tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40667039853128040592024-03-14T01:30:57.113-04:00Pat's Channel Swimpathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959874947584592198noreply@blogger.comBlogger331125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066703985312804059.post-90409319691827366382023-09-03T03:30:00.004-04:002023-11-22T18:11:44.223-05:00Lake Zurich Swim Results<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEV6r3lWXieneh2Em7bnYGCCuXXqhe7mHAwjcRAXTeDz_SixvA_LnIFhaxxa0ZOOC6XDJuSovUOGO2Tmj4d7FrCFIhQ-2_1JobplRDEd3OgImTmB2um2mPElzHlEW3X5YG1739bIxFY-gOPtuGrjymZIsu2GSmWPT4g8OKS-pXNDw_k2igqC95NjC8xFA9/s4032/IMG_3585.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEV6r3lWXieneh2Em7bnYGCCuXXqhe7mHAwjcRAXTeDz_SixvA_LnIFhaxxa0ZOOC6XDJuSovUOGO2Tmj4d7FrCFIhQ-2_1JobplRDEd3OgImTmB2um2mPElzHlEW3X5YG1739bIxFY-gOPtuGrjymZIsu2GSmWPT4g8OKS-pXNDw_k2igqC95NjC8xFA9/w320-h240/IMG_3585.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> On September 2, 2023 I completed the 16.4 mile designated route of Lake Zurich from Rapperswil to the City of Zurich. In a time of 13 hours and 10 minutes (ratification body Marathon Swimmer Federation). At the age of 72 years and 212 days old. I have completed six swims of the Stillwater Eight Challenge.<p></p><p>It was a challenging swim due to many passenger ferries causing swirls of water. At times I felt like I was swimming in an Endless Pool and not moving forward. For any swimmer to be successful it takes teamwork. My son Tom did an outstanding job as my crew. Martyn Webster from Switzerland was the official observer….he was amazing! I can’t thank him enough for his guidance and knowledge of Lake Zurich. The two boat pilots Dani and Alain did a fantastic job in keeping me safe around all boats and ferries. I want to thank my at-home crew my husband, daughter Sarah, and grandkids for always giving their love and support </p><p>Contact info: patgallant.charette@gmail.com</p>pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959874947584592198noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066703985312804059.post-36648976962327632542023-08-25T14:29:00.000-04:002023-08-25T14:29:56.013-04:00Lake Zurich, Switzerland<p> On Saturday, September 2, 2023 I will attempt to swim the length of Lake Zurich in Switzerland between Rapperswil and Zurich. A distance of 26.4km (16.4 miles) following the rules of the Marathon Swimmers Federation (ratification body). My boat pilot will be Beat Lang of Zurich. My swim observer is Martyn Webster, a record-breaking marathon swimmer from Zurich. And, my son Tom will be my crew. This swim is part of the Stillwater Eight Challenge. This challenge consist of eight swims: Lake Ontario (45 km) between Niagara region of New York and Toronto, Canada; Lake Tahoe (34.2 km) between Nevada and California; Loch Ness 36.2km in Scotland; Lake Malawi in Africa (23.5 km), Sea of Galilee (20.5km) in Israel; Lake Zurich (26.4km) in Switzerland; Lake Taupo (40km) in New Zealand; and Lake Titicaca between Peru and Bolivia. </p><p>At the start of my swim a tracker will be activated.<a href="https://maps.findmespot.com/s/YX6W">https://maps.findmespot.com/s/YX6W</a></p><p>Looking forward to another swim adventure especially after my recent hospitalization on July 4th for anaplasmosis (from infected Maine deer tick). Thankfully, I responded well to the medication and have fully recovered. On September 2, 2023 I will be 72 years and 212 days old. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFsyZ0FEeOZtt6HIMbZSYgRe99Uh_fH5pz4x7stYX_7f85ZiK4j_C59PzktBlCSxvz99plXF73l1lBfohEe7Veclysm436Pzd6sSodlMkQYO98HJ7NO5M6NTAJP6nvLoo9hVRt2AxNlAE4YmTgzcGEF5YQrl2_3CDhGXhXqVMIs-d7Oz7sLB7I9QSS38yn/s4032/IMG_3336.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFsyZ0FEeOZtt6HIMbZSYgRe99Uh_fH5pz4x7stYX_7f85ZiK4j_C59PzktBlCSxvz99plXF73l1lBfohEe7Veclysm436Pzd6sSodlMkQYO98HJ7NO5M6NTAJP6nvLoo9hVRt2AxNlAE4YmTgzcGEF5YQrl2_3CDhGXhXqVMIs-d7Oz7sLB7I9QSS38yn/s320/IMG_3336.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959874947584592198noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066703985312804059.post-41521452190061697472023-06-02T16:19:00.002-04:002023-11-22T18:12:17.820-05:00Lake Malawi Swim results<p>On Monday, May 22, 2023 I had a successful swim across Lake Malawi (24km) in Africa following the rules of the Marathon Swimmers Federation in a time of 13 hours and 5 minutes (ratification body by MSF)) at the age of 72 years and 109 days old. Lake Malawi is part of the Stillwater Eight Challenge. My swim started on the eastern shore of Lake Malawi to the western shore of Senga Bay, Malawi. This swim was by far my favorite swim adventure in my twenty-five years of marathon swimming. </p><p>This swim was organized by Howard James of Open Water Africa. He arranged everything from transportation to and from the airport, to boat pilot, observer (following Marathon Swimmers Federation rules) to recommended lodging. The evening before my swim, we took a one-hour boat ride to the start of my swim. A campsite was set-up by observer Walter Muggleton, boat pilots, and crew. It was so much fun to have meals prepared by Walter cooked over an open campfire. (He's a fabulous chef, too). sunset was breathtaking......I was in awe of Malawi's beautiful sunsets. As darkness approached, we slept in individual tents. </p><p> Swim started at daylight. Please view my YouTube video on my Lake Malawi swim.</p><p>I would highly recommend this swim to any marathon swimmer looking for a unique adventure. You won't be disappointed. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-rNXxTh9JXdXOmf4ZmjxaROaa6EZ1xWxoEqrXgzU9H5jW40coxd5Q5Ebq-XwaWyeosmdU_NSj3-z9ZTAaXAMoyM12syTX0MiU0TgdTX6SpoVpGV2lYjwrtDjwro9rtFPA2dOhdSEIn-er0xutLLEVy_aQS7sRzh2AqqZAwjuVv9AkzSB12UgjhLDuQ/s4032/IMG_2151.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-rNXxTh9JXdXOmf4ZmjxaROaa6EZ1xWxoEqrXgzU9H5jW40coxd5Q5Ebq-XwaWyeosmdU_NSj3-z9ZTAaXAMoyM12syTX0MiU0TgdTX6SpoVpGV2lYjwrtDjwro9rtFPA2dOhdSEIn-er0xutLLEVy_aQS7sRzh2AqqZAwjuVv9AkzSB12UgjhLDuQ/s320/IMG_2151.HEIC" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959874947584592198noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066703985312804059.post-66470071801417547022022-09-24T18:05:00.006-04:002022-09-25T11:11:50.879-04:00Bristol Channel Swim results<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZjIXVP4hKleCrroci81nOk_lrAw_Gdd_PzQO1D7WaY9bEgdkUKff_mik-yhevn_QMkdge4IGjGGKQ6GSQPUL0hJu9ECy2W2fujC-3yCVCgJsY6xu9t5YiN7QVl8BMHV-Rh2kBRi0PcZ_6CdSxGkKaNm0pkfo31ErV1d7_TRfy3pwlV4n3aN2UIUnx0Q/s1351/86e37165-7131-4607-9c69-a95750e070ec.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="1351" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZjIXVP4hKleCrroci81nOk_lrAw_Gdd_PzQO1D7WaY9bEgdkUKff_mik-yhevn_QMkdge4IGjGGKQ6GSQPUL0hJu9ECy2W2fujC-3yCVCgJsY6xu9t5YiN7QVl8BMHV-Rh2kBRi0PcZ_6CdSxGkKaNm0pkfo31ErV1d7_TRfy3pwlV4n3aN2UIUnx0Q/s320/86e37165-7131-4607-9c69-a95750e070ec.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> On Monday September 19, 2022 I had a successful swim of Bristol Channel (16 miles) following the rules of the Bristol Channel Swimming Association and the Marathon Swimmers Federation in a time of 12 hours and 55 minutes at the age of 71 years and 228 days old. Bristol Channel is known for having the second largest tidal flow in the world. It is located between Wales and England. Tides can be very fast and turbulent causing a swimmer to swim much farther. The Original Triple Crown of Marathon Swimming includes the English Channel (England to France), the North Channel (Ireland to Scotland), and Bristol Channel (Wales to England). This historic route chosen to complete the Original Triple Crown is the Porthcawl, Wales to Glenthorne, England also known as the Kevin Murphy and Ted Keenan route (both legends in the marathon swim world). There are several other swim routes from Wales to England but the Porthcawl to Glenthorne was chosen as the iconic route to earn the Triple Crown.<p></p><p> This swim entailed much planning and organization.....checking moon phase, tidal range, weather forecast, in addition to booking boat pilots, observer, and crew. I met with boat pilot Ceri Davies from Swansea and he said that I needed to finish my swim in 13 hours or less due to expected strong tidal flow or my swim would be stopped. Nothing like a little pressure to swim faster and pray for great conditions. There were two swimmers on that tide: Martyn Webster from Switzerland and myself. Martyn's boat pilot was Ceri Davies who navigated Martyn to a successful finish. My pilots Aston, Eliot, and Dave had a smaller craft (rib) and they charted my course. My independent observer was Tom Chapman from the Bristol Channel Swimming Association. He did an incredible job closely monitoring my swim. An observer must document many aspects of a swim for it to be ratified.....he needed to monitor/document my progress with photos/videos, take air and water temps, wind speed, stroke count, and that I followed all the rules of marathon swimming. I would highly recommend any swimmer who wants to attempt a swim across Bristol Channel to contact his association: <a href="mailto:bridgesR4wimps@gmail.com" target="_blank">bridgesR4wimps@gmail.com</a></p><p>For a pilot, I contacted the company Bristol Channel Swimming (Ceri Davies). I chose this company due to their team of experts in boating and safety. I would highly recommend them to any swimmer looking for a highly skilled pilot to help them safely cross Bristol channel. Contact information: <a href="Http://www.bristolchannelswimming.co.uk" target="_blank">Http://www.bristolchannelswimming.co.uk</a></p><p>I had booked this swim several month ago. With the untimely death of Queen Elizabeth II, many mourned the loss of this great queen. Her funeral coincided with my swim date of Monday, Sept 19. Out of respect for her, all onboard honored the two-minute moment of silence at 11:58 am. My crew Jean Murdoch-Gallant blew her whistle to let me know the start of this tribute. In addition, prior to my swim Jean wrote "Queen Elizabeth II" on my right arm. And, keeping with my tradition of having my brothers' names "Robbie and Johnny" on my left arm.</p><p>This swim was successful due to teamwork. My crew (sister-in-law Jean) monitored every moment of my swim. She did an outstanding job. She gave nourishment of Maple syrup (tapped from my trees behind my home in Maine) mixed with Poland Spring Water. My feed schedule was: first feed at two hours and every hour thereafter. Boat pilots carefully charted my course to meet the route requirements. Tom (observer) made sure that all the rules were followed. Many thanks to all of them. I set a record for the Oldest to complete the Original Triple Crown of Marathon Swimming, the first American to complete it as well as the Oldest to swim Bristol Channel (Porthcawl to Glenthorne route).</p><p>Many thanks to my husband Jim, children Sarah and Tom, and grandchildren for their ongoing love and support. Thank you to Tom Chapman for posting frequent updates to Facebook for my family to see my progress during my swim and for creating the video of my swim (posted under video section). A special thank you to Fergal Somerville and his wife Mags of Dublin, Ireland for their support after my swim. Also, thank you to Martyn Webster of Switzerland for his recommendation to swim the length of Lake Zurich (16 miles) in Switzerland next summer. Lake Zurich has been on my lengthy bucket list of swims for the past few years and it's part of the Stillwater Eight Challenge. (Above photo credit, Martyn Webster)</p><p>Also, I would like to thank the Westbrook Community Center's pool director John Smith for his dedication to the sport of swimming.</p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p><br /></p>pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959874947584592198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066703985312804059.post-83873162433540287342022-04-28T03:42:00.003-04:002023-06-07T07:03:20.530-04:00Sea of Galilee swim results<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2agai9f0-OAYQg2nL_5OxDaq8siNyGjB0ddp9AHDM2GDybp3m0i63XNaWfxlY-lRXl9PVB57ILm3thjO_ZbIctyVbmSZegcHQkw7a9brhK_phFYR8ukFfgL3aIyeIm1kjnlkjyOyreMlCxp4ZUHG6bbSDFXOMLKXp7h7nUwuQjDDnhjLzCuOrALlnKQ/s1600/fe62eb28-69be-49a8-8f3d-dbd3e8e94f14%202.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1600" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2agai9f0-OAYQg2nL_5OxDaq8siNyGjB0ddp9AHDM2GDybp3m0i63XNaWfxlY-lRXl9PVB57ILm3thjO_ZbIctyVbmSZegcHQkw7a9brhK_phFYR8ukFfgL3aIyeIm1kjnlkjyOyreMlCxp4ZUHG6bbSDFXOMLKXp7h7nUwuQjDDnhjLzCuOrALlnKQ/s320/fe62eb28-69be-49a8-8f3d-dbd3e8e94f14%202.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>On April 25, 2022 I had a successful swim crossing of the length of the Sea of Galilee (AKA Lake Kinneret, Lake Kinnereth, and Lake Tiberias) in Israel in a time of 8 hours and 22 minutes setting a record for the oldest woman to swim the length. The distance was approximately 13 miles. The Sea of Galilee is recognized as the lowest fresh water lake in the world at 686 feet below sea level. </p><p> This swim was by far one of my favorite swims in my extensive swimming career due to it's rich Biblical history and scenic location. In addition, this swim is part of the Still Water Eight Challenge (includes Lake Ontario in Canada, Lake Tahoe in USA, Loch Ness in Scotland, Lake Taupo in New Zealand, Lake Malawi in Africa, Lake Titicaca in Peru, Lake Zurich in Switzerland, and Sea of Galilee in Israel). I have completed four of the eight..... Lake Windermere was part of the original challenge and I completed that in 2018 but was later removed due to revision of Challenge. </p><p>For any swimmer to be successful it takes teamwork. I had an incredible team: My son Tom did a fantastic job closely monitoring my swim. He provided nourishment of maple syrup and water every hour, and added electrolytes when needed. He was cheering me on the whole distance. Observer Guy Cohen of the Galilee Marathon Swimming Association (governing body of this swim) <a href="mailto:galileemsa@gmail.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">galileemsa@gmail.com</a> was outstanding in every aspect of this swim. I will always cherish his joyful smile and pure delight when I reached the finish line. It is very obvious that Guy is passionate about marathon swimming and wants every swimmer to reach their goal. His Association is knowledgeable about the rules and regulations of marathon swimming. My boat Pilot Stas Schhpek was incredible....he plotted my route from North to South and kept me within the charted course. He's an outstanding pilot...one of the best pilots I have had in my swimming career. He is associated with Wakeboard and Wakesurf School <a href="http://www.wakeboard.co.il" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.wakeboard.co.il</a>. The owner Lior Eliyahu <a href="mailto:wakeisrael@gmail.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">wakeisrael@gmail.com</a>arranged a slot for me last year and he was very helpful in making recommendations on where to stay. </p><p> We stayed at the Ein Gev Holiday Resort <a href="mailto:resort@eingev.org.il" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">resort@eingev.org.il</a> in Ein Gev on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee only a few miles from Lior's marina. This resort has breathtaking views of the lake, a swim zone for training, huge breakfast buffet included in price of room, and staff that are friendly and courteous. I would highly recommend using a rental car while in Israel. Taxi service and Uber is a challenge in this area of Israel. </p><p>I want to thank my home team: my husband Jim (taking care of our kitten Molly), my daughter Sarah and grandchildren for their love and support. A special thank you to Kirsten Read (swim instructor) for her many helpful tips in improving my stroke. And, thank you to Westbrook Pool Director John Smith for his positive energy in promoting swimming. A huge thank you to Tom, Guy, Stas, and Lior for helping me to reach my dream of swimming the length of the Sea Galilee. </p><p>Contact information: <a href="mailto:patgallant.charette@gmail.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patgallant.charette@gmail.com</a></p>pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959874947584592198noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066703985312804059.post-46954958296449958442021-09-23T18:05:00.000-04:002021-09-23T18:05:11.285-04:00Anacapa swim results <p> On Saturday, September 18, 2021 I had a successful swim crossing from Anacapa Island to the California mainland (12.2 miles) in a time of 9 hours and 22 minutes. The Santa Barbara Channel Swimming Association was the sanctioning body. Peter Hayden was the official observer. My boat pilot Captain Dawn Brooks and her crew Dana Brooks and Jerry Sellers (kayaker) did an amazing job to safely guide me across the Santa Barbara Channel. My crew member, Jean Murdoch-Gallant (sister-in-law) was also instrumental in my success. Jean watched every fine detail of my swim. For any swimmer to be successful, they must have a great crew and I certainly did. The Marathon Swimming Federation announced that I set a new record becoming the oldest person to swim the Santa Barbara Channel at the age of 70 years and 228 days. The World Open Water Swimming Association announced that I set a record for the oldest person to complete the California Triple Crown of Marathon Swimming (includes Lake Tahoe and Catalina). Many thanks to my family for their love and support. A special thank you to Yoko for being such a great friend. I would like to thank swim coach Kirsten Read for proving that a 70 year old can improve their swimming technique and become faster. I plan to continue my marathon swims (I have a very long bucket list of swims) but all international swims are on hold until this pandemic subsides. Wishing everyone to be happy and healthy!</p>pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959874947584592198noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066703985312804059.post-40909202256377974662019-08-05T15:09:00.001-04:002019-08-05T16:06:56.635-04:00Results of my Lake Memphremagog SwimWow! I did not see the legendary mythical creature Memphre during my 25 mile swim of Lake Memphremagog but I felt the beast of that lake in the form of headwinds, adverse currents, rips (similar pull of riptides), and unexpected rapidly changing conditions. I was fortunate to have the highly respected Phil White as my boat pilot/ observer. He knows that lake very well and he was able to successfully guide me to the finish line. My sister-in-law Jean was my sole crew.....she went well beyond the expectations of being a crew member. I could not have succeeded if it was not for the both of them. When I started my swim shortly after 10pm on Wednesday night, conditions were perfect.....no wind, flat water, and water temp in the seventies. After 3 hours of swimming, I noticed that my feed plan of low carbohydrates was not giving me sufficient energy. I was surprised by the lower than expected energy level because I was training for the past five months on a low carbohydrate lifestyle and my swim training was going well on a low carb approach. We had a backup plan of very high carbohydrates and we implemented it after 3 hours. I quickly felt a surge in energy once I started to consume higher carbs. I tried a new product called “UnTapped” an organic maple syrup product. It was fantastic and I plan to use this product on all future swims.<br />
Due to the Vermont air temperatures prior to my swim being near ninety, I decided to have electrolyte replacements added to my fluids to prevent dehydration. The supplement was effective and I did not experience dehydration. I was swimming well and expected an 18 hour to 20 hour finish. But about two-thirds distance to the finish line, I felt spasms in my right latissimus dorsi (AKA lats). As I continued swimming, it progressively got worse. I noticed the only time I had extremely painful spasms was on my right arm recovery. I tried other strokes like backstroke and breaststroke but they were not effective. I didn’t want to quit because I felt fine except for my painful right lats. As a marathon swimmer, I had a backup plan to deal with this dilemma......one-arm freestyle and keep my right arm to my side. It was a much slower stroke but at that point all I wanted was to finish my swim. As the currents got stronger, I started to use my right arm as a modified “doggy paddle” and left arm in full stroke. It was a pitiful sight to see but it worked. I reached the finish line in 24 hours and 8 minutes late Thursday evening. <br />
Records: At the age of 68 years and 180 days, I became the Oldest Person to swim the 25 mile length following the Marathon Swimmers Federation rules. Also, I became the Oldest Person to complete the Triple Crown of Lake Monster Swims. And, slowest time to swim the length of Lake Memphremagog. Swimming this lake was an adventure of a lifetime. Again, my success was due to having a knowledgeable boat pilot and crew. <br />
After my swim, I had the usual wobbly legs walking out of the water, clouded thinking, and mild nausea. These are all typical adverse effects that marathon swimmers will experience from swimming for very long hours. However, I experienced distorted vision for one hour and then it resolved. It was the most bizarre adverse effect.......as we traveled back by car to Vermont (I was not driving) I saw some beautiful shrubbery along the roadside. As I turned my head to watch the center of the road, the identical image of the shrubs were now in the middle of the road for about ten seconds and would disappear. We drove through these images. I looked toward the right side of the road again and saw a beautiful line of maple trees. Then, as I moved my head to look at the center of the road, the identical image of maple trees were now in the middle of the road. Very bizarre adverse effect!!! Thankfully it cleared within the hour. I knew that no shrubs or maple trees were actually in the road but my eyes were playing tricks on me. My young 11 year old grandson Trevor explained to me that he believed I had developed a temporary visual perception disorder that was caused by the repetitive motion while swimming.......face down in the darkness of the water then turn face to breathe and see an image, and repeat for 24 hours. This back and forth motion of darkness, seeing an image, darkness, seeing an image for 24 hours caused my distorted perceptual vision. It was a very unique experience.....glad it resolved. I don’t know if Trevor made the right assumption but it sounds plausible to me.<br />
I would like to thank my husband Jim, children Sarah and Tom, grandkids, family and friends for their ongoing love and support. A special thank you to my good friend and training partner Yoko. And, many thanks to Phil White and my sister-in-law Jean for their incredible willingness to see me get to the finish line.....no matter how long it took.<br />
My next swim adventure will be sometimes in November or December. I am scheduled for jury duty in October. I will post my next swim once my jury duty has been completed.<br />
Please see my 3 minute video posted on my blog. Thank you.<br />
<br />
Contact information: patgallant.charette@gmail.compathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959874947584592198noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066703985312804059.post-33085402587038285482019-07-31T20:23:00.000-04:002019-07-31T20:23:46.963-04:00It’s a Go!Due to a recent change in weather, my swim will start tonight, Wednesday, July 31 at 11pm (Eastern Time Zone) from Newport, Vermont. My boat pilot is the legendary Phil White. He is highly respected and admired in the open water swim community. His passion for promoting open water swimming is off the charts. It’s a great honor to have him as my pilot.<br />
My Spot Tracker will post updates every 10 minutes during my swim, click on the link below at 11pm tonight. It is not activated until that time. My sister-in-law Jean Murdoch-Gallant has been a fabulous crew member. She is very well prepared to spend several hours observing my swim. She will be monitoring my stroke count, feeds, etc. Due to recent high air temperatures near 90 degrees and warm water of Lake Memphremagog, we are prepared for possible hyperthermia. Jean will be supplementing my liquids with electrolytes to prevent dehydration. We have two coolers filled with ice (if needed). Also, I will be drinking plain water hourly. I continue to plan to consume low carbohydrates during my feeds. However, we have a backup plan of higher carbohydrates if needed.<br />
My swim will probably take 18+ hours to reach Magog, Canada. If anticipated headwinds increase, my swim could add a few extra hours.<br />
Looking forward to this swim adventure. Thank you to my family and friends for their ongoing love and support. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0cQzrQR4P1hdavSbg6TJMfDDuvmo3zfmv" target="_blank">https://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0cQzrQR4P1hdavSbg6TJMfDDuvmo3zfmv</a>pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959874947584592198noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066703985312804059.post-77078687450787448102019-07-29T21:31:00.003-04:002019-07-29T21:31:40.501-04:00Swim updateThis evening Jean (crew) and I met with Kingdom Swim boat pilot Phil White to discuss my upcoming 25 mile swim of Lake Memphrémagog. His experience and knowledge about this lake is phenomenal. I am very fortunate to have him as my pilot. He reviewed all weather forecast for the next few days. Because thunderstorms are predicted for the next two days, he has recommended a 5am (EST) start on Thursday morning from Newport, Vermont. Due to the increase air temperature of high eighties and warm water temperature of 72 degrees. I will be drinking plenty of water with electrolytes added to prevent dehydration from the heat.<br />
I will activate my tracker 10 minutes before the start of my swim. The tracker will be on the boat and I will swim parallel to it. The tracker will update every 10 minutes in live time. Tracking link is in last post.<br />
Many thanks to my family and friends for their ongoing love and support.pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959874947584592198noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066703985312804059.post-25335750325395037842019-07-26T14:36:00.002-04:002019-07-26T17:57:34.818-04:00Lake Memphremagog Swim 2019My next swim adventure will be a 25 mile swim of Lake Memphremagog starting in Newport, Vermont and finishing in Magog, Canada. This swim is part of the Triple Crown of Lake Monster Swims. The other two swims are Loch Ness in Scotland and Lake Tahoe in California. Each swim has a legendary monster lurking below......I did not see Nessie in Scotland or Tessie in California. My swim will be in search of Memphre. The legend of Memphre continues in folklore of the area. There is a history of sightings since the 18th century. Will I see this legendary lake monster? Perhaps, I will be lucky enough to get a glimpse of Memphre.<br />
My boat pilot is Phil White and I will be following the rules of the Northeast Kingdom Open Water Swimming Association. The rules are like many other marathon swims associations: start on dry land and finish on dry land. No wetsuit or neoprene allowed. Swimmer must wear a regulation swimsuit, cap, and goggles. Swimmer cannot be touched. Swimmer cannot touch boat during swim. If my swim is successful, I will be the oldest person in history to complete the Triple Crown of Lake Monster Swims. My crew will consist of my sister-in-law Jean.......she has crewed many of my marathon swims. I am looking forward to my 3 day slot date starting on Tuesday, July 30.<br />
My Spot Tracker will be activated ten minutes prior to the start of my swim. The tracker will give updates every ten minutes in live time. See the attached link below.<br />
Once I meet with my boat pilot, I will update my blog with start time of my swim. I believe that it will take me about 18 hours to swim the length of Lake Memphremagog if conditions are good. If the conditions are choppy, my swim will take much longer.<br />
Also, many of my friends know that I have been on a weight loss journey by following a healthy low carbohydrate food plan. I plan to follow this approach during my swim by keeping my carbohydrates low. This will be my very first marathon swim on this food plan. I believe this approach will be successful because I have been training for nearly five months on low carbohydrates. <br />
My swim will be dedicated to my brothers' Robbie and Johnny. Many thanks to all of my family and friends for their ongoing love and support.<br />
Contact info: patgallant.charette@gmail.com<br />
<br />
<a href="http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0cQzrQR4P1hdavSbg6TJMfDDuvmo3zfmv" target="_blank">http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0cQzrQR4P1hdavSbg6TJMfDDuvmo3zfmv</a>pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959874947584592198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066703985312804059.post-27326828156884071512019-03-01T07:47:00.001-05:002019-03-06T23:20:01.804-05:00Results of Cook Strait swimMy swim started from the North Island of New Zealand on a very calm and sunny day. I felt strong during my 12+ hours of swimming. I had no doubt that I would finish. Then Mother Nature provided very powerful currents and wind. My boat pilot Philip Rush rightfully stopped my swim a few miles from the finish line for safety of swimmer and crew. As the zodiac boat got closer to the main boat, a large wave caused the zodiac boat to crash into the main boat. The zodiac was damaged and started to sink with Phil, Tom, and myself still in it with all our gear. We scrambled to the safety of the main boat. The Zodiac boat was hoisted to the back of the main boat.<br />
Swimming Cook Strait was quite the adventure even though my swim was a “DNF”. I will not be returning to attempt again. I am satisfied with completing six swims of the Oceans Seven.<br />
I would like to thank my family and friends for words of encouragement and support. My son Tom was an incredible crew....I greatly appreciate everything he did. And, thank you to my daughter Sarah for posting updates on Facebook. My husband Jim is forever encouraging me to reach for my dreams...I can’t thank him enough.<br />
Also, a special thank you to Suzi Boccanfuso for helping me improve my stroke....it worked. And, finally many thanks to Yoko Aoshima, my best swim buddy ever....she helped to reinforce Suzi’s advice.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC-BzZemQhm4IF_xpa1W1OUzIyrMVufCYOFX_gIKtpnRzW3D00bx9X_qk1dy3Wa3fD_9Jj0glpM5shqoCanPg3nRbKUhvqlfiInduEm5J0_xOdVwtMoi2N3_HsCp0APzmhHFpxI5Hu61p2/s1600/IMG_1628.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1188" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC-BzZemQhm4IF_xpa1W1OUzIyrMVufCYOFX_gIKtpnRzW3D00bx9X_qk1dy3Wa3fD_9Jj0glpM5shqoCanPg3nRbKUhvqlfiInduEm5J0_xOdVwtMoi2N3_HsCp0APzmhHFpxI5Hu61p2/s320/IMG_1628.PNG" width="237" /></a></div>
pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959874947584592198noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066703985312804059.post-24835793389394701972019-02-28T02:17:00.000-05:002019-02-28T02:17:25.823-05:00It's a go!It's a go! My boat pilot Philip Rush called me moments ago to confirm that the weather pattern has improved. I will start my swim within the next 12 hours. If you are living in the Eastern Time Zone, my swim will start around 1pm on Thursday. In New Zealand (18 hours ahead of EST) my swim will start around 7am on Friday morning. The tracking link below will be activated 10 minutes prior to the start of my swim. The link that I posted two weeks ago was deleted. This SpotTracker will give live updates every 10 minutes. Also, cookstraitswim.org will have another tracking device activated. Please visit their website if there is a problem with my tracker. Philip Rush is not only the boat pilot but he is the official of this swim. My son Tom will be my crew member.<br />
This swim will be an adventure of a lifetime......especially at the age of 68 years and 27 days old.<br />
Many thanks to my family and friends for their encouragement and support. A special thank you to Suzi Boccanfuso for helping me to improve my stroke technique. And, a huge thanks to my great friend and swim buddy Yoko Aoshima.<br />
My daughter Sarah will post on Facebook. She will not be updating my blog because the live tracker will be viewed instead. Within 24 hours of completion of my Cook Strait, I will post an update regardless of the outcome. Thank you everyone.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0IOiAzUoDTaxU4i2tgzD59O97OFY9Lei8" target="_blank">http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0IOiAzUoDTaxU4i2tgzD59O97OFY9Lei8</a>pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959874947584592198noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066703985312804059.post-9876455693391044522019-02-27T18:28:00.000-05:002019-02-27T18:28:27.783-05:00What a surprise!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEingwG49Wrca8bOMbhb-517e9Cvt8Xi7CyZi0QJrQEN0YJv1x0r5g-Jc9SA857YT9xjUzWW4XJzEfAWmosr52zCKl4jrlyHat19qdII92wyvNULxVd3P-WArEua6s27SH46M4NTY5Y0GVYM/s1600/IMG_1552.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1579" data-original-width="1223" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEingwG49Wrca8bOMbhb-517e9Cvt8Xi7CyZi0QJrQEN0YJv1x0r5g-Jc9SA857YT9xjUzWW4XJzEfAWmosr52zCKl4jrlyHat19qdII92wyvNULxVd3P-WArEua6s27SH46M4NTY5Y0GVYM/s320/IMG_1552.PNG" width="247" /></a></div>
This morning I received an email from the US Masters Swimmer Magazine stating their newest issue was available online. I knew that Elaine Howley wrote an article about my swimming endeavors and it would be in their March issue. What I didn’t know was that I made the cover. To say the least, I was stunned! Photographer Gabe Souza took this photo of me at the Casco Bay YMCA. Many thanks to Elaine Howley for writing a wonderful article. And, many thanks to US Masters Swimmer Magazine for promoting open water swimming.pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959874947584592198noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066703985312804059.post-55137654130077399542019-02-27T02:23:00.001-05:002019-02-27T02:23:31.144-05:00Cook Strait updateDue to gale force winds between the North and South Island of New Zealand, my boat pilot Philip Rush has cancelled day #2 of my 5-day slot. However, extended forecast is promising. I believe my swim of Cook Strait will start around 1pm on Thursday (Eastern Time Zone). Because New Zealand is 18 hours ahead of Eastern Time Zone the start time in New Zealand will be around 7am on Friday (NZ Time Zone). So for my family and friends back home in Maine, I would start checking the tracking link on Thursday at 1pm. The Spot Tracker will be activated about 20 minutes prior to the start of my swim. I will post link tomorrow. And just a reminder that my tracking device will be on the boat, I will not be wearing it. The tracking device will give live updates every 10 minutes. Thank you everyone for your words of support.pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959874947584592198noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066703985312804059.post-50354211776431674362019-02-26T02:27:00.000-05:002019-02-26T02:27:07.715-05:00Windy WellingtonI just got off the phone with my boat pilot Philip Rush and he reported that conditions are not good for a swim tomorrow (Wednesday) due to wind gusts. However, the forecast for Thursday and Friday look promising. I went for a short training swim in Wellington Harbor this morning and water temperature is tolerable at 59 to 61 degrees. In the meantime, my son and I have been having a relaxful but fun day in Wellington.pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959874947584592198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066703985312804059.post-59238599910395130832019-02-25T02:49:00.000-05:002019-02-25T02:49:20.391-05:00Cook Strait swim...the wait begins.Today I spoke with my boat pilot Philip Rush about my tentative swim day. Gusty winds continue to be a problem in the Cook Strait. No swim is scheduled for tomorrow. I will update my blog daily. Just a reminder that New Zealand is 18 hours ahead of the Eastern Time Zone. So, if my swim starts on Thursday at 7am in New Zealand, the time zone in Maine (EST) would be 1pm on Wednesday. Thank you everyone for sending words of encouragement and support. It’s very much appreciated.pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959874947584592198noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066703985312804059.post-6437490877590357002018-12-19T15:16:00.001-05:002019-02-27T22:30:22.572-05:00Countdown to 2019 Cook Strait<a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_823245028"></span><span id="goog_823245029"></span>It's countdown to Cook Strait, my last swim challenge of the Oceans Seven. I will be in Wellington, New Zealand with my son Tom on Monday, February 25, 2019. My five day slot begins on Wednesday, February 27. My boat pilot and organizer of this swim is Philip Rush. This swim will start early morning and I will swim 16 miles between the North and South Island of New Zealand. This swim will be very challenging due to its cold, rough water, strong currents, and frightening marine life. My boat pilot will decide the morning of my swim which start location (North or South Island) depending on currents and wind. If he decides to start me on the South Island, we will take a boat ride to the start. I am currently training six days per week. My focus has been on improving my stroke technique so I can swim faster. I have been very fortunate to have Suzi Boccanfuso, Head Coach of the Casco Bay Y swim team, give me weekly swim lessons. She has been a tremendous help and my swim pace has certainly improved. To have a successful swim of Cook Strait, a swimmer not only needs to be fast but needs Mother Nature on their side. Currents are very strong in the Strait. Five years ago, I attempted Cook Strait and experienced a DNF (did not finish) due to strong currents slowing my pace. <br />
If I am successful, this would be a world record for the Oldest Person to complete the Oceans Seven (Guinness World Record) and a record for the Oldest Woman to swim Cook Strait. My good friend Marilyn Korzekwa of Canada is the current record holder set at the age of 59. I will be celebrating my 68th birthday in February before my swim. <br />
I will have a Spot Tracker activated 10 minutes prior to the start of my swim. See link below.<br />
Once I arrive in Wellington, I will have contact with my boat pilot to discuss which day he recommends for a swim. I will update my blog on the day and time of my swim. Hopefully, two days after my swim, I will attempt to swim 24 miles across Lake Taupo on the North Island. Lake Taupo is part of the Still Water Eight Challenge (Eight challenging lake swim worldwide). So far, I have found these lake swims to be as challenging as any ocean swims. To date, I have completed four out of the Still Water Eight: Lake Ontario, Lake Tahoe, Loch Ness, and Lake Windermere. <br />
Many thanks to my family and friends for their encouragement and support. Also, I would like to thank Swimsuits for All and Lake Region Imports for their sponsorship.<br />
Please see newest post for updated link.pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959874947584592198noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066703985312804059.post-53603922553087779482018-11-17T14:32:00.000-05:002018-11-17T20:39:22.788-05:00International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/NpvrgIPZhFg/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NpvrgIPZhFg?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
On November 10, 2018 I received a surprise of a lifetime during the Global Open Water Summit in San Francisco. While sitting in the audience, I watched several outstanding speakers give fabulous presentations on open water swimming. Ned Denison, the Chairperson of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame gave his video presentation from Ireland. I was sitting in the audience watching a large projector screen of the above video. I was stunned when I heard my name called that I had been inducted into the IMSHOF. I cried tears of joy. Many thanks to IMSHOF for voting me into the Hall of Fame. A special thank you to Ned Denison for surprising me.....it’s a moment that I will always cherish.<br />
It takes a team for a solo swimmer to be successful. Many thanks to my husband, children,<br />
grandchildren, family, friends, and all my crew members and boat pilots for their incredible support. Thank you to the best friend ever, Yoko Aoshima, who has been a tremendous swimming partner. A special thank you to my son Tom for encouraging me many years ago to try open water swimming as a tribute to my brother Robbie. To Robbie and Johnny this is for you.pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959874947584592198noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066703985312804059.post-51105277417290566972018-11-03T20:58:00.000-04:002018-11-03T20:58:31.414-04:00Nominated for WOWSA, Woman of the Year The World Open Water Swimming Association has announced the nominees for the 2018 World Open Water Swimmer, Woman of the Year. At the age of 67, I am humbled and honored to be nominated along with fourteen swimmers worldwide. The voting has started on the website World Open Water Swimming Association (see attached link). Anyone can vote. Please read all nominations and vote today. You can only vote once per email address. Voting ends on December 31. Winner will be announced on January 1. Thank you.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.worldopenwaterswimmingassociation.com/" target="_blank">www.worldopenwaterswimmingassociation.com</a>pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959874947584592198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066703985312804059.post-8803744153392984162018-09-17T19:59:00.000-04:002018-09-17T20:06:05.654-04:00Never Too OldThe World Open Water Swimming Association will be holding their Global Open Water Conference in San Francisco in November. I am greatly looking forward to giving a presentation on the topic “Never Too Old”. Please visit the website “Daily News of Open Water Swimming” for further information. Thank you. <a href="http://dailynews.openwaterswimming.com/2018/09/never-too-old-facing-challenges-with.html" target="_blank">http://dailynews.openwaterswimming.com/2018/09/never-too-old-facing-challenges-with.html</a><br />
<br />
Contact information: patgallant.charette@gmail.compathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959874947584592198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066703985312804059.post-57916877996140020532018-09-03T16:16:00.001-04:002018-09-03T16:16:16.798-04:00Video of Loch Ness, 2018I have posted a video of my Loch Ness swim on the desktop version of my blog. Also, this video can be viewed on YouTube. Please visit my YouTube channel and select Loch Ness, 2018. Thank you.<br />
<br />
Contact information: patgallant.charette@gmail.compathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959874947584592198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066703985312804059.post-57530102942416839532018-09-03T16:11:00.000-04:002018-09-03T16:17:40.855-04:00Lake Tahoe swim videoI have posted my Lake Tahoe 2018 video on the desktop version of my blog. <br />
Also, the video can be viewed on my YouTube channel...type in Pat Gallant-Charette and select Lake Tahoe, 2018. Thank you.<br />
<br />
Contact information: patgallant.charette@gmail.compathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959874947584592198noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066703985312804059.post-36724946786072426152018-08-23T02:20:00.003-04:002018-08-23T15:19:03.012-04:00Lake Windermere swim results On Wednesday, August 22, 2018, I successfully reached the finish line of Lake Windermere (12 miles) in England at the age of 67 years and 201 days. My time was 7 hours and 38 minutes. My fourth swim of the Stillwater 8 challenge. My crew of David and Jeannie Gallant, and Jean Murdoch-Gallant were instrumental in my success. They closely monitored my swim and never took any breaks. They were absolutely amazing. My boat pilot, Julie Bradshaw, was a tremendous help, too. Julie has piloted many swimmers and knows the best route to swim. <br />
Many thanks to my daughter Sarah for updating Facebook postings. A huge thanks to my husband who has been extremely supportive of my swim adventures. And thank you to my son Tom who encouraged me several years ago to try open water swimming. My swim was a tribute to my brothers Robbie and Johnny, and to my mother.<br />
<br />
Contact information: patgallant.charette@gmail.compathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959874947584592198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066703985312804059.post-50171641641851051482018-08-20T07:19:00.001-04:002018-08-20T07:19:16.929-04:00Lake Windermere swimOn Wednesday I will attempt to swim across Lake<br />
Windermere in England. The length of this lake is 12 miles. I am swimming Windermere because it's part of the Stillwater Eight Challenge (Eight lakes worldwide). My boat pilot will be swimming legend and International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame inductee Julie Bradshaw. She was the first person to swim Butterfly across the English Channel. My crew will be David and Jeannie Gallant and Jean Murdoch-Gallant. My spot tracker will be activated 10 minutes before the start of my swim. Keeping my fingers crossed for great conditions.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0QdY9Jm40VervWiCgIoR3EfGJaSVzUfSE" target="_blank">http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0QdY9Jm40VervWiCgIoR3EfGJaSVzUfSE</a>pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959874947584592198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4066703985312804059.post-28849751783991126562018-08-20T06:24:00.001-04:002018-08-20T06:30:23.130-04:00Loch Ness swim resultAfter swimming for 13 hours, 45 minutes, and 45 seconds, I reached the finish line in Fort Augustus. My crew David and Jeannie Gallant, Observer Jean Murdoch and boat pilot/observer Ryan Tozer were instrumental in my success. They were incredible! I can’t thank them enough.<br />
My swim will be ratified by the Marathon Swimming Federation. At the age of 67 years and 198 days I became the Oldest Person to swim the notorious Loch Ness.<br />
I was fortunate at the beginning of my swim to have a strong tail wind pushing me to the finish. Mother Nature provided very good conditions. <br />
Many thanks to my family and friends for their ongoing encouragement and support. I am overwhelmed with gratitude for my crew. They were absolutely amazing. Also, thank you to my daughter Sarah for posting updates on my swim.<br />
Now, onto Lake Windermere in two days.<br />
Contact information: patgallant.charette@gmail.compathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13959874947584592198noreply@blogger.com5