andy’s english channel swim: august 2007

Not breaking the sound barrier, but the consistency’s starting to look ok.

Missed training on Friday as we had to put down Cecilia’s favourite mare Silhouette after 36 hours of colic. At 22 years Silhouette was no youngster, but had had an illlustrious competitive career with numerous national titles to her name.

My friend Barend Nortje quietly slipped away & swam the 34.5km accross False Bay – only the 4th person to do so – in a record time of 9:17:03. I suppose that’s a valid excuse for missing the regular Clifton Sunday morning swim!

Visit Barend’s website at www.barendnortje.co.za for Barend’s photo’s & notes.

Didn’t train on Saturday. I had joined the South African contingent that had just returned from their successful Rottnest (Australia) swim at Granger Bay, including Gary Austin, the only South African to have completed more than one English Channel swim. We hoped to swim the longer Robbben Island swim, the 10.5 km to 3 Anchor Bay.

Unfortunately on our arrival at the island the conditions were far worse than initiallly expected, and the swim was called off in spite of Mel & Gary having lubed up & covered themselves in sunscreen to ward off the storm clouds & rain.