still dark!! Adrian Rotchell won the men's race in a very credible 12 hours 18 mins.  Clare Watkins, Mark Yare and Stephen Maloney also completed the swim, proving that preparation is key to completion. This swim is arguably tougher than the English Channel as it does NOT afford the sun on one's back and far less bouyancy! All finishers should gain huge confidence as they must have learnt a great deal about themselves and their crews. One has to question whether swimmers want their family there at the finish as it is such an extreme event and you may be feeling a bit queazy at the end! I hope that those who were unable to finish  return in 2 years time or even have a crack at Loch Lomond next year in the interim. This was my last time organising the race as I am standing down as 2WW secretary this year. It would suit someone who lives closer to the venue but happy to run through details thereof to the next Race Director who comes forward.

The Ullswater & Derwentwater weekend was a game of two halves, with a very wet and windy Ullswater prove to be no 'gimmie' in unlocking her secrets. Amazingly, we had only one retirement despite some reasonably tasty 13c-ish temperatures. Observe Patrick below regain his swimming mojo after his kayaker capsized near the finish line trying to shelter Patrick from a submerged jetty! Richard Davidson ran the swim again this year but next year hands over the reins to Francis Zielinski. We thank you very much for your contribution to the Association, Richard.
Derwentwater was baked in very welcome sunshine as both 5.25 mile and 2 mile events were started. The finish line had to be moved slightly mid-race to accommodate a slightly irritated private boat hire manager (armed with a rather large adjustable spanner!). Annie Stafford and husband Simon did a great job of keeping everyone in order again this year, and it remains one of the most stunning locations in England. Georgia Amison led the longer event from start-to-finish ably supported by Patrick Smith again volunteering his services for the cause.

With the following weekend responsibility-free, the President took the opportunity to fly out the Shezza clan to Geneva for 10 well-earned sunny days in an AirBnB on the French banks of Lac Leman which (just so happened to)  coincide with the inaugural 12km border-busting swim from Lausanne in Switzerland to Evian in France. A swim where one needs the passport in the feeds bag! This is organised by Tim Davies, Charlie Masding and Ben Barham of the LGSA (who are good friends of the BLDSA) and I expect this swim to sell out fast in 2018, especially as I didn't have to sort my own kayaker - they laid those on for everyone! It was a particularly rugged affair enduring 29c air and 21c water but the pic below showed that one just about coped. Proper open-water swim heaven indeed. It was particularly pleasant being in the same water without the pressure of executing a 43-miler but still a champagne finish. My feed-bag included a bottle of Evian of course!

Dee Llewellyn kindly did much of the behind-the-scenes work ably assisted by marathon-swim-legend Caroline Lewis ahead of One-Way Windermere. Chris Malpass did a superb job of marshalling the troops and leading the swim on the day and thus the President managed to have a dip (and boasting a hour PB finishing in 5 hours 36 with Mike Roberts on the paddle again). It was a real treat chatting to Chris at the finish line and hear him enthuse about enjoying watching front crawl as an art form. Chris is one of the real speedsters in the sport and it must have been gutting for him not having a crack at the record attempt on the day itself as conditions were conducive to fast times.
Fell Foot cafe hosted the dinner again & we shouted out Wendy Figures on a very fine 1WW swim only 3 weeks after her successful English Channel swim. Frances Zeilinski was also celebrated for being one of the few people in history to complete Windermere on both crawl and breastroke. Well done, both!
Overall winner on the day, Rebecca Hollingsworth (who had also joined us for Torbay) headed home to New Zealand having experienced some of the finest weather at swim events Britain has to offer. We are an international bunch now and the world seems smaller somehow!
The President was particularly honoured to present the 2nd man home, Ray Gibbs, with his trophy after all the patience he had with yours truly sorting out his terrible stroke in 2011 & 2012. Ray's coaching and understanding of swimming has resulted in 100s of us swimmers achieving goals that before would have been completely out of reach. Thanks Ray.

The following weekend, after flying into Edinburgh and hiring a car, I drove round the corner into the borders area (between Selkirk and Moffat) and was absolutely blown away again by the beauty of this little talked about place.  I even managed to spot 2 young buzzards sitting on their fenceposts. It's uniquely stunning and has to be a pilgrimage for all marathon swimmers as it is a 'proper workout'. Janet Wilson offered 1km, 3.25 mile and 6.5 mile events with the great Liane Llewellyn-Hickling showing how it is done winning the overall event in water that was recorded at 12.7c.  It appears there is life in the old dog yet with the President posting a PB by ca. 20 mins for the 6.5 miles @ 3hrs 12mins, chasing down Adrian Rotchell who again won the men's inside 3 hours. Helen Brindle deserves a special warm mention as she completed the full event, refusing to be beaten and enduring the water longer than everyone else - almost 5 hours! Quite some achievement and you obviously have come a long way on your swim journey, Helen. The personal highlight of the weekend was watching 2 local swimmers (Susan Angus and Maggie Brown) enter the 1km novice race with their wetsuits, complete the event, then jump back in without artificial insulation to enjoy the water on their skin for another 10 mins under the watchful gaze of the safety boats. Priceless. It brought back personal memories from 2010 doing precisely the same thing -  my wetsuit has been gathering dust in the wardrobe ever since!

For 13 years, Stephen Smith has been expertly running the season finale swim at Lynn Regis. 30-odd swimmers took part in either the novice 1.5km event or, the more challenging 4.5km event. Despite rain being on the forecast, water was above seasonal norms at 16c (although some swimmers begged to differ) with only one retirement on the day,  Peter Ingham. Special mention must go to David Randall who took the 'bull by the horns' and blew the field away to take 1st place overall. Dave is in his 60s and puts us all to shame by training daily and refusing to acknowledge that there is an ageing process. It was a treat also to present Janet Wilson with the last person home and oldest swimmer trophies - again another swimmer who sets herself goals and achieves them without fanfare! Stephen has now 'hung up his trunks' as Swim Sec after finishing this year's 1.5km swim and therefore we are looking for a Swim Secretary to run this amazing event. If you live in Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk or Norfolk, I couldn't think of a more wonderful swim to run as a way of giving back to the sport we all love.

It has been a pleasure either being on the sidelines as official or doing the odd swim this year (only did PBs thanks to Mike Roberts and Pete Fellows on the paddles!). There have been so many times when swimmers & volunteers have amazed me with their bravery & stories. There are simply too many to mention but here's a flavour.....

One such person is Karen Throsby. She had the goal in 2017 to swim 43-mile Lake Geneva but during training got hampered by a wrist injury. To say that must have been gutting is an understatement after ALSO getting injured a day before the starting line the year before in 2016. Refusing to feel sorry for herself, Karen often made the ca. 4 hour round-trip journey to BLDSA swims in the lakes and to Colwick Park to support swimmers in her kayak so that THEY could achieve THEIR goals. You have never seen anyone rejoice more in the accomplishments of others than Karen. She is just one example of many selfless people who generously give up their time to help others in the sport.  If you are one of the people who has benefitted from swimming and want to see what it looks like from the other side then why not kayak or crew on a longer swim?

Another person to highlight at this juncture is Zoe Sadler, who has completely transformed the role of BLDSA recorder in the ca. 2 years that she has been running it. She is on the BLDSA 'front line', every day helping swimmers get individual swims recognised. She has also managed to get the Grand Prix in order. She has hardly swum herself this year, save only the 1.5km at Lynn Regis, so that swimmers again can have their swims accredited properly. It goes without saying that Zoe has been managing literally HUNDREDS OF E-MAILS throughout the year;  she has turned these around RAPIDLY and without complaint to ensure the smooth running of the recorder role & the broader Association. That is, of course, on top of her full-time job in a high-powered industry and key role as Mum of two teenage kids with one finishing GCSEs. Often the role of Recorder is utterly thankless, go OUT OF YOUR WAY to praise ZOE and MAKE HER LIFE EASY.

Vince Classen is another linchpin of the Association. He processes all our memberships which often results in a particularly busy January as swims fill up quickly and immediate solutions to computer/systems glitches are sought.

Sue Coates again spent another year on the 'touchline' often armed with a stop watch which enabled swim secretaries to get on and manage their swims safe in the knowledge that records would be taken properly, standing up to any scrutiny. She only missed 2 swims as an official this year (both Windermere's) and is therefore a rock star of the highest order giving up almost each weekend voluntarily but doesn't even swim!

This remains a sport where swimmers set themselves (in many cases) very daunting goals then realise them. The confidence that then brings is meteoric. Some swims are thoroughly enjoyable for swimmers from start to finish (I hit some proper 'zen' moments myself for most of 1WW!) but in some cases conditions dictate that it's more of the 'Type 2 fun' variety where one enjoys it perhaps more after the event (!)  Either way, the BLDSA is a perfect avenue for anyone to learn something about themselves (and others). As President, I really enjoyed watching the most inexperienced or youngest swimmers beam with pride of achievement for what was very often only a short swim in relative terms. I also observed how some of the older volunteers lead by example and don't blow their own trumpet.  They often get little or no recognition, but without them, the BLDSA wouldn't be where it is today. They have achieved an incredible amount in their lives but they'll only tell you about themselves IF YOU ASK. I put Pat Llewellyn, Janet Wilson and Jean Wilkin-Oxley firmly in this category and wholeheartedly admire the way they all lead by example.

It is worth reminding everyone that the BLDSA is run purely by volunteers. No-one takes a single penny of salary or wage from this organisation. It remains my sincere wish that the Association exists for not only my children but my children's children so that they can benefit from it the way we all have. If you share this aim, then do ALL YOU CAN to put your hand up to help in whatever capacity that may be so that we all IMPROVE THE LEGACY. The Association is always looking for Swim Secretaries, kayakers, boat crews, officials (you name it!). If we all just gave an extra 10% of effort (not leaving it to the next man) then the paying it forward mantra continues to be powerful.

Let me also spare a few moments thought, however, for the boat crews. ALWAYS the first to turn up to swims and ALWAYS the last off the water often 2-3 hours after swimmers had departed. Nothing was ever too much bother. The BLDSA is a complex animal and it's not just a question of taking an admin fee for a channel swim but the reality is in order to run our events successfully and safely, it involves towing boats from Yorkshire to Dover to Torbay, Wales and Scotland (and many other places in-between) to ca. 14 events with often 7 hour drives in horrendous conditions not to mention the many days taken off work voluntarily. Everyone's time is valuable and THAT IS THE REALITY. Fixing axles or replacing trailers WITHOUT A HINT OF COMPLAINT. Thank you to ALL who helped on the boats this year. WE SALUTE YOU and are indebted to you.

Finally, I would like to thank my wife, Emily, and girls, Sophia and Isabelle, for again having to make do with an 'absentee Dad' for much of the summer. Without their support I wouldn't have the platform to just crack on and enjoy the sport that I so very much love. They have been nothing but encouraging all season (ably assisting in Dover too!) but we acknowledge that we are fortunate that this sport has drawn us to places as a family that without the BLDSA and marathon swimming we simply would never have uncovered.

Good luck for the rest of 2017 and look forward to seeing you all at the BLDSA dinner in Cambridge in March which is open to ALL (both members and non-members).

'Shez da Prez'
BLDSA President 2017

Swimming from Switzerland to France (Classic 12km)

So the LGSA (Lake Geneva Swimming Association (https://www.lakegenevaswimmingassociation.com/) has opened up the old 'Classic 12km' swim route which offers swimmers the chance of swimming from Lausanne in Switzerland to Evian in France. A(nother) border buster swim! Liked the sound of that hence applied for the inaugural swim last Saturday 26th August 2017.

Having completed the full length of Lac Leman/Lake Geneva in ca. 33 hours in July 2016 I really fancied the idea of coming back with the family without the pressure of a 43 miler during a 10 day vacation. We stayed in Nernier in France which I think is the most stunning village on the lake but that is another story altogether for another time.

This really should be on everyone's bucket list and is suitable for seasoned veteran or mad-keen newbie. I really couldn't envisage a more idyllic setting & event for someone attempting to increase mileage for the first time over 10km. Wish this had been on the international 'open to all' circuit when I started. Not to be taken lightly but ideal for someone properly stepping it up...

(Easing oneself into proceedings...only small bit of swell to disturb one's stroke)

Stunning crystal clear blue ca. 21c water, air temperatures in the high 80s and hardly a breath of wind. This has to be as close to open water swim heaven as one can get. Usually when I swim in warmish water in the UK I get bitten by duck fleas - NOT so here!

I really love the idea of a cross border swim (ensuring to take one's passport in the feed bag!) and  the LGSA laid on the kayaker (I had 'Chris' from North Devon who was absolutely first class). I have seen the title 'border-buster' used in another swim in the US and this is applicable here.

(Saying Goodbye to Lausanne with attentive Chris giving encouragement)

What was the swim like? Got in and the water felt warm, pure and absolutely divine. Silky smooth like nowhere else on the planet. There was almost no chop in the lake but the odd bit of swell (probably from the odd ferry that is the life blood of this lake). If you stopped to feed (I did 4 times) it was one of the quietest moments of your entire life surrounded by massive mountains. If you are trying to achieve zen in swimming then I think they've cracked it here as most of the ca. 5 hour swim I was in that zone.

3 safety boats with lifeguards, every swimmer had their own kayaker (laid on for them!) and felt safe 100% of the time. Briefings for kayakers and crew were incredibly detailed. There was only one retirement on the day (a wetsuit swimmer who got cramp but after a short rest did get in to finish!)

(My girls swam out for last 200m so we could have the 'champagne finish' together. Observe Sophia taking after the old man's front crawl recovery!)

Tim Davies, Charlie Masding and Ben Barham from the LGSA have put on a great event here and I reckon it'll sell out quickly next year so you can check it as a weekend away or dovetail it in nicely with a family holiday like we did. It's probably more like a 13.5-14km by the time you have finished (and by judging by many of the finishing times) but that's just to warn you to put in enough training. My advice is to look to the side at the stunning mountains & scenery as you'll be finished before you know it and the best views are from that lake.

What an amazing and unique experience. Thank you all involved in the LGSA. All picture credits down to Jaimie Monahan and boyfriend Arik.