TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT

We will be meeting pilot of the Pace Arrow, Paul Foreman at the Dover Marina at 1:30 AM. After loading up and a brief ride, I should be jumping in at Samphire Hoe between 2:30 and 3:00 AM.

Today there were quite a few successful crossings, including 4 of our neighbors here at Varne Ridge. Evelyn and David had the flags of Australia, Great Britain, Norway, and the US of A. The american was Joe Locke from San francisco with an awesome 10 and a half hour swim. The English women's record was broken, and an Aussie right next door swam a 9 1/2 hour crossing.

From Varne Ridge, tomorrow, my friend and current house mate Ian Hodgeson and I will be representing the USA, and 2 irish swimmers will also be taking their turn at the crossing.

Lots more to share, but its time to try and get a bit of rest.........

DOVER: DAY 8

Day 8, and the weather is still pretty crappy though it looks like things will open up next week. Alternating strong winds and rain have been the story thus far and I'm very sad to say that a bunch of swimmers have run out of time and left Dover without their shot at a crossing.... east coast friends Jordan Waxman and Liz Fry among them. Jordan's departure hit me especially hard as we have been training together since spring at Brighton Beach, the Hudson River, and Lake Minnewaska. We both swam MIMS and the CIBBOWS 5k finishing within a couple of minutes of each other and seconds apart... respectively. Liz was planning a double and required a window of clear weather of > 20 hours.

Still, swimmers of the next tidal window (my tide) are arriving daily and another CIBBOWS swimmer, Jim Meier, has just e-mailed me with his plans to go for swim this afternoon.... I'll join him in the harbor around 5PM. 

I've got 3 different sources for weather forecasts, and I check each several times daily:

http://www.windguru.cz/int/index.php?sc=96593
http://www.accuweather.com/ukie/fore...209XT&metric=1
http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=62304

..... such is the life of a EC aspirant.

There appears to be a window opening next week, and as per my pilot Paul Foreman, it is possible to go out with winds predicted at 10 - 15 mph with a bit of 20 mph. With that in mind, it looks to me like the first swimmer will not have the best conditions, so, Paul might opt to take a relay, or offer it to the #1 slot (who happens to be an american, Joe L. from SF). If Joe passes, I have the option, and the way things have been the past several weeks, there is no way I'll turn it down. 

Roz arrives this afternoon, so I'll have a solid support crew with her and John... like a mini Catalina reunion!

DOVER: DAY 5

I arrived in Dover on the 20th of August. It was a sunny day but breezy with white caps visible just beyond the harbor. An international scene and busy for a friday on the pebble beach and in the water with several relay teams (matching kits the dead giveaway) and lots of soloists. The mexican flag was waving and just next to that party was a group of 12 year olds in matching green terry cloth changing ponchos. Most of the gathered were at the end of their mid-august tide.... a complete blowout, but were holding on to some hope that the winds would change and they might get a shot at a crossing before the next tide begins on the 29th. The forecasts are not good.

I spent the night at Churchill House with my friend and Brighton Beach training partner, Jordan Waxman. J has been here for a week and has extended his stay a couple of times already, but time is running out for him, and I fear that if he doesn't get a shot by this weeks end, he will have to abort.
There is a chance (albeit small) that he may get to go out tonight around midnight, but we won't know for sure until 7 PM. Jordan and I have contracted the same pilot, Paul Foreman, and I am hoping to be able to crew for him, so.... fingers crossed. 

I moved into my caravan at Varne Ridge on saturday. Just 4.5 miles south of Dover proper, this will be my home for the next 3 weeks. My hosts, Evelyn and David really cater to channel swimmers, and plaques line the alley of the entrance and include all the swimmers that have stayed here.... the list reads like a who's who of marathon swimming... very humbling. VR stocks a healthy supply of gear and supplies for swimmers including channel grease, feed poles, thermal jugs, glow sticks, etc. and make it all readily available. (perhaps I could have gotten away with just a carry-on bag).

I'll write more later. The sun is shining and I want to get outside.