Greetings swimmers! Ever turned down an opportunity, then regretted it? That was me all last week having opted to get out after five hours to claim some cake, rather than swimming on for just one more hour. With water temperatures rising, it is time for me to knuckle down and get on with it!

Saturday 6th June 2020

Where did the sunshine go? The forecasts for this weekend were not looking promising - cool with some 'light showers' and a 'fresh breeze'. This week was 'Medical week' so I was crossing everything that there would be some magic medicine to get me through a six-hour swim!

Last week's boiler suits had been swapped for scrubs, with Paul and Mandi sporting extra facial 'special effects'. The mini-Storms were roving the beach offering to take people's pulses, and JET was recounting tales of his weekday special birthday swim. Northey claimed that his crocs counted, so he was an off-duty surgeon. Pavel had pulled off another fine outfit, managing to combine a medical gown with his Wookie dressing gown to be a patient.

Whilst Princess Dr Grace was trying to persuade Kinky Storm Boots and Emma that having her own scrubs and knowledge of medical procedures meant that she should stay and help on the beach rather than swim, I went to sign in with Mandi:

"So Joanna..." she starts "Six hours today, isn't it?"

"Erm...."

"Six hours." I nodded, gulping. Still, I'd done five hours last week, so it would be fine. Wouldn't it?

"Right then everyone," started Emma. "Week 6, we've had some fantastic swimming so far. For those aiming for their qualifying swims this weekend, the water temperature has been heading up fast so now is your moment. For those who have already got them in the bag, then the qualifiers are just the starting point - we have a lot more swimming to do! The weather is cooler this weekend and it's going to be bouncy. The south-westerly breeze could be gusting Force 6 - 7 later today, so keep an eye on the Ferry wall and turn early at the slopey groyne if necessary. Today is not the day for bobbing!"

Cue Kev, Bob and Wardie looking disappointed.

"Oh, and there may be some showers later," Emma continued "So don't forget to put a bin bag over your kit if it's not waterproof. Feeds at two hours and hourly thereafter for the soloists. Remember the bar shuts by 10 past the hour so don't be late! Have a good swim."

"Are you coming in with us today, Emma? You went in last week." asks Number 1 hopefully.

"Perhaps, but it's a bit bouncy and the air is chilly, let me see..." comes the reply.

As we made our way down the beach, Mandi was coaxing Christina Broccoli in again:

"It's cold!"

"Christina, you can do this, you did a great job last week."

"But it's cold and I did a long run yesterday...!"

It wasn't just Gillian Topsy struggling to get in today: Harriet and Henrietta, Kev, Bob, Christina, Michèle, Princess Dr Grace, Michaela-Jane, Adrienne, Donatella, Andrea, Tomasina, Charlotte, Louis, Antonia, Paddington, Pavel, György, Craggy Edge, Caterina and I were all stumbling and slipping on the shingle in the waves, turning the air blue with our shouts. Naturally Number 1, Kinky Storm Boots, Midge, Wardie and Dickey made it look easy, and were halfway around the Harbour by the time some of us had got in.

The first couple of laps were ok. The chop was building at the ferry wall end, but it was swimmable. There was a chill in the air, although the sun kept peeking out behind the clouds, providing some much-appreciated warmth. By 90 minutes in, I was definitely looking forward to the first feed.

Swimming in at 11am, Paul, Mandi and Emma were waiting for us holding disposable bedpans filled with feed syringes! Squirting CNP into our mouths was great fun, so much so that the beach crew had to beat a quick retreat due to overwhelming demand for seconds. Having arrived first to feed after last week's #marshmallowgate, Princess Dr Grace was outraged to find out that there were no treats at all this feed, whilst Adrienne pined yet again for Battenberg, and Number 1 questioned the suitability of a bedpan as a receptacle for his feed.

Hour three came and went in a bit of a blur, the chop was building but still seemed manageable. Wardie, Bob and Kev appeared to be enjoying the bounce by the ferry wall. The next feed at 12:00 came with a treat too, which went down well all round. And then, for me, the wheels fell off...

I'd started the fourth hour in good spirits, yet by the time I got to the red and green 'apples' I was struggling. At the previous feed, I'd looked at the 'actual' time on my watch (as opposed to the length of time I'd been swimming) and realised that I would still be swimming at 15:00. Somehow at 12:15 this seemed unfeasible; doubt had set in. It seemed to take forever crawling along the buoys towards the wall. I found myself constantly checking my watch, convinced that I'd done five or ten minutes, only to find I'd done one or two. No-one seemed to be in sight.

"Alright Joanna?" came the shout. Was it a mirage in the "desert" of chop? No, it was Kinky Storm Boots!

"Not really, I don't think I can do this anymore." I admitted.

"Swim with me." came the response.

"I won't be able to match your pace..." I quibbled.

"Swim with me."

And so we swam on. Kinky Storm Boots was virtually swimming on the spot so that I could keep up, checking to see that I was still with him. Just having the presence of someone else, as well as something else to focus on was hugely comforting. It motivated me to keep moving, putting one arm in front of the other. For a moment, I thought a third swimmer had joined us, as I was sure I saw a familiar hand flick in the waves. Yet on my next breath, they had vanished again. Who was that swimmer?

Arriving for our next feed, Kinky Storm Boots was getting out to takeover care of the Mini-Storms. Luckily, Mrs Kinky Storm Boots was getting in for a bit and agreed to swim with me. "Just don't mention marshmallows!" she muttered, glaring at her husband. We took the next hour in stages, swimming to the ducks, then the 'apples', then breaking the long line of buoys into chunks, then zipping across to the slopey groyne. By this point, the chop and swell at the wall were strong. Number 1 and Midge were enjoying the challenge of reaching it, but, both feeling a little green, we opted to turn, and make our way back so that I didn't miss the final feed.

By the final feed, I knew I could make it. Michaela-Jane, Michèle and Number 1 joined us at points as we zig-zagged our way around the Harbour for the last hour. At 15:00 we arrived at the beach to see Paul being squished as a wave took Kev out propelling him onto the shore and taking half the shoes with him. A soggy Mandi was trying to get Gillian Topsy upright having already been knocked over once, whilst Frédéric was trying to pass Stéphanie some coffee.

Michaela-Jane, Adrienne, The Guv'nor, Stéphanie and others were swimming on for a seventh hour; I knew I was done. Six hours in the bag! There may not have been an actual storm but for me it had been #TheDayoftheStorm(s) and I would be forever grateful to them for getting me round.

Sunday 7th June 2020

Six hours in the chop yesterday had definitely taken its toll this morning as I felt battered and bedraggled before I even got out of bed!

I was greeted by a rather disgruntled Andrea, Tomasina and Charlotte who'd all swum six hours yesterday. They had expected to be given five hours today, so were surprised to have been given another six hours today. "Better have the snacks ready." said Tomasina, piling bananas onto her bag.

"Morning Joanna," breezed Mandi "Six hours today. Don't worry, the breeze will be lighter than yesterday!"

Another six hours?! Eeeeek! Still, with a six under my belt yesterday, it didn't seem quite such a hurdle today. Plus, with the night swim scheduled for next weekend, it would be good chance to get another six in now.

Emma briefed us that although the breeze had dropped a bit, there was a chance of showers again, so to make sure that our bags were covered.

"You will be coming in with us today then Emma, if the breeze has dropped?" queried Number 1

"I swam yesterday, so we'll see." came the reply.

Number 1 and I looked at each other puzzled. When had Emma been in yesterday?

As we went to get in I spotted Harriet and Henrietta looking very smart in new swimming costumes:

"New suits, ladies?" I enquired.

"Decathlon," came the response. "We get all our kit from there; we're their best customers."

The Storms weren't with us today, so I joined Paddington, Stéphanie, The Guv'nor, Adrienne, Crispin and Gillian in the laps of the harbour. Stéphanie and The Guv'nor were matching each other stroke for stroke, as if in a synchro team, which was impressive to watch.

At one point at the wall, we came across Kev, Bob, Louis and Antonia. "Hey Jemima," beckoned Kev "Fancy some fudge? I've just given some to the Gatwick Gannets who are doing their relay qualifiers today."

As yesterday, the first feed had no treats causing grumbles from the classes of 2018 and 2019:

“We got a LOT more treats before."

"There was an endless supply of Battenberg."

"They weren't stingy with the marshmallows."

"Do you remember the melted Percy Pigs?!"

Maybe I should have taken that fudge after all... Still the syringes provided much appreciated novelty:

"Did you know that syringes are used to fill pork pies?" said someone.

"Pork pie, did someone say pork pie? Where?" gasped a hungry Crispin.

We swam on. My arms and shoulders were definitely feeling the effects of yesterday's swim, so it was great to have company as we spurred each other on. We also came across Number 1 from time to time, scouring the Harbour for Emma in vain.

Somehow we made it through the next few hours. Luckily there were treats at hours three (peach slices) and five (my favourite chocolate mini-rolls), which spurred us on. There were showers and some chop, but compared to yesterday, it felt easier going.

I was definitely done by the time it got to 15:00. Mandi was waiting with the shoes for us looking bedraggled and muttered something about forgetting her Dryrobe. We'd barely noticed the rain...

By the time I got up the beach, Lady Marmalade had already handed Paddington his sandwiches, and Crispin was tucking into his pork pie.

"Anyone seen my bananas and dressing gown?" asked Tomasina "They were right here..." she gestured to the top of her bag.

"There seem to be two bananas in my bag." said Andrea

"That's weird. I had a bunch of five on top of my bag, in a clear plastic bag, with the dressing gown. We've got a banana thief!"

"Well, they're not wearing your dressing gown at least." said Charlotte, holding aloft a damp gown from her bag.

"Is anyone missing some bananas?" said Paul coming over to look. "There was a message from Charles who had to dash - the seagulls are your banana thieves. He spotted them pecking their way into the plastic bag on the floor and one of the bananas, so he shooed them off, threw away the pecked banana and covered the bag with the dressing gown. The crafty gulls threw off the gown and pecked their way through two more bananas. Then it started to rain, so he hid them wherever he could."

Looks like one - nil to the seagulls on the treats front this weekend!

Joanna's Blog - Visualising Week 6 Training

Saturday 6th June 2020

﻿Sunday 7th June 2020

Sunday 7th June 2020