Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation 7th Annual Dinner, Dover, England, March 14, 2009

Above: The menu and list of CS&PF Solo Channel Swimmers for 2008.

Arriving in Dover on Saturday evening with my wife Beccy and 'Little Hoffy', it felt like we had never been away. Sweeping down past the harbour from the A20, I gazed across the harbour and thought about all the lengths back and forth over the past couple of years. The sun was just setting and the water was as calm as it could possibly be. If it wasn't for the fact the water was only just over 7 degrees Centigrade, it would be a perfect evening to swim the channel. However, we weren't here for that today, we were here for the annual dinner and awards presentation of the Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation (CS&PF).

The tables were all excellently set out, and the dinner committee had obviously been working very hard all day, probably all week or longer in fact, to ensure that everyone would enjoy themselves.

Charlie Gravett, who will be my pilot for my Jersey to France swim when it eventually does take place, had been elected as Chairman of the CS&PF for 2009 earlier in the day at the AGM. Well done Charlie, I'm sure you will do fantastic job. It was during a chat with him prior to sitting down for the meal, that reality struck home about my Jersey to France attempt for 2009. You may remember that we went to Jersey in 2008 for the attempt, but despite sitting there for the week, I could not swim due to the windy conditions. We returned back to England, and re-booked it for the week commencing July 01, 2009. Well, things don't always turn out as planned in open water swimming. Beccy is due to give birth on July 29, 2009. That's 29 days after the planned swim! So after discussions with Charlie, Beccy and I have reluctantly decided to cancel the swim at present, as there is no way she can spend hours on a boat feeding me when she will be 8 months pregnant! We will have to re-schedule it, probably for 2010. Back to the meal.

I can't sum the evening up any better, than the e-mail sent to the channel swimmers group by the compare for the evening, Cliff Golding. I have therefore reproduced it here:-

"First, thank you to everybody who turned out on Saturday night for the CS&PF annual dinner. By all accounts everybody really enjoyed themselves. Amongst the many highlights for me were: Ros Hardiman's award and the spontaneous and prolonged standing ovation she received; the composure and strength Tara and her family showed in presenting the Leo Cox award; Frank Richard's heartfelt words on accepting his retirement award and how he said his priority now was to look after Margaret like she has looked after him all their married life and that she was far more important than Channel swimming - true love still after 61 years; introducing all the solo Channel swimmers from last year and, hearing after from someone who swam two years ago that one of the things that spurred him on during his swim was that he wanted to stand up and be introduced at the dinner as a Channel swimmer; and, the aah moment of the evening, when Frances Anderson stood to accept applause for her swim last year and it was announced that her boyfriend 'Shep' had taken her to her landing point in France earlier in the day and proposed to her at that spot.

Of course Evelyn winning the grand - let's say huge - bottle of wine was also a highlight - can't wait for THAT Varne Ridge barbacue in the sunmmer. And, there were over 40 swimmers braving the harbour on Sunday morning. The lovely sunny day belied the freezing water temperature (not that I would know, before anyone comments!) and shifts of ten at a time swimmers descending on Chaplin's for breakfast reminded me of days gone by and both delighted and challenged Barbara in the kitchen.

But, the main reason for penning this is to say that buried in the PDF Mike sent last night was the figure for the amount raised on the night for the Dover Lifeboat. £516 was collected (thanks Ella and Rhianna for collecting the envelopes) and will be presented to the RNLI Dover Lifeboat and thanks also to the emergency committee meeting convened during the evening (well a few of them gathered round Charlie's Guinness and did a thumbs up) when it was agreed that the CS&PF will match that amount and present a cheque for the euro equivilant to the Calais Lifeboat. Thank you to everyone for your generosity.

So to next year with the small matter of a whole season's Dover training and Channel swimming to come first!

Cliff."

A big well done from all of us here in Bury St Edmunds to Cliff, who was an excellent compare for the evening.

Above: Meeting my 2 Way Channel Swim 2010 pilot Eddie Spelling for the first time. He gave me some valuable information.

Above (Left to Right): Little Hoffy, Sonia from The Sandown Guest House, Me, Beccy.

Above (Left to Right): Channel Swimmers Benjamin Greensmith, Ned Dennison, Me (the short one at 6 Feet 1") and 2009 Channel Swimming Aspirant, Mike Hall.

Sunday March 15, 2009 - Dover Harbour

Having indulged in the usual excellent breakfast served at The Sandown by Sonia, we set off for the beach on a glorious almost Spring day. When we got there I was amazed at just how many mad fools were there! There must have been 50 or so people all eager to get in the 7.8 degrees Centigrade water. All except me actually. I really was not in the right frame of mind to get in. I was still thinking about my cancelled Jersey swim. At the beginning of the year, I had 3 big swims planned. Now, I had none! I stripped off and headed down to the water.

Above: With multi-channel swimmer, Nick Adams who helped me so much last year in Dover Harbour.

I stepped into the water up to my shins, and had the most searing pain shoot up my legs imaginable! Many people just went swimming off to the Prince of Wales Pier and Back. Nick Adams swam towards the Eastern Dock. Try as I might, I just could not get in. My head was not quite in the right place.

Eventually I resorted to splashing the water all over my body with my hands. This helped a lot, and without further ado, I walked into the water up to my waist.

It's amazing how the brain works. I was thinking, that there really was no point in doing this this year, I now had no reason to as I had no swims. I swum back to shore, and watched the others. Nick Adams did an amazing swim almost to the Eastern Dock and back.

Above: Pleased with myself after the best part of 60 second in Dover Harbour!

Above: Me with channel swimmers Sam Jones and Carlos. Apologies Carlos, but I don't think I've ever been told your surname!

We set off back to Bury and while I sat in the car, I sat thinking, pondering things, wondering when I would be back in Dover. A good weekend, but a lot to think about.

Training in Dover Harbour on a glorious autumn day in October

Above: Swimmers and stand in "Channel General" (Beccy Hopfensperger) assemble on Dover beach on a glorious October day, Saturday October 11, 2008. Sam Jones (laying down, pink hat) prepares Saturday lunch (Maxim!).

I had a couple of things to collect from my 2008 channel swim pilot, Neil Streeter, so we decided to travel the 290 mile round trip to Dover on what turned out to be a beautiful day. I needed some Maxim (channel swimmers drink) for my swim in Mexico next week, and I wanted to collect the chart of my swim which Neil had prepared. I also wanted to get a good open water training swim in as it would be the last time before Mexico. I sent an e-mail to the channel swimmers group, and was delighted to see familiar faces on the beach when we got there.

Channel Swimmers Sam Jones, Cliff Golding, Laura Lopez-Bonilla and Dave Chisolm and channel aspirant Mike Ball who will be attempting the channel in August 2009 were all there ready for a dip. Beccy setup her chair in Freda's spot and started issuing orders. It was very scary as she was very good at it. Cliff Golding took on Barrie's role of "Shingle Stomper". It was great to be here on such a sunny and warm day.

Above (Left to right): Dave, Stand in General, Sam's son Phil, Laura, Sam, Cliff and Mike get ready for our October dip.

Above (Left to right): Laura, Dave, Sam & Phil, me and Mike costumes on and ready for action.

Above: I have absolutely no idea what Sam was doing to Laura here! Answers on a postcard please....

Above: ...and I have absolutely no idea what I was doing here! All I know was that it felt damn cold compared to the sauna and steam room I had been in the night before!

As we got in and set off in the dead calm water, my face went numb and I immediately got an ice-cream headache. However, it wasn't too unbearable and by the time we had swum over to the Prince of Wales Pier I felt quite happy and the temperature gauge on my watch had bottomed out at 14.8 degrees Centigrade. Quite warm really compared to some of the swims earlier in the year.

Having all stopped together at the pier, I set off on the swim I was going to do today. This was across the harbour to the Eastern Dock, back to the P.O.W. pier and then back to the beach, flat out without stopping. It was a beautiful swim, and it was so good to be back in the open water having trained in nothing but a 20 Metre pool for the past month. I sprinted the entire swim, then came into the beach having swum for an hour.

Above: In full flight passing the beach on my way back to the Prince of Wales Pier.

Arriving back at the beach, I was pleased with myself and about to get out, when I saw "The General " (Beccy), "The Shingle Stomper" (Cliff) and Sam Jone shouting and waving at me "Get back in there. Go on. Swim back to the wall and back". I was shocked for a moment, then they all laughed. It was a very scary moment, which anyone who has trained in the harbour will know what I am talking about. However, I got out and waited for Mike to come in.

Above: 2009 Channel aspirant, Mike Ball, completes his swim. It was the latest time in the year he had ever swum in the sea and was very pleased. Well done Mike.

All in all it was a great day. I got my 2008 channel swim chart and Maxim for Mexico, had a great meal in Cullins Yard and had a great swim. Next stop, the Sumidero Canyon in Mexico on October 18th followed by our channel swimmers re-union meal organised by Nicola Millichip in Cullins Yard, Dover on Saturday 25th. Anyone who's coming, don't forget your costumes!!!

Dover 2008 week 18 - The training ends and the waiting game starts. (Updated - Sep 05, 3pm)

Above: Dover harbour, where I have clocked up some 343KM since May 03, 2008.

This weekend I completed 2 x short 3 hours swims in Dover Harbour, a place that has felt like home since May 03, 2008. This week I was a "yellow hat". i.e. one that is tapering down to swim or a relay swimmer or someone who may be contemplating swimming next season.

Above: Swimming in and getting out of the water, hopefully weather permitting, for the last time before my two-way channel swim attempt.

After completing just under 343,000 Metres in the harbour since May 3rd, I am now waiting for my swim.

Above: A welcome Lucozade Sport after swimming for 3 hours in the harbour with no food or drink.

On Sunday we went to see my pilot, Neil Streeter, on board the support boat SUVA. We discussed various things about the swim and weather permitting, we will be setting off on a spring tide this coming Thursday, September 04, 2008. I say weather permitting because at present it is not looking too good, but all being well, Thursday is the day.

I heard a good saying recently which was "Swimming accumulates" [in the body] and I know exactly what was meant by this saying. If we go on Thursday, it will be the culmination of 41 years worth of swim training, which will have accumulated in my body and mind. I am physically prepared from all the years of training, but more importantly, I am mentally prepared for it. I have pictured myself doing the swim over, and over again in my mind. I have pictured myself walking out in France, turning round and 'starting' my channel swim. But more importantly, I have pictured myself walking out on the beach in St. Margaret's bay, England having swum to France and back. This, in my opinion is equally, if not more important than just the training.

I read a formula recently, which went as follows:-

(Knowledge+Skill+Process) x Mindset = Exceptional Performance

Wow, how right this is. The Dover crew have given me the knowledge. The skills I have learned over the past 41 years of swimming. I have been through the process (training) to get to where I am today physically. If I multiply all of that together with my mindset, it will give me the Exceptional Performance required to achieve the task of being the oldest man in history to swim from England to France and back again.

I will update the blog the day before I know I am going. Thanks to Freda, Barrie, Irene and all the beach crew to have helped me get to where I am today. But most of all thanks to Beccy for being there day in day out, week in week out, month in month out. Without her total support, this simply would not have been possible.

UPDATE - September 03, 2008 - 10:00 Hrs.

"Put your feet up for the next few days" were the words from my pilot Neil Streeter this morning. The weather forecast for the next few days shows strong winds, so at present, it will be early next week before we will know when I can swim. The joys of Channel Swimming!

UPDATE - September 05, 2008 - 15:00 Hrs.

Well it goes from bad to worse. The forecast for the next 10 days is wind, wind and more wind! It really has been a miserable summer, not just for swimming, but for everyone. I can't ever remember one quite this bad. I spoke to my pilot 1/2 hour ago about any realistic chances of a swim, and even discussed swimming on the next spring tide. i.e. After September 13th when the neap ends. All I can do is wait, and if things change over the next few days, which they could well do, then I will update the blog. Meanwhile, it's back in the pool tonight, and probably a swim in the sea at Felixstowe on Sunday. And I thought the training was over!

Dover 2008 week 17 - 3 Days in Dover Harbour (on our wedding anniversary!)

Above: A 7 Hour training swim in Dover harbour on our 11th wedding anniversary - Saturday August 23, 2008.

Day 1 - Saturday August 23, 2008

This weekend was going to be a really important one. With only two weeks to go before my two-way channel swim attempt, it would be the last big training weekend before I start to taper down ready for the channel. It was also our 11th wedding anniversary.

Arriving at the beach, it was a beautiful clear sunny day and the harbour was dead flat. When Freda said "6 hours please Hoffy" to me, I replied "Can't I do 7 please?". She crossed out 6 on her pad and wrote 7 in it's place. I think I am slowly going mad! It was 9am and I said goodbye to Bex, wished her a happy anniversary, and told her I would see her at 3pm - 7 hours later. This is the fantastic thing, she is fully supportive of the swim, and without this support, it simply would not be possible.

I set off with Nick Aspey from Wigan, who was in the harbour doing his 6 hour qualifying swim. It was hist first time in Dover, and he was really excited about it. I did explain that it wasn't always as calm as it was today, but he simply had a great time, really enjoying himself until he got out at 6 hours with his swim complete. Well done Nick, great swim - the longest he has ever done in one go.

Beccy was on the beach with the usual team, and was there to feed everyone when we came in. After 7 hours, I came in pleased with myself having completed 19,260 Metres in 7 hours.

To celebrate our anniversary, I had booked a table at Cullins Yard for 7.30pm. Having been there for about an hour, I heard some South African voices behind me. I turned round, and there sitting right behind me was none other than "The Ice Bear" himself, Lewis Gordon-Pugh - the first man ever to swim for 1KM at The North Pole in -1.7 Degrees Centigrade water!

Above: South African Channel Swimmers including front, left in the red T-shirt - Lewis Gordon-Pugh, me seated on floor, and far right at the front, a South African swimmer who had just swum the channel that day.

Above: Beccy on our 11th wedding anniversary at Cullins Yard.

After a fantastic steak, we said goodbye to the South Africans, and headed back to our beds for the night, ready for another big swim the following day.

Day 2 - Sunday August 24, 2008 - 133 Years to the day since Captain Matthew Webb first swum the English Channel.

Above: Coming in for a feed during Sunday's swim.

What a bloody miserable day. It was horrible. When we got up, it was cold, grey skies, raining and no sign anywhere of the sun which had shone the day before. To cap it off, over by the Eastern Dock it was like swimming in a washing machine. It was horrible, so I swum with Chris Enyon from Sudbury & District swimming club "up and down the wall" where it was a bit calmer to say the least.

At about 3.75 hours, I had one of those feelings which I have experienced many times when we are fed Maxim Electrolyte rather than the full Maxim. I was sprinting with Chris, when it felt like I had just run out of fuel. I told him to continue at his pace while I swum at mine. I continued up the wall, back down again, and really struggled along the beach. I was absolutely famished. I was so hungry it hurt. I stopped and started, just making it to the beach at 4 hours and 5 minutes ready for a very welcome feed when to my astonishment Beccy stood there and said "Everyone out. Finished. You're all getting out". Apparently, for the first time in living memory, Freda had had enough, and you can't blame her. All of the beach crew, including Beccy, were absolutely soaked through to the skin. It was a truly awful day. I had however, completed 10,255 Metres.

Chatting to Beccy later, she told me that we were going to do 4 hours tomorrow so that we could all get home early in case of bad traffic. This was a shame as I had wanted to complete 7 Hours/6 Hours then 5 Hours over the weekend.

Day 3 - Bank Holiday Monday August 25, 2008

Monday was no better than Sunday. Grey, dark skies, cold wind and really miserable. At least it was only going to be a 4 hour swim and then we could be off home. "Hoffy - 6 hours." came the words from Freda's mouth. "6?" I replied. "Yes, we need to get the hours in as we only did 4 yesterday". Bloody weather! I got in and set off to swim for 6 hours.

At 4 hours I was really fed up, and for the first time for a long time I was cold, so cold that I was shivering as I swum. This was not good so near my channel swim. I think I had mentally prepared myself to swim for 4 hours, not 6 and it's amazing how your mind adapts to this way of thinking. I was a bit angry with myself, and as I came in for a feed I said "What a bloody way to spend a Bank Holiday Monday. One more hour then I'm getting out!". I had my feed then set off.

I sprinted quite hard, and soon began to warm up. Up and down the wall I was putting in some good sprints. When it came to the end of hour 5, I had snapped out of it and was looking forward to the last hour. As I arrived back at the beach, several women of varying degrees of looking stern were standing at strategic locations across the beach. Standing head and shoulders above the rest at the top of the beach (the tide was out) was The General. "What's the matter with them?" I thought to myself. Then I realised and burst out laughing. They were all stopping me getting out! "It's Ok." I said, "I'm all better now, I'm not getting out!". I had my feed and completed 6 hours 5 minutes covering 16,180 Metres.

Above: Getting out after 6 hours and 16,180 Metres. Thank you ladies for ensuring I didn't get out at 5 hours! LOL!

All in all, although the weather was miserable on the Sunday and Monday, it was a very productive weekend covering a total of 45,695 Metres. Next week, I will be tapering down hopefully, weather dependant, preparing to start my two-way channel swim attempt the following weekend. After the disappointment of Jersey, let's hope this one goes ahead!

Total time in the harbour this week - 17 Hours 10 Minutes.
Total distance covered - 45,695 Metres.

For training diary update click here

Dover 2008 week 16 - 6 hour swim in miserable conditions

Above: The ever present Barry Wakeham puts on the Vaseline before another 6 hour swim in Dover Harbour.

After the disappointment of last week, it was important to get back into heavy training for my two-way channel swim attempt in September. Having tapered down for the Jersey swim, then not swum and only did some light training while I was there, I felt as though I was losing some fitness. So Saturday night at 8pm, only 24 hours after returning from Jersey, Beccy and I set off for Dover.

Arriving at 10.00pm, we headed for a pint of Guinness at the White Horse. As soon as we walked in I heard American accents and found out that they were non other than Liz Fry and her crew. Liz, had literally hours earlier, been pulled out at "The Varne" in the channel after swimming for 24 hours on a two-way attempt. This was a fantastic effort, and we chatted for about an hour about her valiant attempt. At 11pm it was off to bed ready for the next day's swim.

Arriving at Swimmers beach it really was a glum, grey, misty day with light spots of rain. "Looks like I'll be sitting in the car all day!" said Beccy. Barry greased me up and in I got.

The water was in fact dead calm, and I proceeded to swim my usual 2 hour routine before the first feed. However, after about an hour, it cut up rough again at the Eastern Dock and it turned into a battle with the waves.

At the 3 hour feed, The General came down to speak to me, but I simply cannot hear her when I have my ear plugs in and hat over my ears. This is what I thought she said:-

"Don't go up to the Eastern Dock because I can't see you. It too rough over there. Go over the other side and go up and down the wall".

This is what she actually said:-

"Don't go past the slopey groyne, I can't see you because it's too rough over there. Don't go up and down the wall".

I spent the remaining 3 hours going up and down the wall, as I though she had told me, only to get a bollocking when I got back for going up and down the wall! It was however, and friendly bollocking as I was laughing so much due to my total misunderstanding! I spent a bit of time with Chris Enyon doing some sprints up and down the wall, and with Chris Pountney after Chris Enyon got out at 5 hours.

It was a good "blow the cobwebs away" swim, and it will only now increase with the 2 way channel approaching fast.

I would just like to say very well done to Leanne Harling, who I was supposed to be support swimmer for. Unfortunately, due to the weather conditions, her swim was brought forward a week, and it happened when we were on the airplane back from Jersey. She swum brilliantly for 12 hours before being pulled out due to the terrible weather conditions. Well done Leanne, you will do it next time I know you will.

Total time in the harbour this week - 6 Hours
Total distance covered - 17,100 Metres.

For training diary update click here

Dover 2008 week 13 - 'Split' channel swim number 4

Above: Arriving at "Swimmers Beach", Dover to be greased up by the ever present Barrie 'The Shingle Stomper' prior to another 7 hour swim.

This weekend was to be my last 'split channel swim' prior to my attempt to swim from Jersey to France in August. It was therefore important to get a good two days swimming in prior to Jersey, which will be my second of three big swims this year, the first being the Serbia swim and the third, the 2 way English Channel. Having said that, I am at present contemplating a fourth one in October, but it is not decided yet. Watch this space!

Day 1 - Saturday July 26, 2008

During last week's split channel swim, I swam for a little while with Dr. Leanne Harling from London. She is a member of the Serpentine Swimming Club, who trains with two-way Channel Swimmer Nick Adams. I thought then that we trained at a similar pace. This week, we both got into the harbour on a beautiful sunny day, and decided to swim together. We did this for 5 hours before I went off to do some sprint training at about 5 hours. I find this very useful for arm strength and stamina towards the end of long sessions. It is also something that you may need to do in the channel at any time into the swim if your pilot tells you to speed up for 30 minutes due to the tide or to miss a tanker etc. You need to be able to pull this out ofthe bag when your arms simply do not feel like it.

After about 2 hours or so I said to Leanne "I was wondering if you would like to be my support swimmer?". She replied "I was just thinking exactly the same!". Her swim is the tide of August 23rd, and mine is the tide of September 6th. So once we have checked diaries etc. this week, hopefully we will be supporting each other on our respective swims. She is a great swimmer with a really long, but fast stroke who trains with Nick Adams. This explains why she is so fast!

Above: Dr. Leanne Harling and me after our 7 hour Saturday swim.

After the 7 hour swim, we went to Cullins Yard for something to eat, then went off to "The Coastguard" in St Margaret's Bay. This is a lovely pub overlooking the channel. From there I like to sit and stare across the channel at France and watch the shipping go by, and get a mental feel of what lies ahead in September. They also have a very large selection of continental beers! Antonio Abertondo, the first person to complete a two way channel swim in 1961, finished his swim here in 1961. I sat there and mentally pictured myself, walking up the beach, into the bar and ordering a beer after 30 hours swimming in the channel! That will be my goal and the mental picture I will take with me across the channel and back in September.

Day 2 - Sunday July 27, 2008

Waking up on Sunday morning, I felt as though I had been attacked by 'The Morning Gorilla'. I'm sure he picked me up by the hair and swung me round the room in my sleep, bounced me off the walls, then put me back to bed! My whole body ached, and I felt very subdued and stiff in the arms, neck and shoulders. Undeterred, as I am used to this by now, I had a Sandown breakfast and off to meet up with Leanne for a 6 hour swim.

Getting in and swimming across to the Eastern Dock, I said to Leanne "Wow this is a good to be alive day today!". The cool water, and the already scorching sun made it feel as though we were in some lagoon in Europe somewhere rather than Dover Harbour. It was beautiful, if not very "patchy" with the hot/cold/hot/cold... patches of water. Some of them over by the Eastern Dock were really cold. I have no idea where they kept coming from. It was as if there was someone under the water turning on freezing cold jets of water and firing it up at us as we swum over. Very strange.

Above: Feeding at 5 hours, the last feed of the weekend. Left to right, Beccy Hopfensperger, me and Leanne. We were both absolutely famished by then.

Beccy was working non stop this weekend feeding all the swimmers as they came in. She was there all day Saturday and Sunday up and down the beach, and said that it was a good workout just feeding us! We had 1/2 bananas and chocolate mini rolls, but of course the essential "Maxim" (both the full product and Electrolyte) at all stops. We fed on both days after 2 hours for the first feed, then every hour after that. Thanks Bex, you were a star as always, as were all of the beach crew who give up their time every weekend for our benefits.

Above: Leanne and I setting off for the last swim of the day at about 5 1/2 hours into the 6 hour swim.

At 6 hours we came in, and Beccy was there to greet us with "A BIG MAC!". After Nick Adams had fed us last week, Beccy had run up to MacDonalds and got us both a Big Mac. It was great! When we got out, I was told that Nick Adams had broken the World Record swimming from Jersey to France! He had lowered the record from 7 Hrs. 47 minutes to 7 Hrs. 3 minutes. Awsome swim Nick! Well done. I'm going to have to go some to beat that!

So all in all a very successful weekend. Next weekend, it will be about 3 hours on Saturday, followed by a 2KM race at the Dover Regatta weekend. Last year I won the over 40's race, and hopefully I can do the same next week.

Total time in the harbour this week - 13 Hours.
Total distance covered - 36,750 Metres.

For training diary update click here