Isle of Wight - Sunday 13th August

[Juicy Lucy]

Good luck to you open water swimmers who will be travelling to the Isle of Wight this weekend for the Sandown to Shanklin swim. Hope the water isn't too cold!

________
JL

[Leprechaun]

Good luck to you open water swimmers who will be travelling to the Isle of Wight this weekend for the Sandown to Shanklin swim. Hope the water isn't too cold!

________
JL

Thanks - will be there, Prof too plus a few other Guildford (area) swimmers as well.

[e-fitz]

good luck all, the water is almost tepid, but watch out for the jellies - there seem to be more about this year...

I'll be trying to avoid the stingers (and other debris) in Dover harbour, otherwise would certainly be there...

[Rick O'Shea]

good luck all, the water is almost tepid, but watch out for the jellies - there seem to be more about this year...


______________________________

You must be joking! Is there anything that can be rubbed/ sprayed on yourself to keep them away? How painful is a sting anyway?

Rick

[e-fitz]

Any barrier cream will help - try smearing vaseline over exposed parts (useful for greasing up opponents goggles in the scramble at the start:devil: ) The cool water will suppress any pain until you emerge, but as your skin warms up, the stings get worse. The advice I have received is:


don't rub or scratch, this can release more of the toxins.

vinegar can be helpful to neutralise any toxins not yet released - though it has little effect on existing stings

Use a cold compress - ice in a bag for 5 to 10 minutes

Use an anti histamine cream or lotion, though some say this has little effect


The stings are a bit like a nettle rash and the ones I picked up in the Menai lasted about 9 hours. The vinegar shower did little but make me smell like a fish supper and I tried anti histamine, but I don't know whether the pain was reduced or not - i.e. I don't know what it would have been like without it.

You could of course be lucky and the tides/current may have taken the little efforts somewhere else.

like Dover harbour...

[Juicy Lucy]

I've just received an invitation to attend the garden party at the Isle of Wight the day before the sea swim, to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the IoW Masters club.

Anyone else going? Maybe I'll see you there at the barbecue?

JL

[GettingFaster]

I'm sadly not going to be there - not even on the Isle of Wight - as I'll be in Stratford-upon-Avon at a Hell's Angels rally. No, really! Even bought the leather trousers to wear on the 3hr bike ride!

But I can strongly recommend a very nice hotel in Shanklin if anyone wants to pop in for a little light refreshment afterwards. PM me for details, but there might be the odd 'special offer' available for swimclubbers, as long as I get approval from the Powers That Be.

[Linny]

you are at the bulldog, take yr wet wipes.And your funnel. ;)

[GettingFaster]

Both packed (or on tomorrow's shopping list), thanks Linny and blob. Also Tupperware. And Mrs Pavaroti is at it again.

[Rick O'Shea]

Well, Leprechaun, how did your swim go? I didn't see any jelly fish. In fact I had great difficulty in seeing anything. Couldn't see the yellow buoy at Shanklin, and the canoes were invisible too. The sea got a but choppy near to Shanklin and the water felt colder as the swim progressed. I didn't like the taste of the salt water either. I'm lost without a straight black line to follow. This was the first time I'd tried sea swimming and I won't be going again next year. Organisation was very good - as was the weather.

[Leprechaun]

Well, Leprechaun, how did your swim go? I didn't see any jelly fish. ... I won't be going again next year. Organisation was very good - as was the weather. hi rick i had to get away quickly as fastcat was delayed on way out and canx on way back. i loved the swim water warm and two mile swim with sun on back what more could one want? last bit was hard as tide strong. i wished had more time to walk course and see landmarks. had problems seeing targets but to be honest i blame own shortcomings! i will be there next year .dont give up rick swim to enjoy then build pace up as you get more experience. theme are no lines flags etc but what the heck. and we had the tide to help.

[Immy]

Good to read comments from Rick and Leppy, as I had entered this swim but decided at the last minute that the weather conditions (very windy!) and serious lack of training made me an unsafe prospect!

I don't usually pass up the chance of a trip to the Island, 'cos it's a gorgeous place, and also I've got every respect for the organiser and hope the whole event was a complete success, but I think, from reading these accounts, that I probably made the right decision.

Maybe next year...

Out of curiosity, how much are you aware of the tide-assisted effect?

[Rick O'Shea]

Out of curiosity, how much are you aware of the tide-assisted effect?

I can't say it helped me. I didn't feel as though I was being carried along, but I suppose I must have been, to a large extent. This was my first sea swim and I was surprised that after the mad rush to the first buoy 100 yards from the beach, I didn't see another swimmer during the whole race. I could have been swimming alone near to the French coast for all I knew! I stopped often to look for the cliffs and then did thirty strokes with my head down. When I looked up again the cliffs were in a completely different direction. I must have zig-zagged all the way.

All 100 swimmers who started, finished the race without problem, which was great. The young boy, aged 18, who won was pretty good. Four minutes ahead of the second swimmer. Still not sure about entering next year. Maybe time will help to deflate my negative thoughts.

[Leprechaun]

I can't say it helped me. I didn't feel as though I was being carried along, but I suppose I must have been, to a large extent. This was my first sea swim and I was surprised that after the mad rush to the first buoy 100 yards from the beach, I didn't see another swimmer during the whole race. I could have been swimming alone near to the French coast for all I knew! I stopped often to look for the cliffs and then did thirty strokes with my head down. When I looked up again the cliffs were in a completely different direction. I must have zig-zagged all the way.

The mad rush at the start is probably the hardest bit of it all. And not being the fastest (middle even) distance freestyler that ever moved then I dont gain by dashing in with the leading bunch. I think the tide was noticeable from about half way along, can recall thinking "this is really quite pleasant, taking long strokes and just cruising along". Having had so little time to acquaint with the shoreline, I tried to keep alongside any other swimmers but yes, at times you can feel like you are the only one, particularly if you only breathe to one side! I think you have to go more than 30 strokes though (surely you dont breathe once every 30?). I have tried to work out some sort of stroke count for say 200m and try to work in larger chunks, but the idea of continually lifting ones head up to check directions is not for me.

All 100 swimmers who started, finished the race without problem, which was great. [QUOTE=Rick O'Shea;65255]The young boy, aged 18, who won was pretty good. If its the one who won at Brighton he is very good!

Still not sure about entering next year. Maybe time will help to deflate my negative thoughts.. Not sure anyone ever said it was easy! It is quite different to racing in a pool thats for sure and I prefer to treat it as a completely different experience as opposed to a variant of pool swimming. As I had never swum more than 50-60m in the sea until last years channel relay I am still in the excited newcomer category.

[Immy]

...I didn't see another swimmer during the whole race. I could have been swimming alone near to the French coast for all I knew!....

OMG :aarrgghh: well not only had I selected to swim breaststroke, and would therefore have been miles behind - nautical miles, I guess, given the location - but I'm as blind as a bat and wouldn't have had a clue where I was going! And I must admit I would have needed the tide-assistance to have been the strength of a water-park flume-ride!! :fingers:

Big respect to you 2 for doing it!!

[Leprechaun]

Maybe next year...

Out of curiosity, how much are you aware of the tide-assisted effect?

We got the results last week, just to let you know the effect of the tide:

I finished, as they would say on the Tour de France, in the middle of the "Peloton", ie nothing special. The course was 2 1/4 miles, call it 3500m for cash. My time of 34 mins 5 secs for 3500m would be a storming swim at International (ie in a pool) level so for me to achieve that (my 1500 free indoor is a paltry 21:45) then I would have have to have had more than several vats of testosterone (to maintain the Tour connection!) and also worn flippers too, and a substantially better freestyle stroke that my current offering.

Next tidal assist is Southsea (Portsmouth) pier to pier

Thought (some of) you might appreciate an action picture of the Cork Lee Swim start at end of July. E-fitz is in the melee at the front, I think I might be one of the laggards looking for clear water....


See youse there

[Rick O'Shea]

We got the results last week...

Received my results too Leprechaun. I was pleased with my first sea swim, and finishing in the faster half of the field, until I noticed that a guy in his 60s, nearly three times my age, finished third.