2 Hours Into the Swim

Beautiful day. Calm, flat seas. Feelings going well. Dad in good spirits. Maintaining 54 SPM (strokes per min).

Dad is in the water

Started at 0850!

Follow his progress:  http://www.lovechannelswimming.com/swims

George Thornton English Channel Swim : Round 2; SWIM UPDATE

We are confirmed for tomorrow!

Meeting our boat pilot at 7:30am UK time. Dad will probably start swimming around 8:30am (3:30am ET; 1:30am MT).

Dad burned some frustration energy this morning, but accepted his fate and spent the rest of the day relaxing and reading.

My next post will most likely be from the Anastasia as Dad starts his swim from the English coast.

Thanks to all of your for your continuing support.

=>C.

George Thornton English Channel Swim : Round 2; Day 10

Good morning.

Here we go … again!

We are now scheduled to meet our boat pilot at 7:00am UK time tomorrow (Thursday) morning. That would have Dad starting his swim around 8:00am. (Eddie will confirm this evening at 7:00pm, after he sleeps and gets a final weather update.)

As a couple of you have noted, we are on that proverbial roller coaster ride. We came last summer all pumped up and ready to go, but the weather never gave us any real shot. We came again this summer, all pumped up and ready to go. The weather looked good, and swimmers started crossing early into our trip. We had real hopes that Dad would get to go at the end of last week, and that we might be home over the weekend. The weather turned, and the swimming stopped for a few days. Then in the last 48 hours, we saw swimmers starting to go again, the green light went on for Dad’s turn … and then it got turned off. These ups and downs take their emotional, psychological, and physical tolls.

Anastasia’s swimmer yesterday, Kathy Batts of the UK, took 22 hours and 31 minutes to cross. She finished after 6:00am, and the Anastasia returned to Dover after 9:30am this morning. Obviously, our plan to meet at 6:15am would not have worked! Congratulations to Kathy on her perseverance and becoming a Channel Swimmer. Here is her route: http://www.lovechannelswimming.com/component/swimviewer/index.php?option=com_swimviewer&view=swimrecord&swimID=63 As you can see, sometime after 10:00pm she caught the strong French coastal current that shot her way back north. I can only imagine the battle she fought throughout the night, as the French beach must have seemed so close but the strength of the flowing seas just wouldn’t let her get in.

No Channel swim boats went out today. All of the pilots must have concurred with Eddie’s reading of the weather report, which he indicated in his text late last night when he postponed Dad’s swim by a day. Eddie texted again this morning that they encountered 25 knot winds and bumpy seas on their return trip, so it was a good call to postpone. Actually, tomorrow’s maritime weather forecast looks pretty good, with almost no wave height, almost no winds, sunny, and good visibility. See http://www.myweather2.com/Marine/Coastal-Areas/United-Kingdom/English-Channel-Mid.aspx

Here’s a story in yesterday’s local Fort Collins paper: http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20130806/SPORTS/308060010/George-Thornton-swim-across-English-Channel-Wednesday

I hear that 9News and Channel 2 News in Denver ran stories on Dad the past couple of evenings, but they don’t appear to be posted to the web yet. Please send me the links if anyone finds the stories.

By the way, I missed this story earlier: http://www.9news.com/rss/story.aspx?storyid=348024

I also missed this blurb from Dad’s graduate school: http://www.depauw.edu/athletics/news/details/30081/

Deep breath. The green light is back on. Time to rally.

=>C.

George Thornton English Channel Swim : Round 2; RESCHEDULED

Update from our pilot: we are rescheduled for Thursday.

I do not yet know the new start time.

Eddie still has a swimmer in the Channel, and she still has a ways to go. He had texted me earlier that we might have to re-think Dad’s start time because the boat wouldn’t be back and turned around in time for Dad’s start. However, Eddie’s last text indicated that the reschedule was due to a weather update. So, take your pick as to the reason why we’re rescheduled.

=>C.

George Thornton English Channel Swim : Round 2; Day 9

Here we are. George has been a competitive swimmer his entire life. Now, after 3 years of dedicated training, 2 trips to Dover (3, if you count the trip he crewed for Joe’s Channel swim), cancer diagnosis and surgery, and 9 days of waiting, he is on the cusp of going for the crown jewel. His turn has arrived. Tomorrow, he takes his shot at the English Channel.

All of us with him, and all of you around the world, are confident that he will succeed. I write this without reservation: my father is mentally strongest person I know. His will and determination will be tested tomorrow, and he will succeed.

We spent most of the day in anticipation of receiving the green light. We knew that Anastasia was out with the final swimmer in line before Dad. At 4:23pm Eddie, the boat pilot, texted us, "Put yourself on standby; will confirm 1830 hours." We started making final logistical preparations, gathering supplies and equipment, reviewing the swim and communications plan … and keeping Dad involved in a constructive thought process, rather than letting his nerves take over.

Then, at 5:37pm, as we were Skyping with Ann Donoghue (who is organizing the swim-along), the green light came through from Eddie, "It’s a go for us; meet 0615." Yes! Woohoo!

And then … yikes! This is really going to happen. This just became real.

Meeting at 6:15am at the marina to load the boat likely means a swim start time of around 7:30am UK time. Most of today’s swims started around 7:30am as well, and followed the courses depicted on the attached map. I anticipate that Dad will follow a similar course, as we are now into the Spring Tide (recall that last week was a Neap Tide and the courses were much more direct across).

Pasta dinner. Grocery shopping for the crew’s food — the "crew" is Mom/Louise, Joe, and me. Pack everything up. Sleep.

Tomorrow will be a long day. I will do my best to post updates, photos, and videos by email and blog site; Facebook; and Twitter. Remember that you can follow the Anastasia’s progress on these two sites:

http://cspf.co.uk/tracking#

http://www.lovechannelswimming.com/swims/live-swims

Thank you all, once again, for all of your support. Dad will need every ounce of positive energy tomorrow.

=>C.

George Thornton English Channel Swim : Round 2; NEWS FLASH

Dad is confirmed to swim tomorrow!

We are meeting the boat pilot at 6:15am. We expect Dad to start his swim around 7:30am UK time (2:30am ET; 12:30am MT).

Now we have the mad scramble to take care of all of the last-minute logistics.

It’s all of a sudden very real.

Exciting!!

=>C.

George Thornton English Channel Swim : Round 2; Day 8

Another slow day here in paradise.

Some good news: Anastasia Channel Boat pilot Eddie will be taking his next swimmer out tomorrow (Tuesday) morning, starting at 7:30am — Kathy Batts, a local Brit, swimming solo from England to France. Eddie texted me today to let us know that Wednesday is a "maybe" for Dad/George, but Thursday looks good. So, one way or another, after tomorrow Dad is on deck! (That was a good pun, right?)

Those of you who were reading my reports last year may have noticed that I’m not posting as many swim- and Dover-related photos this year. I figured I’d avoid duplication — let’s face it, a swimmer in the water, the beach, and the White Cliffs all look the same from year to year. So, I invite you to peruse my photos from last year, since the images are essentially the same as this year: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151038455413578.457926.826853577&type=1&l=162f0482bc

Mellow day today. Dad swam and Mom walked this morning, then they went to a hobby shop near the marina that Dad has had his eye for days. I worked. Doing what we can to conserve energy but remain occupied.

A bit of trivia for you today. There are two associations in the UK that govern Channel swim pilots and boats, and certify official Channel swims. One is the Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation (http://cspf.co.uk/) — the "Federation" — and the other is the Channel Swimming Association (http://www.channelswimmingassociation.com/) — the "Association." As I understand it, the differences are primarily political and historical. They seem to follow essentially the same rules, as far as officiating a swim, the differences being so nuanced that only the thousand or so Channel Swimmers would care. Eddie and the Anastasia is a member of the CS&PF.

The folks at Guinness don’t care which organization certifies the swim for its World Records. And for fun, here’s the record that Dad will break in a couple of days: http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/3000/oldest-person-to-swim-the-english-channel-(male). Roger is rooting for George.

As you can tell, we’ve been more subdued this year, taking fewer sightseeing outings in favor of more relaxation (and work for me) time. Those of you in need of an amusing anecdote are welcome to read my July 14 entry from last year about our wonderful evening at the Chinese buffet. I’m reminded of it daily, as we walk past that restaurant on our way to/from the harbor area. See https://georgethorntonenglishchannel.wordpress.com/2012-blogs/

This time tomorrow we hope to have a definitive answer on Dad’s swim start date/time. Let’s have one more round of finger crossing, weather dancing, and deity discussions to gather those cosmic forces in favor of a nice, smooth Channel for Wednesday.

Thanks.

=>C.

George Thornton English Channel Swim : Round 2; Day 7

Laundry day. That’s about all I have to report. Good bye.

OK, OK, I’ll write a bit more to placate my adoring fans. OK, OK, you’re all Dad’s/George’s adoring fans, but you’re stuck reading my narratives and I don’t want to waste such a fine captive audience.

KUSA 9News TV ran a nice story on Dad: http://www.9news.com/rss/story.aspx?storyid=348484

Today really was laundry day. Then nap day. Then dinner. We drove to Folkstone, which is southwest down the coast about 10 miles, and ate at a little fish restaurant on the harbor. We arrived at low tide, and it was odd to see all of the boats sitting in the mud (2 photos). After dinner, the skies had cleared and the waters had calmed, and France was just across the way (photo). The Channel looked inviting, and Dad was tempted to start his swim …

There were five swim boats out today. We think two of them were escorting swimmers doing doubles: England > France > England. If so, we think that their return swims tonight will be across nice, calm seas. More successful swims now = more good karma for Dad.

We will have plenty of time for Thank Yous after Dad’s swim, but there are a few people I’d like to recognize now. First is Dad/George himself. He inspires us all to be better people. You know.

Next is Mom/Louise. She is a strong and accomplished person in her own right, as well as Dad’s steadfast partner and companion. They are an amazing team, and it says everything that Dad wants her on the boat during his swim.

Daughters Julia and Lara, and indeed the entire Thornton/Fleming clan, have provided all of their love and encouragement throughout this long and arduous process. I know Dad feels deeply that there is not a stronger foundation than family, and ours is as strong as they come. Julia and Lara came to England and surprised Dad last year, and we all know they’d love to be here now.

Joe Bakel is to blame for this entire endeavor. Wait, that’s not what I meant. Dad crewed for Joe’s Channel swim three years ago, and we all knew that Dad would come home with the bug. Joe has long been a good friend to Dad, and for the past three years has ‘coached’ him as Dad trained for his swim. Joe came to Dover last year and waited with us, and is here again this year. That’s a special kind of devotion. Or a special kind of crazy. No, devotion. (Joe has been taunting me all week. I quietly accept it … then take my revenge publicly.)

A huge Thank You to Ann Donoghue and all of the many swimmers she has organized to "swim along" with Dad. A few of them are captured in the attached photo, spelling out "George!" As I understand it, Ann will be camped out at Lindenmeier Lake in Fort Collins throughout the swim, and she has "about 36 people on the list who have indicated a desire to swim…including people in New Zealand, Belgium, NY, CO and MD! What fun!" Fun, indeed. And a tremendous psychological boost for Dad.

To everyone who has donated to Team Fort Collins, Thank You. More information on Dad’s charitable fundraising campaign here: https://georgethorntonenglishchannel.wordpress.com/21-for-21-fundraiser/

And on a personal note, good friends like Chris Royse, Pam Boteler, Sandy Butcher, and Kathy Summers have rallied their own troops to support Dad. He and I appreciate your friendship. To all of you who have written emails, posted Facebook comments, or Tweeted, we have read them all and feel your support.

Finally, there are a couple of you who I have thanked, or will thank personally. You know who you are.

Have a good night.

=>C.

ann

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9 News Story

Great story by Nelson Garcia at 9 News. Thanks for the wonderful coverage, Nelson!