May 17, 2009 - Dover week 3 - Sunday

Sea temperature:  11.6C
Air temperature:  11.8C
Conditions:  Even rougher than yesterday, confused sea 18-21 knots, small white horses in harbour

When I looked out of my hotel room last night the harbour water was beautifully calm.  Problem is that when I looked at windfinder I knew it wouldn't last!!  The wind was predicted to be 18 knots and rising.  The prediction was right!!

Freda decided that today was the day to go to one longer swim for both soloists and relay swimmers.  The challenge was 2 hours for red hats with an option to come out after 1hr 30mins because it was so cold.  Relay swimmers had 1 hour.

The wind was really strong and it was only going to get worse, so we got going as soon as we were ready.  The breakers on the beach made it challenging to get in, but once in the water felt quite warm - to start with anyway.

The water was much rougher than yesterday.  Yesterday it was large rolling waves and fairly predictable.  Today the sea state was much more confused and I got a fair battering along with drinking a fair amount of sea water.  There were even small white horses to be seen.

The strong cold wind made me feel really cold.  The washing machine was still in overdrive and out of bounds, so I went to the sloping groyne, to the pier, to the sloping groyne and back plus a bit.  This was 1 hour 20 mins and I was now very cold so I got out.  I don't know how the people who made 2 hours did it.  I take my hat off to you!!

On the way home I stopped at the top of the cliff above Shakepear beach and took this photo to show just how rough it was outside the harbour and what we're protected from:

After arriving home I was totally shattered.  I now know that I couldn't have done any more.

What will next week bring - 2-3 hours perhaps?  Let's hope for better weather.