Fundraising for my nominated charities has also been hampered - I was amused by a tweet I received @letsraiseamillion from one of the charities that I am supporting which said - 'boo to work, yeah to fundraising'!
'Boo to work' - if only?
If your interested in maritime activities you may be interested to view our latest work. We are working in partnership with the National Maritime Training Centre, Gravesend to develop and co-ordinate training and employability solutions for the maritime sector. Totally unrelated to my channel swim attempt but doing the swim does help to overcome some of the barriers faced within the sector. For some people there's golf for doing business and for me theres swimming the channel?
With the sea temperatures at their warmest, I feel somewhat robbed of the 'warm water' reward that I had earned for the previous 145 hours of open water swimming I had amassed since the season began in May.
Nevertheless, I have continued to train every week, increased my running to four 5 mile runs and swim one x 1 hour speed swim sessions a week whilst choosing to vary my swim locations along the Kent coast, often swimming at times in the shadow of the nuclear power stations at Dungeness!
Sadly this morning saw the last open water session of the season at Dover Harbour with around a dozen swimmers taking the final plunge. Today I chose to swim, then rest, swim and then rest again.
For me I wanted to absorb the sights and sounds of the harbour for the last time this season, watching the ferries turn, the windsurfers fall and the last cruise liner getting ready to sail.
As I observed the final swimmers depart over the heights of the White Cliffs like a flock of migrating swallows, I turned to look beyond the harbour walls to France, visualised what will be required of me next year and blessed the water before looking up at the never faltering Union Jack flag that has watched over me constantly as I overcame the seasons challenges.
Ironically as I left the water for the final time, my old friend ' SFOR' the common seal popped up behind me as to wave me goodbye - yes it can only happen to me? I was joined by SFOR (S for Seal) on three occassions this year - trust me you had to be there?
Although it may have been a 'Sorry September' for me, one amazing Australian sparked rumours that a Great White Shark had been spotted in the Channel. Which only further supports my fathers claim that 'Sharks' are now found in the English Channel?
To-date my father is the only person to tell me that I won't successfully complete my swim of the channel believing that I am too old and will be eaten by a shark before I reach France but I still love him?
On the 8th September, Australian Trent Grimsey swam the English Channel in a New World Record of 6hrs 55mins - unbelievable. Trent was one of the few Australian's to depart these shores with gold this year - White Gold!!
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| Great White Shark |
Meanwhile I would like to welcome both my brother and sister in law to the 'Mr Green' support team. Steve and Heather, some of Yorkshires finest, will be joining my coach Tanya and Sezen as part of my channel support crew for next years attempt - what have they let themselves in for?
Over the next two weeks I will post my planned winter training schedule along with various blogs on the charities and great causes that I am supporting but for now here's a few pictures from this seasons swims.
Thanks everyone for your continued support and please keep spreading the word and help me raise over a million pounds for charity.
