Swimmers in the Solent

[Magic_Sailor]

I was pottering about in Southampton Water - but monitoring VTS heard that there were a number of swimmers near the N Sturbridge buoy and that a police vessel was in attendance.

Anybody know what was going on?

Magic

 

[jhr]

Don't know in this particular case, though I think there are normally a couple of swimming races in the Solent every year - there's a Ryde to Southsea swim some time next month, for example.

We came across several swimmers off Lepe Beach the summer before last, escorted by a couple of boats. Subsequent enquiry on these boards revealed that it was the British Olympic Long-Distance(?) Swimming team, who trained on the Beaulieu River, and who had obviously decided to venture out of the estuary.

 

[alahol2]

We came across a whole line of swimmers, each with a canoeist in attendance. They appeared to be coming from Ryde direction and ended up in Stokes Bay on the mainland. This was on Sunday.

 

[Rob_Webb]

Don't envy them in that water temp. Presume they were all wearing wetsuits or well greased up? BTW, do you know the current temp in the Solent?

I did a seas swim from an island in the Hauraki Gulf to the mianland a few months back (2.5nm, took me 1hr30m) and managed it bear skin OK but sea was about 20C.

 

[Ships_Cat]

Hi Rob

We have twice now come across a swimmer swimming across Cook Strait - they are escorted by boats, of course. Judging by the location of the last one we saw, they must have to make enormous allowances for tide.

John

 

[BrendanS]

I wonder how much planning the cross channel swimmers put into planning tide effects (england to france) given that in any discussion here, even experienced sailors disagree over most effective route for given tidal conditions.

Would be interested to hear from someone that's done it or been involved

 

[Twister_Ken]

>BTW, do you know the current temp in the Solent?<

Last weekend my log (which has an uncalibrated temp sensor in it) was saying 19.4 deg C.

 

[Guest]

An ex SBS pal of mine told me that at various times they had to swim from Eastney to the Fort outside Langstone .... where they do 'assault' training ....

Now that must be a hard-'n - given the current etc. at Eastney / Langstone entrance .... AND he said that often it was 6.00am when they did it !!

Brrrrrrrrrrrrr !!!!

/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[Pisces]

try

http://www.bramblemet.co.uk/temp.htm

useful!

 

[l'escargot]

creeping up, it's 19.6 today /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif