Article 033b (Page 2) c.1988
 
 
    The sea is relatively calm here, close to the English shore. We haven't really gotten into the main channel yet. Tim looks strong; his channel grease hasn't washed off yet.
Our guide boat cleared Customs and Immigration at about 9:40 a.m., and we left Folkestone Harbour, hurrying to Shakespeare Beach, Dover, hoping to catch the 10:30 a.m. outgoing tide. If we missed it, hours would be added to our overall crossing. 
On our way to Dover, we passed a smaller escort boat, bearing a marathon swimmer, Stella Taylor. At age 45, she became the oldest woman to swim the English Channel. She is now 55, and with a successful swim today, she would improve on her record. (her guide boat broke down at Shakespeare Beach, and she never got a chance to compete.)
We had met Stella last week at a lawn party for this year's channel swimmers. The gathering was hosted by Ray and Audrey Scott, chairman and secretary of the prestigious English Channel Swimming Association. Stella, like ourselves, and many other international channel swimmers, has been delayed by the meanest and coldest summer in 35 years on the channel. Today the weather broke clear, and 11 attempts are going to be made this morning.
    I see Krista taking off her sweatsuit and getting ready. Tim is maintaining his pace. Everyone is in good spirits. I think the family realizes that after months of preparation, waiting and frustration, the great adventure is finally under way! I just hope I can keep them in this frame of mind as the journey progresses and the going becomes more difficult.
I had been at the Scott's house earlier in the month when I paid our registration fees. On that afternoon I was accompanied by my son, Jason and Julian McConnie Jr. His father is the head of the Seamos Amigos y Seamos Justos society, a nonprofit organization that raised the funds for our swim. The English Channel Swimming Association has been keeping accurate records of swims since the 1876. Due to the association's diligent efforts, the strict rules of Channel swimming are rigidly enforced. Because of them, swimming the channel today is as difficult as it was a century ago. 
That terrifying body of water still presents one of the world's greatest physical challenges, comparable to climbing Mount Everest. Modern technology has created space-age mountain-climbing equipment and computerized electronic assists for the Everest challenge but the Channel swimmers still enter the water armed with only a bathing suit, a swim cap and a pair of goggles and swim their way across 22 miles of treacherous currents. They fight numbing hypothermia, stinging jellyfish, high waves, giant oceangoing ships (the channel is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world), fatigue, seasickness, oil slicks and loneliness. Only 10 percent are successful. 
    Krista is having problems making her relief of Tim on the scheduled timetable. She has gotten grease all over her goggles and can't see out of them. The official observer, Ray Brickell, is warning her to replace Tim in two minutes or he will disqualify our relay! (Page 3)

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