Weekly Review

NB Please scroll to the bottom for a selection of the photos taken

We pay our respects

It’s been a little over a week since Queen Elizabeth II passed away. The country & Commonwealth continue to mourn and show great outpourings of love and respect. People share their memories of her and it is clear that we have lived through an era with Queen who has influenced the world and touched our hearts.

Thousands of people have lined up to pay their respects. I know that we Brits like a good queue but this is a queue that is so big that it could be seen from space! I know a few DCTers have taken their place in the queue and everyone I’ve heard talk about it have said how the time it took was worth it, it was an experience that they’d never forget.

I really wanted to also pay my respects but my work schedule (with DCT I work 7 days a week) wouldn’t allow it. But I do work in London some of the time during the week. So, even though I really didn’t have time to do it, nor the energy required, I decided that although I couldn’t visit the Queen lying in state, I did have time to walk to Buckingham Palace and then on to Green Park to visit the floral tributes and pay my respects.

Whilst it was busy, the atmosphere was relaxed, the security measures were in-obtrusive and proportionate. The sight in Green Park was incredible. Thousands and thousands of floral tributes, pictures, letters, balloons, toys and so on. I’m so glad that I went.

Monday 19th September we lay our Queen to rest and the official mourning period ends. Her majesty’s influence will live on though.

When it comes to training, this time of year is typically very quiet with only a few swimmers left to swim. This year is no different. What was lovely was seeing some new swimmers, here to try out training in advance of relays next year.

And so it begins, the Class of 2023 starts to merge with the Class of 2022. A seamless handover.

Saturday was our final ‘On Tour’ session for 2022 and we were in Hythe. Hythe never disappoints. It was a lovely day and gently swell on the sea. What was interesting was the gentle rolling waves going along the beach. I’ve not seen that formation before. It did warn us of the shelf of single underneath it though. It was beautiful to watch and listen to.

On Sunday, rather than bands or numbers of hands, the swimmers were given a challenge to draw something with their GPS watches. It was entertaining to watch people swim at jaunty angles and I’m looking forward to seeing what actually comes out. In my experience they look good in our heads but generally don’t look anything like we think they will. That said, Kev’s 3D cake slice was actually very impressive! There are hidden talents there!

Next weekend

Next weekend is our last weekend of 2022 and you don’t want to miss it! Saturday sees our annual celebration picnic and fun session. Bring your picnic, we’ll provide the challenges. Sunday is a short final & normal session.

There will be no feeds, so your maximum swim next weekend is 2 hours.

Shout outs

Training

Congratulations to:

Paul for your 6 hour swim - the last one for you and for DCT for 2022.

Well earned hot chocolate & snacks after the final 6 hour swim of the season

Channel swimmer on the beach

This week’s shout outs, here’s what I saw (in no particular order):

Claire Russell for her 20 Bridges solo on 12th September
Jacque Kempfer for her 33km Tri-lane crossing (triple country crossing) in 14hrs 56mins on 12th September
Aspire Springboks for their channel relay on 14hrs 4mins on 14th September
Hayley Brant & Helen Smith for their tandem Windermere solos on 16th September
Felix Leech for his Solent solo on 17th September.

Swim stats

Note: Water temperature taken during the swim session in the harbour. Air temperature, wind direction & wind speed taken from the Port of Dover app. Please remember that we get a lot of shelter in the harbour thanks to the walls.

Sunday:

Swimmers: 7
Water temperature: 18.5C
Air temperature: 16.1C
Conditions: F3 gusting F4 NW. Partly cloudy, variable air temperature.

Volunteers & beach crew

Thank you to Mandi & Paul for your help this weekend.

One of the tasks for the beach crew at the start of the session is to collect all the shoes and store them safely while you swim. Some weeks are easier than others as Nicolie demonstrates!

Thank you also to the small army of people are are starting the long process of planning the 2023 DCT conference.

The adventures of Dover Dave

Dover Dave continues to live his best life. This week he spend time with Mel and I wasn’t sure that he was going to want to come back, he really was leading his best life!

Next week he’s with me until he tries to smuggle his way into a suitcase heading to Barcelona - he really wants to watch Maddie swim!

Paddlefish Ponderings - Unexpected emotions?

“Our future is greater than our past”

— Ben Okri

Scattering biodegradable cancer ribbons after my 2014 channel solo

We have a few more DCTers patiently waiting to complete their big swims for 2022 (fingers crossed the weather behaves this week).

For everyone else, whether you had a big swim this year or not, the end of the training season next weekend, marks the end of the DCT part of the Class of 2022.

How did the season go for you?

How did your big day go?

Did in happen exactly has you planned and dreamed? How were you emotionally?

When we dream about how our swims will go, we often focus in on ‘that’ moment when you complete your swim and imagine how that will feel.

Sometimes it happens exactly as we imagine.

Sometimes it doesn’t.

Even if it happens exactly as we imagine, we don’t always think forward to the days and weeks afterwards and how the emotions will settle. That can throw people. How were you?

When I think back to some of my own swims, rarely have they gone as I expected, emotionally.

If I go back to my 2009 solo, I had a bit of dry run as we’d done a relay a few weeks before and I was the one who was lucky to finish. In those moments as I walked up the beach in Wissant, my goggles filled up from the inside, not because of the emotion of that relay, but because I was imagining how this would feel on ‘the big day’.

My reality was nothing like that day!

On the big day, I loved the first twelve hours or so of the swim, absolutely loved it. Then it got difficult and then I had a bit of a sense of humour failure! By the time I approached the coast by Pte du Riden, in the dark, after over 17 hours of swimming, I climbed out onto a rock, only to discover that my ankles were still covered and that there was water beyond. So I got back in, swam a few more strokes and was presented with a HUGE boulder a couple of feet out of the water.

Now, at this point I could even get out the deep end of a swimming pool without a ladder, so this was not ideal! I eventually waited for a wave to carry me and I exited the water, inelegantly onto the rock. Such was my sense of humour failure that I couldn’t event be bothered to turn around. So I raised an arm and tried to look back at the boat from under my armpit.

With hindsight, I hit a low, right there.

I got back to the boat. It had been a long day, so everyone (except the pilot’s crew) headed for some sleep. I had a nice welcoming party when I got back to Dover, but I can honestly say that I never felt a high.

It didn’t come after rest either.

That whole season had been pretty traumatic for me. I really struggled with training. I cried a lot. I rode the Dovercoaster and it broke me. I decided not to swim, but my pilot had other ideas and so we went.

I clearly made it, but I felt like I hadn’t done it. I had friends who hadn’t made it tell me that I should feel elated, and I’m sure they’re right, but you can’t fake an emotion like that just because you believe that you should feel a certain way.

In the months and years to come, I still didn’t feel like I did it. I felt a fraud. ‘I’m a crap swimmer’ was still there.

It was weird.

Emotions aren’t necessarily logical.

Fast forward to 2014 and I had a very different experience. I absolutely loved that season and I felt invincible. I was super confident. The day went better than I could ever have imagined. The swim was a fast one (I still don’t understand that) and I was high throughout and high when it finished. When I got back on the boat I was bouncing, full of energy. A high that lasted a long time, and in some ways is still with me today. I do have regrets from that day, but that’s another story.

Two swims, both successful, both felt very, very different. My third successful solo was different again.

Why am I sharing this? Simply to say, that if you’re experiencing emotions that you don’t understand or are not as you think they should be - it’s NORMAL!

There’s no right or wrong way to feel.

We’re here to chat if you want to or need it.

The weekly community calls are ideal for that. It can take some time to process, and it can help to process that by chatting it through.

How we deal with the emotions is another area to consider. After 2009, I didn’t get into open water willingly for a couple of seasons. I just didn’t want to. When I eventually did want to again, Ovarian cancer got in my way and so I had to be patient.

Whereas with the 2014 experience, on the boat on the return journey, I was already planning another crossing even though I already had a Round Jersey swim 7 days later and a relay still to go.

Both are normal experiences at different ends of the spectrum.

If I look at the class of 2022 from our vantage point on the beach, I see both approaches. I’ve seen those who’ve come, conquered and then gone back to their normal lives. I’ve also seen those who’ve done their swims and aren’t ready to let go of training and continue either to train because they can or with a plan to go another swim before the season is over.

It’s all normal!

So that’s the big event emotions, everything on the spectrum is normal.

As we approach the end of the training season, there may be emotions attached to that too. You’ve been part of a pretty special group of swimmers. Our presence on the beach and your opportunity to train every weekend has been a constant presence since the beginning of May. Next weekend brings that to a close.

How do you feel about that?

My house will be glad of a bit of attention, I’ll be glad not to be working 7 days a week (though there is much to be done in the background over the winter months, and there are the chilli dips) but I’ll also miss this routine and the company of an extraordinary group of people.

How will it be for you?

Whilst we may not be on the beach, it’s important that you know that you are part of our community and will always be. We’re here for you still. Why not join the community call, join the chilli dips, come along to the conference or keep the conversations going in your WhatsApp groups. The facebook group is there all year long too.

The over riding message is that whatever you are feeling, it is normal. Normal doesn’t always equal easy. We are here for you if you need it. If you need help planning what comes next or processing what happened this year, we’re here.

Reminders

Bookings can be made up to 48 hours ahead and be cancelled or rescheduled up to 48 hours ahead also. The system doesn’t arrange automatic refunds, so if you would like a refund, please check out our refund policy and get in touch if you would like a refund.
If you miss this deadline then I’ll book you in if I have the available time and I have your disclaimer. There is an admin fee if you don’t use the self-service option.
Arrive on time and attend the mandatory briefing. The briefing is generally at 09:50
Wear the right colour hat - red for soloists, yellow for relay swimmers
The community call runs all year round, so why not make the most of your membership and join in?

Looking ahead

End of season celebration

It’s become a bit of a tradition that, rather than fade away as the season progresses that we get together for an end of season celebration on the last weekend of training. So mark the date in your calendar - Saturday 24th September - bring a picnic. We’ll bring inflatables!!

The theme is Grease - make of that what you want! We’re looking forward to some fun & creative outfits.

I have a challenge that you can practice for and there is a very significant prize on order - a double Mr Whippy with a flake for anyone who reaches level 6 of this challenge without a wipeout along the way:

Level 1 - get on the SUP
Level 2 - Kneel on the SUP
Level 3 - Stand on the SUP
Level 4 - Stand on the SUP and rock it from side to side
Level 5 - Stand on the SUP on one leg for 10 seconds
Level 6 - Perform a head stand, handstand or cartwheel on the SUP (and stay on the SUP)

Who’s up for it?

Chilli Dips

We’ll be starting up our monthly Chilli Dips again from October. Like last year, we’ll aim to visit a number of locations. I’m speaking with a coaching colleague about the logistics for a Surrey chilli dip option too. Watch this space.

Halloween(ish) Fright Night

We’re planning on doing a night swim / bob in October - those who don’t like swimming in the dark need not apply!!

This won’t be a training session, just a bit of fun. We’ll do our very best to make you jump in the water - definitely one where you should expect the unexpected.

Provisional date to be confirmed

Conference

Our 2023 DCT Conference will be held in Maidstone on 4th & 5th February 2023. Spaces will be limited so look out for your chance to book to avoid disappointment.

Spotlight in the shop

Class of 2022 Hoodies

Watch out for details of the special online shop for these hoodies coming very soon. There will be two versions. Both have the same front design. The back has our logo and then names as follows:

All those who have swum with DCT this season
All successful English Channel solo swimmers and all successful English Channel Relay teams.

Thanks to Dave Chisholm Cartoons for the design.

There are tons of colour options in one tone or two tone. Which will you choose?

Photos

A few photos from the weekend….

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Week 21 - Unexpected emotions?

Weekly Review