by vasanti | Jul 11, 2011 | Channel swimming, Successful Channel swims
Abhejali’s finish around 22:05 European Mean Time near Cap Blanc Nez
Abhejali made it – in 14h 37 (or 38) mins! Ironically maybe even thanks to being seasick in the beginning! Out of the 14 boats that went out with relays and solos, only 5 made it I heart – some were swept parallel to the coast at the end for hours before giving up, others turned round even earlier! Short feeding stops (in the second half), consistent swim speed and a good pilot (here Chris Osmond on Seafarer 11) and crew always have to work together. In a way it may even have helped Abhejali that she was pushed a bit further northeast in the beginning, probably due to her sick stomach and more frequent or longer stops, plus they started earlier – so she stayed further East of Cap Griz Nez and did
Sea Satin and Suva are being swept off parallel to the coast – Anastasia and Pathfinder are doing well, too
not get into the stronger currents off the Cap when the tide turned again, plus she was a little closer to shore in calmer waters near Cap Blanc Nez when the others started being pushed parallel – at least that is what appeared to happen on the trackers. More of the story tomorrow.
One of the swims that sadly did not make it today (with Suva)
Here some more snapshots from the net.
Left: That happens when you cannot cut through the tidal currents, and maybe are even pushed by some wind from Southwest, and don’t have enough left mentally and/or physically to keep swimming till the tide changes again. (The record is 27 hours – so no need to give up here unless you are hypothermic, cramped, running out of maxim/water/gas or you have to catch your plane or be back at work the next day.)
Here one of today’s dramas (see above) on twitter with interesting fotos – one of the many charity swims, and donations are always welcome.
Victory and defeat are interwoven.
Do not try to separate them,
But try to go beyond them
If your heart longs for abiding peace.
– Sri Chinmoy
Love the battlefield of life,
For joy is always breathing
Secretly and openly
In both your victory and your defeat.
– Sri Chinmoy
Happy – Abhejali and her helper team on the way back to Dover
by vasanti | Jul 11, 2011 | Channel swimming
Past the Separation Zone -more than half way - geografically at 15:47 MET
Only briefly: Almost from the beginning of her swim Abhejali became seasick and could not hold anything in her stomach (the swells can be hard on your stomach even if the sea is almost flat). “What shall we do?” the helpers texted desperately. Nothing seemed to work. I texted back that Karteek (10x EC) had been seasick many times, even feeding the fish for up to 6 hours into the swim, and still made it most of the times. Vijaya always got seasick and finally made it. Abhejali fought through it and after 5 hours or so into the swim it got better.
It`s really busy today – 13 boats with swimmers out in the Channel
They have left the Separation Zone, meaning they are more than halfway – geografically!
You never know how much longer the end will be… The sea is choppy now (text message) with constant SW winds.
13 piloting boats are out today, trying to guide their swimmes safely between tankers, ferries, pleasure crafts etc. to French shores.
by vasanti | Jul 11, 2011 | Channel swimming, Dover
Seafarer 11 off with Abhejali from Shakespeare Beach
Exactly at 6:22 Dover time (7:22 MET) on Monday, July 11th, Abhejali started her swim with Chris Osmond on Seafarer 11 – along with quite a number of other swimmers.
Tracker 4 for Seafarer 11 on ais-doverstraits.co.uk
She has tracker no 4 on https://www.ais-doverstraits.co.uk/ (if it works…)
The boats in the Channel can also be followed via: https://www.shipais.com/showship.php?map=dover&mmsi=235018589
Conditions are looking very good – many boats with swimmers are out. Fingers crossed!
Awesome swimming conditons - Photo by Nick Adams on Suva via twitter
by vasanti | Jul 6, 2011 | Channel swimming, Dover
Abhejali (center) with helper Jayalata and pilot Chris Osmond, Dover marina
Abhejali (Czech Republic) from our Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team is waiting in Dover for a solo swim on Sunday or Monday (10/11th of July) – here with her helper Jayalata and boat pilot Chris Osmond. Both girls were part of our EC relay on Sept. 30, 2009 – and I am almost sure Jayalata may one day also do a solo. Abhejali did the Zurich lake last year, fast, in cold weather, and has prepared very well. Fingers crossed! (I would have loved to have an excuse to go to Dover briefly – but she has enough helpers…)
On July 20th Jatnasheel from Heidelberg is going to Dover for his solo – with Harkara from Augsburg as his helper – another future solo aspirant? Both completed our first successful EC boys relay last year (Sept. 2010). The Channel IS infectious!
