Article 033g (Page 7) c.1988
 
 
One of the greatest causes of failure in channel attempts is insufficient funding. Most swimmers do not realize the high cost of an extended stay in England and if there are weather setbacks, one can be wiped out financially before getting a chance to swim. 
"Seamos Amigos y Seamos Justos" had gotten contributions from Banco Popular, Tourism Company, Parks and Recreation Department, Schaeffer Beer, World Airlines and others, while I was given help personally by the Panasonic Corp., the Abbot Pharmaceutical Corp. and the Speedo Swimwear Corp. Even so we were hard-pressed to make ends meet, due to the delays caused by the hurricane. 
    5:30 p.m. Second swimmer, second round: Krista 
    Tim is sleeping below with Harry. Krista relieved him on time. The sea has picked up to about Force 3 1/2 again, and her pace is a little bit off. Tim didn't say much when he came out. In fact, nobody seems to be talking or doing much of anything. Earlier in the day, the excitement of the adventure kept them all animated, but now, after an hour in the freezing sea, the knowledge that they have to do it again (at least once more) has sobered them to the fact that making history and setting records isn't an easy task. Their mood now is one of self-centeredness, each is lost in his or her own thoughts, no longer standing at the boat's railing, calling encouragement to the swimmer in the water. Instead, they are resting and wrapped in warm clothing, lying down wherever they can find room. The air is cold and the wind is brisk.
Most relay swims are done by national teams of selected swimmers, usually their six fastest. Occasionally, a club team will try the challenge. Most club teams are from England, since they don't have to incur the expenses that foreign relays do. They just wait for good weather and then drive down to Dover and compete. The average time for a relay crossing is about 10 hours. The relay record is 7 hours, 17 minutes, set by a national team from England in 1981.
    6:30 p.m. Third swimmer, second round: Jason 
    Jason looks cold. He is putting on his goggles and sitting by the ladder. Krista still has two minutes left of her second turn. She's swimming well: this time the current was slack, so she is swimming almost directly towards France. There goes Jason now, stiff-legged, down the ladder. Reggie has stopped the boat and Ray is helping Krista onto the deck. The sun is very low now, near the horizon. Not much daylight left. Jason is starting to swim now.
During my St. Thomas to Puerto Rico swim, I swam through the night inside my anti-shark cage. None of the rest of my family had ever swam in the ocean at night. I had set the relay order so that if we caught the currents right, I might be the only one required to swim in the dark. Sharks in the English Channel usually are not a problem-the water is too cold.
    We're about 500 yards from the three-mile buoy, off the French coast. It was on our right side and I went to get the camera to photograph Jason as he swam by. In the few minutes it took me to go below, get the camera and return to the railing, the buoy had moved to our left side! Reggie is shouting that we're caught in a very strong southern, offshore current. We're going to miss Cap Griz Nez! We will have to swim with the current parallel to France, for several hours before it changes again and allows us to make any forward progress once again. This translates into second swims for me, Harry Jr. and Caroll, and third swims for Tim, Krista, and possibly Jason-all at night. It's almost dark now: it will turn into night while I'm swimming next. (Page 8)

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