Posted in: Solo Challenges

Captain Don Jones and Penny Palfrey Teaming Up in Hawaii

7.Mar.10   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Solo Challenges   |  (0) comments

Penny Palfrey gave some additional insight into her 72-mile swim across the Kaieiewaho Channel between the islands of Oahu and Kauai. "My escort boat pilot is Captain Don Jones who lives on Kauai. He runs a charter fishing boat, the June Louise, and will be in touch with the local fishermen to get as much information about the currents as possible before and during my swim."

"I hope to begin my swim in the morning sometime, so I’m able to get a night’s sleep before the start. The exact time will depend on the day we swim and what the tides are doing on that day. I’ll be taking advice from Captain Don and my crew."

Her crew will include Forest Nelson, Bill Goding, Neil Vaughan, Jeff and, possibly, her husband, Chris - who will be attempting his own difficult swim in the Molokai Channel that same week.

Penny will certainly be in excellent hands.

Penny Palfrey To Take Off From Ka’ena Point

5.Mar.10   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Solo Challenges   |  (0) comments

Penny Palfrey gave a fascinating interview to Hawaiian adventure trainer Jeff Kozlovich about her 72-mile swim across the Kaieiewaho Channel between the islands of Oahu and Kauai.

With plans for a late April window, Penny will take off when the conditions warrant.

The article is here where Penny divulges where she will start (Ka'ena Point) and who will be on her escort boat (Forest Nelson, Bill Goding, Neil Vaughan, Jeff and, possibly, her husband, Chris). It is quite an entertaining and enlightening interview.

Ka'ena Point is the quite the magical - and treacherous - point to begin this adventure. Kaʻena Point is the westernmost tip of land on Oahu and is a Natural Area Reserve to protect the almost extinct Nene birds (the Hawaiian state bird). According to Hawaiian folklore, Kaʻena Point is the jumping-off point for souls leaving this world.

Penny will certainly be jumping off into history as she will be the second person - after Jonathan Ezer in 1974 - to attempt this swim of epic proportions.

During the winter months, Kaʻena Point is pounded by waves up to 49 feet (15 meters) with reports of waves with 60–80 foot (18–24 meter) faces with dangerous rip currents and other hazardous ocean conditions.

But one of the world's greatest living adventurers will be in excellent hands.

More photos of Ka'ena Point can be seen here.

Swimming for the Wounded Warriors

5.Mar.10   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Solo Challenges   |  (0) comments

On May 24th, six swimmers will cross the Sea of Cortez in Mexico in an attempt to break the world record for the longest continuous relay swim under English Channel rules (6 swimmers in same rotation without substitutes and wetsuits).

An attempt was made last year, but the effort was stopped due to severe weather conditions.

This year, the swim will benefit Wounded Warrior Project, a non-profit organization whose mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors.

The first swimmer will take off from the the GranSueno Resort on the Baja California peninsula with the last swimmer expected to arrive at Mexican mainland Mexico 70 hours later.

Follow them live with their real-time GPS tracking and streaming video will be available here.

Vito Bialla, a Vietnam veteran and CEO of Bialla & Associates, says, "By completing this swim and raising money for Wounded Warrior Project, we can make a huge difference for our injured heroes when they return home. It’s an absolute privilege to help our returning wounded warriors."

The team of six swimmers consists of Vito, Paul Lundgren, Christine Gonzalez, Nora Toledano, Monica Ramirez and Edna Llorens.

In support of this grand effort, the luxury GranSueno Resort is offering the opportunity to make a fully tax deductible donation of US$10,000 that will go to the Wounded Warrior Project. The donation will enable benefactors to spend a week in one of the resort’s nine private villas with unlimited food and beverages, transportation, golf, tennis, kayaks, snorkeling, equestrian facilities and a spa treatment included.

Copyright © 2010 by Steven Munatones

blueseventy Supports A Great Summer Adventure In The Open Water

25.Feb.10   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Solo Challenges   |  (0) comments

blueseventy, has teamed up with one of the most engaging and entertaining open water swimming enthusiasts in America Rob Dumouchel of Rob Aquatics, to launch the Rob Aquatics Summer Open Water Tour.

When the swimsuit manufacturer most committed to the sport of open water swimming partners with a leading commentator in the sport, there is bound to be a great flow of information outpouring from the following events and locations where Rob will take his Tour.

"I'm taking the Tour to different open water swims all over the country. I'm doing everything from 1 milers to a 10K and I'm really excited about it. I'm planning to attend all 5 US Masters Swimming Open Water Championship events among other things."

May 29: USMS 1 Mile Open Water Championships, Lake Norman, Charlotte, North Carolina
June 5: Swim Around the Rock (3.25 miles), San Francisco, California
June 6: USMS 1–3 Mile Open Water Championships (1.5 miles), Lake Del Valle, Livermore, California
June 13: Chesapeake Bay Swim (4.4 miles), Maryland
June 19: USMS 3–6 Mile Open Water Championships (6K), Lake Water Valley, Windsor, Colorado
July 10: USMS 2-Mile Cable Championships, Chris Green Lake, Charlottesville, Virginia
July 17: USMS 6+ Mile Open Water Championships (10K), Morse Reservoir, Noblesville, Indiana
July 31: Santa Cruz Rough Water Swim (1 mile), Santa Cruz, California
August 1: Cruise Cruz (2 mile), Santa Cruz, California
August TBD: Naples Island Swim (1.25 miles), Long Beach, California
August 28: Don Burns Corona del Mar 1 mile Swim, California
September 11: Big Shoulders (5K), Chicago, Illinois

Photo and map courtesy of Rob Aquatics.

Final Tabulated Results of the Great Swims in 2009

25.Feb.10   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Solo Challenges   |  (0) comments

The official results of the global Great Open Water Swims of 2009 poll, won by Andrew Smilley of the Cayman Islands for his cold-water San Francisco Bay swim in the RCP Tiburon Mile were tabulated and confirmed - and are shown below.

With 9,133 votes cast by fans around the globe, Andrew barely out-voted the world record setting relay team of Camlough as the 2009 Greatest Open Water Swim of the Year:

1. Andrew Smilley: 2,086 votes
2. Camlough team: 2,003 votes
3. Kane Radford: 1,197 votes
4. Julian Crabtree: 985 votes
5. Petar Stoychev: 596 votes
6. Karen Rodgers: 583
7. Chantelle Le Guilcher: 484 votes
8. Liz Fry: 434 votes
9. Jade Scognamillo: 212 votes
10. Lisa Cummins: 112 votes
11. Tasmin Powell: 89 votes
12. Liane Llewellyn: 75 votes
13. Rostislav Vitek: 53 votes
14. Patti Bauernfeind: 52 votes
15. Lake Taupo Triple-crossing Team: 35 votes
16. Melissa Gorman: 35 votes
17. Penny Palfrey: 22 votes
18. Keri-Anne Payne: 19 votes
18. Ram Barkai and Andrew Chin: 19 votes
20. Thomas Lurz: 15 votes
21. Angela Maurer: 12 votes
22. Riaan Schoeman: 9 votes
23. Valerio Cleri: 6 votes

An amazing terrific group of aquatic adventurers who represent the best that the sport of open water swimming has to offer.

The Brave, Bold and Beautiful - 6 Swimmers Across the 257K Sea of Cortez

24.Feb.10   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Solo Challenges   |  (0) comments

An intrepid team of Americans and Mexicans will attempt an unprecedented swim of 160 miles (257K) across the Sea of Cortez in Mexico, a unique and rich aquatic ecosystem where the swimmers may encounter whales (fin, sperm, humpback, gray, blue or killer), giant manta rays, giant sea turtles and whale sharks

Three American swimmers, part of the Night Train will raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project and their three Mexican teammates, who will use the relay as a fundraiser for Por Ellas...Enlace, El Mar de Cortes III.

Captained by Vito Bialla, the team consists of Christine Americans Christine Gonzales and Paul Lundgren, and Mexicans Monica Ramirez, Nora Toledano and Edna Llorens, a stellar group of experienced open water swimmers.

This 160-mile swim was on the list of futuristic swims - swims so difficult and so audacious that it would take a combination of big dreams, experienced swimmers, a capable support crew with a dash of luck in order to achieve success.

It is great to see the future being accomplished now.

Challenging Circumnavigation of Bowen Island

23.Feb.10   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Solo Challenges   |  (0) comments

Mike Humphreys swam the 20-mile circumference of Bowen Island, British Columbia, Canada becoming the fourth person to circumnavigate the ruggedly beautiful island in 63-66°F waters.

Bowen Island is in Howe Sound near Vancouver, Canada. A popular destination, Bowen Island offers stunning vistas for a small number of inhabitants.

Mike started near Snug Cove at 5 am in respect of the ebb and flood tides. Mike’s crew of Brent Hobbs, Rod Craig and Dustin Henderson, joined him from time to time.

The waters around the east, and north of the island were friendly, but some wind-induced surface chop on the west end tossed the swimmers around.

In compensation for the lumpiness, the west end offered sea life to divert attention from the roller coaster, with starfish carpeting the seabed. Where Bowen Island looks out across the Georgia Strait to Vancouver Island, Mike and his partners faced more tide and a bath of cooler water, but that didn’t affect their moods. The final push to Snug presented a lot of outcroppings to swim around. Mike finished in about 10:30.

Mike, Brent, Rod, and Dale will be back in British Columbia’s waters again in late June for a swim across the Georgia Strait from Nanaimo to Sechelt; a final dress rehearsal for both Rod and Mike before they tackle the English Channel in July and August, respectively.

Mike’s Bowen Island and Georgia Strait solo swims, plus stories of numerous other English Channel swimmers and his own English Channel challenges, will be featured in his upcoming book Dispatches from Dover.

Winter Swimming in Estonia

13.Feb.10   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Solo Challenges   |  (0) comments

The Estonian Winter Swimming Championships (Talisuplusfestival Pirita Open) will hold an endurance swim in Pirita jõgi, Estonia in February 27th.

No Pain, No Gain.  No Guts, No Glory.  No Risks, No Rewards

12.Feb.10   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Solo Challenges   |  (2) comments

This Northern Hemisphere spring, Penny Palfrey will attempt one of the most audacious solo marathon swims in the world - a 72.4-mile crossing of the Kaieiewaho Channel from Oahu to Kauai in Hawaii this coming April.

Penny will swim between 30-40 hours through gigantic ocean swells, tremendously powerful currents and strong winds that can whip up a sea of whitecaps.

The Kaieiewaho Channel is a massive amount of water to cross. We asked
Penny about the pain, discomfort and obstacles that she may encounter on this courageous attempt.

"I think there’s a lot behind how tolerant to pain people are and what makes them who they are. There are some who will take the smallest problem and use it as an excuse to sit back and do very little with the rest of their lives. There are others who are determined to overcome life’s obstacles whatever they are."

"I think pain’s easier to tolerate or, at least, we notice pain less when we’re doing something we want to do. When we’re striving to achieve something or we’re enjoying what we’re doing, pain and discomfort become secondary. If we’re feeling pain, with no apparent gain, then the pain becomes the center of our focus and therefore is less tolerable."

It is certainly true that open water swimmers are probably the most introspective of any endurance athletes on the planet. With limited vision and limited ability to communicate with others, open water swimmers certainly have time to think.

Penny discussed how she became the athlete and person she is. "I do agree that people can become more tolerant to pain. Just as we become more used to our training workouts. From my personal perspective, I was born in the north of England and remember splashing around in the North Sea. Later we moved south and I did my first swimming lessons in the River Thames at Southend. My coach, Mick Higgs was known for being tough and followed me with three Olympians. I would cycle to school in the fog and snow and was able to snap my frozen hair when I arrived."

We asked Penny about her swim last year in the treacherous, shark-infested Alenuihaha Channel from the Big Island of Hawaii to Maui. The gutsy 70K (43-mile) swim took Penny 14 hours and 51 minutes.

"We had just arrive in Hawaii [from Australia] when we phone the pilot who said the weather was looking good and to pack our swim gear. We were to fly to the Big Island the next day to start the swim in the early hours of the next day. So 30+ hours of air travel, jet-lagged, a disturbed night’s sleep, a flight to Big Island, then a few hours rest on the boat in the harbor, up at 1 am, motor to start at 3 am. I was already exhausted. And the conditions didn’t look too good. By 6 am the forecast had changed to a small ship advisory, the paddler was on the escort boat and it was rough."

"The seas were huge, 4-6 meters coming from my right side. I’d decided not to wear earplugs because the water wasn’t that cold and it meant I’d be able to hear my crew more easily. The waves pounded my head from the right. After my swim I was deaf in my right ear for a week and my left ear for several days. The waves would catch my right shoulder when I breathed and spin me over 360 degrees. Some broke over the top of me and I didn’t know which way was up. So I just held my breath thinking that I’d pop to the surface eventually."

"White water was breaking around me and, with my fatigued brain, it looked like the English Channel ferries. The escort boat was unable to escort from beside me, so it was about 50 meters ahead. I had to lift my head to see which direction to swim and most of the time all I could see was the fishing pole that was bent back over the cabin roof [because of the rough water conditions]. Later in the swim, I was getting mad because I thought they were trawling for fish. I could swear I could see the lure beneath me."

"After I completed the swim and I was back on the boat, I felt my eyes involuntarily kept flicking and twitching to the right for about an hour since I’d been doing that to prepare for the oncoming waves for so long."

"For most of my swim, I didn’t have time to worry about pain. I was very focused on what I needed to do at each moment. But it was quite exhilarating being out there in those conditions. I knew if I got out it would be far more uncomfortable on the boat. I consider myself very fortunate to have the opportunity to be doing these swims. Which may have bought me full circle that pain has a lot to do with attitude and our perception of it."

Antonio Arguelles at Peace in La Paz Bay, Mexico

4.Feb.10   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Solo Challenges   |  (0) comments

Known by a handful of global traveling swimmers, La Paz Bay in Baja California is one of the best places in the world to do open water swimming.

With wonderfully clear and aqua-blue waters filled with marine life, the location is cold in winter and warm in swimmer and beautiful year-round.

With 244 islands and inlets in the Sea of Cortez (Mar de Cortes) under UNESCO protection as World Heritage Bioreserves, the Isla Espíritu Santo group are considered the crown jewels, the primary tourist destination of the area.

Triple Crown swimmer Antonio Argüelles of Mexico did a 40K 12-hour swim from the coast to Isla del Espiritu Santo in 1999. "Yes, it was a long swim, but it was pretty enjoyable. We started at dawn from La Paz, at a place called Marina Palmira and arrived 12 hours later to the Isla del Espiritu Santo at a beach known as El Candelero," explained Antonio.

"The swim took place in a water that was 23°C. There was a false alarm caused by a sword fish. My escort boat team thought it was a shark."

"I have done other swims around the area, mostly night swims to get used to swimming at night. It was always fascinating seeing the sun rise in the company of sea lions."

Davida Cecha’s Adventures on the Waves

29.Jan.10   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Solo Challenges   |  (0) comments

A Czech-language documentary, Dobrodružství ve vlnách (or Adventures on the Waves) on Davida Čecha can be seen here.

The 20-year-old Davida became the first Czech swimmer to complete a two-way crossing of the English Channel.

Jamie Patrick’s Unprecedented Three-way Crossing of Lake Tahoe

26.Jan.10   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Solo Challenges   |  (1) comments

Jamie Patrick of San Francisco will attempt an unprecedented triple crossing of Lake Tahoe in August 2010.

The courageous Triple Tahoe swim is a 66-mile (106K) three-way crossing of Lake Tahoe by the former All-American swimmer from the University of Hawaii who is a highly successful endurance athlete.

Besides an English Channel relay under his belt, he had done a quadruple Ironman Triathlon, a Triple Ironman, over 50 open water swims, ultra-marathon runs and over 75 triathlons.

Lake Tahoe sits between the states of Nevada and California at 1,897 meters (6,225 feet) altitude where Jamie will have to bear 12.7-15.5°C cold water (55-60°F) water for over 30 hours.

At altitude, in cold water swimming, through the night and against the 2-3 foot waves generated by the high mountain winds, Jamie will face incredible obstacles, but his mental and physical preparations and other ultra-marathon experiences will serve him well as he plans to join the open water swimming legends who have previously conquered Lake Tahoe.

Challenging The Dreaded Williwaw in 4°C Water

20.Jan.10   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Solo Challenges   |  (0) comments

Rachel Golub, Patricia Sener and Cristian Vergara will attempt to swim across the Beagle Channel between Chile to Argentina tomorrow.

Under the watchful assistance of an armada of Chilean and Argentine safety personnel, but under the constant threat of the williwaw during their 3-mile challenge, the pride of the Coney Island Brighton Beach Open Water Swimmers (CIBBOWS) will be swimming in frigid 38°F (4°C) water.

Details of the intrepid trio's experiences can be found here.

Frigid water, strong currents, unpredictable weather and complicated logistics are some of the extreme obstacles to overcome, but it is the uniquely ferocious Williwaw gusts (up to 200 knots) can truly make things dangerous for the intrepid group.

Patricia commented on the training - both physical and mental - that she has done in preparation for the challenge. "Cristian and I been training cold water for about ten years, gradually increasing cold exposure. So our bodies have had a long time to figure out how to acclimate. Rachel is very different. She is relatively new to our group, but has an innate ability to tolerate cold water extremely well."

"All this ties in with the mental. As I become more comfortable with extreme cold, the easier it is to use visualization techniques. Every day, I tell myself I am a warrior. I can do this. I envision myself during the swim, but more importantly, I visualize myself FINISHING the swim."

"I will be the slowest swimmer, and therefore in the water the longest, so I have also taken extra precautions in terms of researching and bringing the proper warm-up gear in to prepare for extreme hypothermia scenario. Having trained in the Straits of Magellan last year, I have a sense of what the Beagle will be like, so I feel pretty confident that I know exactly what I'll be facing."

Dolphins and Whales While Channel Swimming

15.Jan.10   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Solo Challenges   |  (0) comments

Earlier this week, Anne Cleveland announced her Double-Double Channel Swim (i.e., two-way crossing of both the English Channel and Catalina Channel). But she is also selfless in always freeing up her busy schedule as a coach and motivational speaker to help other channel swimmers realize their dreams. Anne took great photographs of marine life during last year's Catalina Channel crossings by Nick Adams and Sakura Hingley (here).

An Amazingly Audacious Attempt - the 72-mile Channel between Oahu and Kauai

14.Jan.10   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Solo Challenges   |  (3) comments

In what our opinion will most likely be the most amazing open water swim of 2010, and frankly one of the most amazing marathon swims in history, one of the world's most experienced and powerful marathon swimmers Penny Palfrey will attempt to swim 63 nautical miles (72.4 miles) in the Kaieiewaho Channel from Oahu to Kauai in April.

Penny, escorted by her pilot Don Jones, is planning to swim somewhere between 30-40 hours - through gigantic ocean swells, tremendously powerful currents and extremely strong winds that can whip up literally a sea of whitecaps.

Besides its length, the Kaieiewaho Channel is over 10,000 feet (3,040 meters) deep. It is just a massive amount of water is cross. In contrast, the the maximum depth of the 8.8-mile Auau Channel (between Lanai and Maui, the most popular channel to swim in Hawaii) is 108 feet (33 meters), the maximum depth of the 26-mile Kaiwi Channel (between Molokai and Oahu) is 2,300 feet (701 meters) and the 30-mile Alenuihaha Channel (between Hawaii and Maui) is 6,100 feet (1,900 meters).

Besides the elements, Penny will face marine life. Thankfully, Shark Shield, a long-time sponsor, will provide Penny with two units for her swims. Penny was gracious and happy to explain her audacious plans:

Q1. How many hours are you prepared to swim?
Penny: I’ll swim for as long as I’m able, taking into consideration the safety of myself and my crew.

Q2. Will Chris [your husband] do another Hawaiian Channel swim himself when he visits with you?
Penny: Yes Chris will be planning on swimming the 26-mile Kaiwi Channel. We’re still working out my boat swim crew details, but on such a swim, I feel that I’ll need shore crew too. Since Chris is going to be doing his own challenging swim, it might make sense for Chris to take the shore crew responsibilities.

Q3. What drives you?
Penny: Does anyone have the answer to this question? I love the water. I feel like I’ve come home when I do these long open water swims. I love the fish and especially the dolphins, the scenery, watching land slide away behind me, the crew letting me know how I’m progressing and the wonderful feeling of accomplishment when I’ve achieved my goal.
I love the way the open water swimming community help and support one another. I feel special when I look at the boat and see my crew there for me, watching over me, caring about me. I’m very much aware that open water swimming is not a solo lonely sport, but a team effort and this is not "my swim", but "our swim", and my accomplishments are always ours.

Q4. Are you doing any special training? Are you preparing yourself any differently for this swim than other swims?
Penny: I’ve not really altered my training too much. I tend to be in tune with my body, listen to it and train accordingly. There have been many months of hard work behind me since my 64K Santa Barbara Island swim (in 17 hours 53 minutes) in September 2009 and feel that I’ve been steadily building my swims over the past 17 years or so. I do feel that I’ve lost some speed, but distance is more important than speed in the Kauai Channel.

Q5. What time of the day or night will you start?
Penny: I’ll listen to my pilot and other advisors with regard to a start time in relation to the tide; however, I’ll be pushing strongly for a morning start so that I can get some sleep before my swim. I don’t really want to start a 30-40 hour swim at the end of a day.

Q6. Will this be your toughest swim?
Penny: This will be by far my longest swim. Toughest, I guess so. I’ve done some tough ones before, and generally I find the elements dictate the toughness.

Q7. Will you film this swim?
Penny: My charter boat is very small. In fact, it has no toilet or galley and little space for my crew to rest. Therefore my support crew must be kept fairly minimal. Of course, with a big sponsor, and a fancy launch and movie crew, I’ll think about it. Seriously though, Chris and I love to share our swimming experiences with the global open water community as reflected in our website which is one of the considerations with regard to our need for the shore crew.

Last year, Penny became the second person to swim the treacherous, shark-infested Alenuihaha Channel from the Big Island of Hawaii to Maui. Her gutsy swim took 14 hours and 51 minutes where Penny was tossed about by occasional 6-meter (20-foot) ocean swells where her crew would lose sight of her. She quickly followed up that effort with a 14.5K (8.8-mile) swim across the Maui Channel together with her husband. She also completed the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim, placing second overall in 7 hours 17 minutes. Earlier in 2009, she participated in a 33 hour 33 minute 120K triple-crossing of Lake Taupo, the biggest lake in New Zealand.

Her adventurous spirit, obvious athletic abilities, courage and willingness to traverse the world in search of unprecedented marathon swimming feats, Penny is truly an open water swimming hero.