Moving forward....

It's been one week since I've returned from New Zealand. Mother Nature prevailed with storms preventing any swims from taking place during my 12 day trip.   However, I am very pleased that I have the opportunity to attempt to swim Cook Strait in 2014.  In the meantime, I am in full force with my training for the 21 mile swim of the North Channel in Ireland at the end of August.  Today, I swam at Pine Point (Maine) with an ocean temperature of 48F(8.8C) degrees and air temperature of 59F (15C).  I felt comfortable and did not show any signs and symptoms of hypothermia. I will transition from pool to ocean slowly.  For example, on the days that I have off from work, I will swim for 3 hours at the pool, then travel to the ocean for a half hour swim.  I will gradually decrease my pool time and increase the time of my ocean swims each month.  Every three weeks I will have a six hour swim in one day in addition to my normal swim workouts on the other days.  By July, I will have long weekend ocean swims... Saturday 6 hours and Sunday 5 hours.  Early August, I will have a 6 hour swim in one day (remainder of week my usual training schedule).  Mid-August I will have a few ocean swims between 3-5 hours each day. Also, I will be taking "ice" baths a few times a week to prepare me for the bone chilling water of the North Channel. It's a brutal training method but a necessary step in preparing for cold water exposure of the Irish Sea.  The North Channel will be the most challenging swim of the Oceans Seven due to very cold water temperature (52 to 54F) and possible severe stings from Lion's mane jellyfish.  These jellyfish can have a dome (body) with a diameter of 7 feet and tentacles 120 feet long.  Their stings are very painful but are not known to be fatal (thank heavens).  My two experienced crew members, my brother David and sister-in-law Jeannie, are both in the medical field and they are well prepared to face the challenges of my next swim adventure.