According to the book, “Bicycle The Pacific Coast“, if we cycle north to south–we’ll have a 10 mph tailwind most of the way. That sounds exhilarating, fast and fun.

The first question that people ask us when they find out we’re training to traverse 10 Degrees Latitude is, “how far is 10 degrees latitude”?

Quick answer: 

1 degree latitude = approximately 69 miles (111 kilometers) of north-south distance.
10 degrees latitude = approximately 690 miles (1110 kilometers).  

Complete answer:

The distance varies (due to the earth’s slightly ellipsoid shape) from 68.7 miles at the equator to 69.4 at the poles. This is convenient since each minute (1/60th of a degree) is approximately one mile (source). Here is a neat graphic to show the variation in distance from the poles to the equater. As you can see the distance at the equater is shorter by 0.7 mile.

We think this mashup i’s a great example of how “pictures speak a thousand words”. Or if you prefer… “the medium is the medium”.

Below is a miniature version. The larger version is on the Expeditions page.

	Wind Direction (WDIR):	SSW ( 210 deg true )
	Wind Speed (WSPD):	15.9 kts
	Wave Height (WVHT):	3.3 ft
	Air Temperature (ATMP):	50.2 °F
	Water Temperature (WTMP):	50.2 °F
	Wind Chill (CHILL):	44.2 °F

[UPDATE] Another online service provides a color map of sea temperatures.

Special thanks for Mark Robson (fellow blogger and Channel aspirant) for clueing us in on the NOAA website and the color map.

Yapta monitors your flights and emails you if the prices drop.

Most airlines have clauses that entitle you to a credit if the prices fall. Bet you didn’t know that, did ya? I didn’t either. And I didn’t believe it until (in Jan 2008) I was alerted by Yapta of a price drop, which promoted me to call Usair and request my refund. Usair sent the voucher to me a few weeks later. Yapta is just one of those free internet companies that is adding transparency to the travel industry.

Try it out for yourself. I’m a fan.

• Step1: signup for account on Yapta.com
• Step2: forward your preexisting flight confirmation emails to flights@yapta.com
• Step3: wait for email from Yapta telling you to claim your refund
• Step4: call airline and request price drop refund
• Step5: spend flight credit on future travel

Here’s a screenshot of my Yapta screen for this trip.

1. How far in miles:

The short answer is 25 miles. The English Channel is 20.3 miles wide at its narrowest point. The common start and end points for swimmers widens this a little to 20.6 miles wide, as the crow flies (lucky crow). Unlike crows, swimmers contend with tidal currents that weave them off-course. Weaving makes the actual distance across the channel closer to 25 miles for most swimmers. Some particularly lucky or experienced swimmers manage to swim direct, traveling only 21 miles. Unlucky swimmers have gotten caught in especially powerful tidal currents and end up swimming up to 30 miles to cross the English Channel.

2. How long in hours to swim:

The short answer is 14 hours. Time is a factor of speed and distance. Adam and I have swum together for many hours averaging 1.5 mph. At this swim rate, a bee-line (21 miles) for France will be a 14 hour swim. If we zig-zag (28 miles) it will be a 19 hour swim.

Here is a quick map mock-up of two swim routes and our projected swim times if we follow each route. For more swim route maps check out this link.

It’s all lined up and we couldn’t be happier. Thank you all for your feedback and anecdotes relating your experience with your pilots. The one thing we learned from all of you is that all of the pilots are great. We did not get a single negative story about a pilot. Even those of you who had unsuccessful attempts, had nothing but the best to say about your pilot.

For our readers not familiar with this segment of the universe, the Channel piloting world is very small. There is only a handful of folks that do this, and they’ve been doing it forever. A couple of them are 2nd generation pilots. It’s an everybody-knows-everybody community, and most of them have close personal friendships with those they have taken across the Channel. The pilot also serves as a motivator and a coach. They know how to keep a swimmer motivated for 14 hours of pain and cold. They now how to manage nutrition, and they know how to spot and prevent hypothermia. They try to help alleviate all of the external factors that can affect the crossing. Now all you have to do is swim!

So here’s what we got…

Adam: Dave Whyte (Ocean Breeze)

Neal: Chris Osmond (Seafarer)

Our swim dates are 7 – 19 July. This block now gives us a target to start the first cycling leg of the expedition in the last part of June.

Here is one particular email that stood out to us from a well-seasoned open-water swimmer. It was so good we had to post it for every one to benefit. It’s well worth your time to read it to the end.

Email Excerpt.

***********************************************************************
ADAM & NEAL –
Fascinating project! I’m sure you’re having a blast coordinating your efforts and travel plans. You’ve certainly captured my imagination with all the possibilities….

Here’s one swimmer’s thought about escort pilots in the English Channel: IT BARELY MATTERS WHO YOU CHOOSE.

ANY of the certified English Channel pilots will steer you across. You could swim it a dozen times, under each one of them, and discover the
success of your crossing relies… upon you.

It’s up to you to be the successful swimmer. If you’ve trained properly, acclimated to cold water, learned to consume enough fuel while treading water, learned how to keep that fuel in your stomach while floating in a horizontal position, and built your open water endurance, you’ll be able to swim the English Channel. No matter which certified pilot you select. In fact, they’ll be thrilled to have 2 swimmers who’ve done the arduous — but necessary — training. Their job becomes relatively simple: Pick the right day and guide the swimmer from point A to B.

Therefore a “successful swim” relies 100% on the swimmer’s shoulders. Literally and figuratively. Likewise, a swimmer who doesn’t make it must take a look in the mirror. There is NO ONE else to blame.

Your pilot’s fee goes toward their knowledge of negotiating the currents and choosing the proper day to make an attempt. The tidal currents are strong, but your pilot will account for this as s/he guides you. Again, any of the dozen English Channel pilots are fully capable. They are well-trained and experienced in handling swimmers in the open water. With negotiating the shipping lanes. And knowing when to “pull” a swimmer.

Swimmers don’t make it across for 5 reasons. Illness (nausea), Injury (shoulder – cramps), Hypothermia (core body temp drops leading to
confusion), Exhaustion, and a collapse of mental fortitute. In other words, THEY QUIT.

***
I encourage you to pursue your dreams. I think they’re magnificent. So place that deposit with one of the Dover pilots – NOW. Actually you’ll need two pilots for two swimmers. Or one pilot escorting you on separate days. Then, for the next 6 months, don’t think about your pilot(s) — not even once.

Instead, focus on these 5 marathon swim training essentials. I trust you know how to train for a multi-day 1200-mile cycle… I am clueless
there. But I know a few things about how to prepare for a long swim:

PACE– It’s imperative you swim your first mile at the same speed as your final mile. Your pilot steers based upon a steady pace. If it deteriorates, so does your chance at success. Like a triathlon, your goal is to conserve your energy! The currents near France are the worst. You’ll need to muster even more effort to succeed in those final miles. MANY swimmers don’t and fail.

COLD– Hypothermia is a very serious issue in the English Channel and official crossings are without a wetsuit. It is REQUIRED you swim non-stop for at least 6 hours in 60-degree water well in advance of your attempt. There is no skipping this “test swim”. It is for your safety!
Some marathon swimmers “grow” additional layers of insulation by over-eating. This could become a challenge, considering you’re training
for a long-distance cycle and marathon swim. Still, try to carry as much excess weight as you can tolerate. Skinny swimmers usually don’t make it, unless they’re super-fast. To avoid hypothermia, you’ll need to train months in frigid waters. Eventually, your body acclimates and protects against painful & potentially deadly drops in core body temperatures. The warmest the Channel becomes is 64 degrees (Late August). The cold days are 58 degrees (early July & October).

FUEL– Marathon swimming brings a unique challenge for fueling. Not only are you tossed on the waves but a swimmer’s body position causes your stomach & mouth to be on the same horizontal plane. It’s very simple for the fuels you pour “down” your mouth to travel back the WRONG direction. Vomiting is commonplace. Therefore, your fuel must taste decent both directions. Find an endurance fuel drink. Train on it as if your life depended upon it. Like a triathlon, an English Channel swim is as much an eating competition as an athletic event.

FEED– Different category of the same problem. Swimmers can’t touch the boat and supporters can’t touch the swimmers. So FEEDING becomes a unique problem to marathon swimming. How will your support team deliver your fuel from the boat to water level? Some use rope tied around a bottle. Others use a basket attached to a pole. I have used a fishing pole. My liter bottle, half-filled with fuel, is lowered to water level. As I chug and drift with the currents, the fishing line is free to unfurl. As soon as I finish, I drop my Nalgene bottle in the water and my support member reels her in. Like any endurance event, quickly feeding is essential. The currents are not working in your favor in the English Channel. Every minute wasted while feeding is another 100+ meters of swimming. Over the course of a dozen hours, this becomes a serious disadvantage.

TRAIN– Nearly 1000 swimmers have crossed the English Channel. I suspect they’ve done it 1000 different ways. Find your path. Tailor your days, weeks, months to your school schedule and lifestyle. Make and KEEP your priorities. I am a proponent of swimming the “Channel distance” every single week. I suggest 40,000 meters. In addition, once a month, you’ll want to choose one day to swim non-stop an increasing distance. Starting this month, until a few weeks before your scheduled crossing. Make that final training swim at least 16-miles
straight. Ideally, under similar conditions: cold, open water, escort boat with fuel and feeding device. We’re in November, and I’m guessing you’ll swim July 2008. That requires 4-miles non-stop this month, 6 miles in Dec, 8 in January, 10 Feb, 12 March, 14 April, 16 miles in May. June you’ve started your cycling challenge. July cross the Channel!

Does your February 10-mile training swim become your REQUIRED “test swim”? That’s a brilliant way to double-dip. IF you spend at least 6 hours in 60-degree water. I cannot stress enough: This REQUIRED test swim is for your safety. Hypothermia is likely in the English Channel. Do not discount its effect. It is potentially deadly.

I hope this helps. You’re asking the right questions. You’re obviously smart enough and strong enough to surmount the challenge you’ve laid before you.
**********************************************************************************

WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK!!

If you’ve completed the swim…
1. Were you on a spring tide or neap tide?
How did it affect you? Did it matter?
2. Which pilot did you use? Tell us what you thought?
3. How many days were you in England waiting for the go-ahead from your pilot? (tell us your story)

If you’re currently training for the swim…
1. What have you heard?
2. Do you have a pilot reserved? Who are you using?

If you have no interest in ever swimming the English Channel…
1. Post your comments anyway. We’d love to hear from you. It makes us feel better.
2. Check out www.channelswimming.net. You will find a new respect for those who have done it. Next time you meet someone who’s accomplished it, pat them on the back.

Everything about this trek is moving in fast forward. We are in the final stages of securing our pilot boats. These are the boats that will drive next to us during the swim. Although we are not allowed to touch the boats at any time, they are there to protect and feed us. They are extremely excited to be a part of 10 degrees. For those of you who are new to the swimming world, the English Channel swim requires the services of a pilot boat. Weather and tides can be a killer, and a good pilot is crucial to navigating both. Many say that a successful swim is 25% your ability, 75% pilot’s ability.