SWIM PLUS NAVIGATION
Once in your tidal window, on the first day that conditions are suitable, your pilot offers the first swimmer the chance to swim on that day. Given that your pilot is highly skilled and does this as a profession, it is certainly wise to heed their advice and take this opportunity. Weather conditions are so unpredictable in the Channel that it’s very risky to pass up any opportunity to swim. In fact, many swimmers diligently prepare for their crossing but never get a chance to start due to poor conditions during their window of opportunity. Channel escort boats are equipped with the latest GPS systems, which allow the pilot to calculate the best course based on the swimmer’s predicted swim speed and the predicted tidal flows. This is a very technical calculation but gives you the best chance of making it across. The Channel Swimming Association has a great website (at
channelswimmingassociation.com/AIS.html), which allows you to track in real-time the various swimmers atempting the Channel from the pilot’s onboard GPS. Given that the English Channel is the world’s busiest shipping lane, with over 400 ships passing through every day, the navigation has to be entirely down to the pilot; the swimmer places their complete trust in the pilot to escort them safely across the Channel. As I will be in September, hopefully… wish me luck!
TIDES PULL THE SWIMMER EAST AND WEST, CREATING A Z-SHAPED COURSE
Paul Newsome in his "swinger trunks" doing some cold-water training in the Firth of Forth in preparation for his Channel swim
This photo (directions) shows a GPS track taken during the 19.7km Rotnest Channel swim using this strategy.
PROBLEMS FOR BOATS AND KAYAKS Kayakers are affected by wind just as swimmers are, and in fact they may be even more affected due to a larger surface area out of the water. Kayakers need to be very aware of this when guiding their swimmer without the assistance of a support boat. Most kayaks can only carry a compass or small GPS so, compared to a boat carrying more sophisticated course-seting GPS, they may not have a clear picture of the course they are following. With this in mind, kayakers need to be especially careful of currents, wind and swell blowing them off course. Swimmers should aim to be about 5-10m away from a support
craſt when swimming. If the swimmer is only escorted by a paddler, this distance can be as close as a couple of metres, but both the swimmer and paddler should be careful to avoid clashing, as this can result in some nasty injuries. While keeping this distance, it is still important to have good communication with your team. Simple, pre-planned hand signals or whiteboards with clear, concise messages (such as the swimmer’s stroke rate) will greatly aid communication. This is essential as it allows the swimmer to feel comfortable with the decisions that the support team are making on their behalf. In heavy swells, it is best for the swimmer to sit on the leeside (downwind) of the boat, gaining some shelter from swell and wind. Given that swell directions are unpredictable, it is highly advantageous for the swimmer to be able to breathe equally well to both their leſt and right sides as the support boat may move to either side of them to offer shelter. For this reason, it should be mandatory for any aspiring long-distance open water swimmer to practice bilateral breathing. Breathing towards the support boat in these situations is vital for communication and failing to do so can pose significant safety issues. Also, many swimmers driſt towards the side they’re breathing to, so without being able to see the support craſt they may driſt off course.
The good thing about having a support craſt alongside you is that
you rarely have to sight forwards. Given that much of your open water training is likely to be un-assisted by support craſt, you will get in the habit of sighting regularly in your stroke patern. When swimming an event with a support craſt, it’s important to break this habit as repeatedly liſting the head can result in a sore neck and low sinking legs, creating extra drag. Planning out your navigation strategy for your channel crossing or other long-distance swim event is critical to your success. These days, GPS tracking plays a major part in long-distance open water swims but the traditional elements of thorough research, a clear plan for your support crew to follow and good communication between you all is even more important. Get all these elements right and you’ll have some fantastic crossings – enjoy! ○
50
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76