Abhejali and Jayalata with Freda, the "Channel General", channel coach and mother of Alison Streeter, "Queen of the Channel" on the beach of Dover harbour
getting Maxim (pure maltodextrin powder) from Freda
Dave and Joan Whyte - my pilot in 1985, who took Karteek 10 times across and on whose boat Zuzka and Jayalata stayed the first nights in Dover while training in the harbour
with Chloe McCardel, Australia, who swam for 25 hours on her 2-way attempt and will be back in 2010
happy beach bums, with Dutch relay aspirants for 2010 in the background
Renata (helper), Abhejali, Jayalata (helper), Viktoria
waiting for the crazy Greek speed boat guy to stop frightening the swimmers
Eddie calls us "the Chimneys" (endearing for Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team)
swim practice
don`t mention the war...
war memorials all over the place
a bench with a view
what is so funny?
the "Glorious 4"
dito
practising posing
Folkestone in the distance
getting better
wow
relay heros after a long and cold night in the Channel (caravan neighbours)
tracking boats and swimmers and checking weather forecasts
being sick
and getting better
happy calorie-loading
power-food - but not everybody`s taste!
5 star service
it's getting real!
we needed a big taxi (Eddie, our pilot: but it is only a one-way relay!)
on our way
waiting for Eddie and Anastasia (pilot and boat)
it's getting more real!
not quite sure what we are in for
with Irene, our observer - and selfless beach helper
leaving Dover harbour - and flat sea even outside, what a tide!
anticipation (Viktoria, Iceland)
Zuzka, Czech Republic
finally!
adding some melkfat to prevent chafing
Peace!
Shaky, here I come!
off to France!
swimming into the sunlight
magic morning
watching the swimmer
first hour done
beautiful and calm
2nd hour is done (I am swimmer no 2) - hot chocolate with maxim is the reward before each swim: hot ribena with maxim plus half a mars bar preferred food: sweet potatoes or tomato soup with oats, plus ginger & nut cookies
the White Cliffs are receding - and we saw dolphins!
Viktoria ploughing through the waters
and dancing in the waves
Viktoria flying
so nice and warm! (Iceland waters are a little colder)
magic day!
media on board
happy helper
4th swimmer (Zuzka) ready to go in - texting first messages
a moment of peace
Zuzka did great on her first hour
she was faster than ever
into the first Shipping lane (ships heading south-west) - Eddie confirmed we had relatively few ships coming our way that day, creating less waves than usual
the first hours were spent lying down - but the sealegg tablets worked great for the rest of the day
Abhejali ready for the 5th hour
swimming up from behind and overtaking Zuzka who is getting out now
Abhejali is our fastest swimmer, so number 1 in the relay rotation
time to get ready again
Zuzka is getting seasick - the homeopathy tablets are not working as well for her as they did for the Slovak swimmer a few days before
ready for my second swim - the 6th hour (by the end of which we would be in mid-Channel, like back in 1985)
still so calm!
France is still far away but we are in the separation zone (ships in the next lane are passing from the West to the East)
wind picking up a little, we are getting closer to the NE-shipping lane
Viktoria`s turn again (7th hour)- this time she had problems: her googles had filled with water but she thought her contact lenses had fallen out - after swimming a bit all over the place she still did well
Zuzka's 2nd turn (8th hour) - she had just been feeding the fish (throwing up) over my towel
she was weak and constantly gasping for breath, her lungs had filled up with mucus from her infection
eyes pleading: when can I get out of here?
but she stayed in and bravely finished her hour
we never got in the way of the ferries
no, Abhejali has not replaced Eddie
but a great place to sit anyway food: sweet potatoes and white bread peppermint tea and white bread was the staple for some of us
it`s getting windier, rain clouds are approching from the West
wind picking up a bit more, but rain avoiding us
France getting slowly closer - but what will the change of the currents do to us?
rain clouds opening in the West - but soon the sky will clear and later we will swim under an almost full moon in silver light
after her 2nd swim: not a happy bunny (in Irene`s words)
recovering
after my third swim (10th hour), where I was told to push hard: France is much closer now, wind and currents benign, and Eddie is optimistic we can make it in only a few more hours
Viktoria - 11th hour, it is getting dark
Irene`s watchful eyes - and lights of the French coast on the horizon
Viktoria after her 3rd swim - eager for more!
by now we know that Zuzka only needs to swim this one more time - and I might be the swimmer to touch French sands!
Zuzka feels much better and is swimming stronger but at a comfortable pace, it is the 12th hour, slack tide before the tide turns
the little green lightstick helps to keep track of the swimmer
watchful eye
she did it! now we will finish it up!
Abhejali sprinting towards Wissant (13th hour)
happy and comfortable
the last 21 minutes - photo taken from the dinghy that accompanies the swimmer to the shore
beach of bay of Wissant in the dark
holding the World Harmony Run torch on the beach of the bay of Wissant (we should have taken a photo of our feat in the sand, but we were too rushed to get back to the dinghy and keep the camera dry)
moving away from the lights of Wissant in the back - the victorious 4 plus helper
happy and hyped
texting and receiving messages in various languages
spacing out
the magic of the World Harmony Run torch - passed to Eddie, our pilot, on our arrival back in Dover (Eddie was convinced that "the Channel gods" had given special blessings to us on this trip)
with Eddie, Irene and the boat crew
home, sweet home
the next day...
chilling out
multi-talented
the flags are flying, harmoniously
David and Evelyn, the owners of Varne Ridge Caravan Park, holding the torch
the Channel is still calling us - first to the beach, than hot chocolate at Cliff Top Cafe
well-deserved
Viktoria, Iceland
Jayalata, Czech Republic
Vasanti, Germany (Heidelberg)
the Czech swimmer-helper team
