Tag Archives: English Channel Swim

CORAL8 – a Tribute.

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The next Corkonian Channel adventure is going to be a little different since – bar Maeve Mulcahy – all of the regular tracker-stalkers are actually going to be on the boat or in the water.  CORAL8 head off – hopefully this weekend – to take a leisurely trip from England to France.  The team is made up of – deep breath – Carol Cashell, Orla Houlihan, Riana Parsons, Angela Harris, Lisa Cummins, Maeve Ryan, Donna Galvin and Eleanor Courtney.

Determined not to interrupt G&T and cake time too much, team CORAL (originally Carol, Orls, Riana, Angela and Lisa) have packed in just about everyone available and expanded to CORAL8.  This means nobody will be too incovenienced during the day out by having to actually swim much, thus missing the chat, banter and reverse tracking planned.  Just imagine the social media that day – “You – over there in Cork – we can see you’re not following us!! What’s that about??   Stop working – we have…”

Inspired by news of the massive team headed for the Channel, noted culture vultures, Kieran Murphy and Siobhan Russell, collaborated to create this wonderful tribute. Seriously, it’s some piece of artwork.  It’s such a good painting it’s almost like a photo – it’s the heads off our heroes, in fact.

Bottecelli's The Birth of Venus - as reimagined and restored by Kieranus Murphicelli

Bottecelli’s The Birth of Venus – as reimagined and restored by Kierani Murphicelli

Best of luck to the whole big, big team.  You can follow them – surprise surprise – online on Facebook by clicking here  and on Twitter @CORAL8_ .  We can expect lots of progress updates with this group!

Home is the hero, home from the sea

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I don’t know if that makes Rob The Bull “the hunter home from the hill”.

Good crack up in the airport last night, as a very surprised Mr. Lynch emerged from arrivals to be greeted by a fair old crowd.  He was delayed a bit as someone asked him for his autograph!!  A rock star, I’m tellin’ ya.

He was hoping Anne had turned up to give him a lift home - not expecting this crowd.

Bernard was hoping Anne had turned up to give him a lift home – not expecting this crowd.

He was greeted by all kinds of VIPs, particularly a very proud mother!

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Of course there’s always one fella with an agenda of his own at any event.

My swim now was WAAY colder and with HUUUGE waves - WAAAAY tougher in my day. Liam Maher explaining why he was 15 minutes slower in his channel swim.

“My swim now was WAAY colder and with HUUUGE waves – it was WAAAAY tougher in my day.” Liam Maher explaining why he was a whole 12 minutes slower in his channel swim.  Marie keeps a straight face. 

Fair dues to Conor Middleton for getting signs done up quickly.  His call to the printers on Wednesday morning was – “No rush, I don’t need them until tonight”.  Grace Maher and Jenny Howell went further and made fantastic banners too.

Making good use of the Olympic sign and stage. A great turn out.

The day after in Dover

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Two hours sleep, interviewed on the KC Show and his phone hasn’t stopped going.  He’s a rock star now.  Arriving back on Ryanair flight from Stansted at 10.00 tonight.

The morning after the day and night before - Rob Bohane, Siobhan Russell, Bernard Lynch and Carol Cashell. Super crew and swimmer. Nice T-Shirts (the blue ones) too.

The morning after the day and night before – Rob Bohane, Siobhan Russell, Bernard Lynch and Carol Cashell. Super crew and swimmer. Nice T-Shirts (the blue ones) too.

The Tide 2 (just when you thought it was safe…)

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Thanks to Donal Buckley for giving me the real facts, rather than my guesses:

“Regardless of Dover tide times (it’s dropping there now), Bernard’s track is that of a flood tide swim.

He is currently in the North East shipping lane, for all marine traffic in the Channel, and he is travelling north being pushed by the tide. He has also crossed the Ferry Lane between Dover & Calais.

He looks to be on target, and should enter the Separation Zone at about 6 hours. The Separation Zone divides the two north-south shipping lanes. The Separation Zone has a higher concentration of jellyfish and rubbish. 

Then he will be pulled back South East toward the Cap. His speed will increase even as he tires, getting the benefit of the flow. How far he travels SE will determine where he turns into the Cap Griz Nez. He will have a second turn into France somewhere off the Cap. 

The current off the Cap on a Spring tide flows at up to 7 knots, where a world class elite swimmer can swim about 3 knots.

Which side the C2V buoy he passes will give an indicator if he will land on the Cap or on the beach.”

Cap-Griz-Nez