At that afternoon meeting with the
Scotts, I had
my first introduction to English prejudice against what they think is
foreign
sensationalism. The English Channel swimming fraternity is very tight
and
cloistered, and they looked upon our family relay swim as a publicity
stunt,
believing that we were not serious swimmers and that our swim a gimmick
to attract international attention.
I informed them that Jason and I were
going to
try solo attempts also (the first time that two members of one family
would
have swum the channel simultaneously). One trainer of channel swimmers,
who happened to be at the Scotts' that afternoon, questioned our
open-water
swimming background. Jason mentioned the Catano-San Juan Bay swim, and
the trainer started to laugh. Angrily, Jason stated that his father
swam
from St. Thomas to Puerto Rico, a distance of 55 miles, in 30
hours.
The English trainer considered that
for a moment
before replying, "Yes, but that was warm water!", dismissing the feat
as
trivial.
Even the boat captain had his doubts,
knowing
that we had come from a tropical zone. He made sure we understood that
we had to pay him the full charter price-$1000-before we attempted to
swim.
-
Krista is finally making the
relay-change.
Reggie, the captain, is slowing the boat down to a near standstill, and
Krista is going down the ladder, entering the channel behind her
brother,
precisely at the 60-minute mark. There is a little confusion on both
their
parts, since this is our first changeover. (Each relay member is
required
to swim one hour, no more, no less during their designated shift. No
changing
of the swimming order or substitute swimmers is allowed. The new
swimmer
must enter the water behind the previous one, and swim past him before
the change is complete. Only then may the previous swimmer get out of
the
water.) Krista is gasping for breath, but now she is starting to swim.
She's passing Tim. Ray the official observer, is allowing Tim to come
alongside.
Tim is hanging on the ladder for a few seconds, resting, and Krista,
who
is swimming rapidly in order to keep warm, is getting ahead of the
idling
vessel. I'm urging Tim to get on board so the Helen Ann Marie can catch
up with Krista.
The actual swim of the channel was a
culmination
of many years of dreaming and planning. It seemed that the hardest part
was just getting all the family together in England. When I first
mentioned
to my wife and children what I wanted to do, they quickly informed me
that
I was out of my mind.
"No way," Not me," "Count me out!"
were the responses
I received. My oldest son, Harry, is married and lives in Curacao,
Netherlands
Antilles; Krista, my only daughter, lives in Los Angeles; Tim and Jason
live with me. The geographical logistics seemed insurmountable. Getting
six people, a doctor and a trainer to Dover on the same day the weather
and sea gave us a relatively calm situation, was the ultimate mission.
There is only a three-month season when the channel can be conquered,
and
within that time frame, only seven days in every 20 are suitable for
attempts.
Hauck Sr. warms up with a cup of coffee after
swimming
a night leg. At left, Krista bundled up against the cold.
It didn't take long for the family to
realize
that I was really serious. The Channel Association recognizes solo
(individual)
and relay (six persons, swimming alternately one hour each) swims.
Since
my family consists of exactly six persons (father, mother, three sons
and
a daughter) we had a perfect relay. A family had never tried the
channel,
and neither had a representation from Puerto Rico.
Finally, at our Christmas gathering in
1985, each
family member agreed that if all others vowed to participate, they
themselves
would swim. If one had refused, the event could not take place.
History was in the making. (Page
4)
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