Weather

Okay, I'm just saying: I know there is no point in worrying about it, and it is 100% out of my control, but I have been observing the weather in the English Channel the last few days - and it has not been good for swimming. Today is the last day of a neap tide (the weaker tides on which Channel attempts are normally made) which went from August 26 to September 3. There are probably 20 people who hoped to make their swim during this tide, and not one of them got the opportunity. The wind was too strong the whole time. I am not exactly sure what happens to them now. Based on current forecasts (with very sketchy reliability), it looks like Sunday is the first day someone could swim, but even if that forecast holds, they would be swimming on a stronger "spring" tide, which is harder (although can actually be faster for some swimmers). No fun either way.

My swim window begins with the next neap tide on September 11. If I understand right, these people who didn't get any decent weather do not get pushed back to my window. On the 11th, I still get the first shot. September is supposed to be a good month for weather - a little cooler air temps than the end of July and August, but more settled weather patterns. We'll just have to wait and see what happens in the next week or so. I have a retreat scheduled at Iona (an ancient retreat center on an island off the west coast of Scotland) beginning on the 19th. If I haven't swum by the 18th, I'll have a tough decision to make.

Again, there is no point in worrying about it, but I'm just sayin'...