Preparation

There are lots of things to think about in preparation. The logistics of the swim—registering with the CSA, booking an escort vessel, learning about diet and nutrition (it's not exactly a romp in the park) and, oh yeah! training.

There are two kinds of preparation—physical and psychological. Baseball legend Yogi Berra might have been thinking about channel swimming when he quipped, "Baseball is 90% mental; the other half is physical."

The psychological part has two components. First, it needs mental toughness and confidence to take on a swim of this magnitude. It isn't the distance that's the problem—any competent, competitive swimmer can train to swim the channel distance in a heated pool; but to do it in the chilling water of the world's busiest shipping lane, faced with big seas and hostile tides, takes more determination and courage than the average person can summon.

The physical conditions are so trying that only about 18% of swimmers actually succeed in making the crossing. Steve Payne missed out at his first attempt because the weather was so bad during the time he had available that no start was possible. He tried twice the following year but sea sickness got the better of him both times. But Steve isn't a man to give up easily—he'll be back this year for another attempt.

Swim training is time consuming. There is one compulsory six-hour swim that must be completed as part of the qualifying process, but apart from that it's up to the competitor. Geoff did his six hours in Gunnamatta Bay, on the coast at Cronulla. His training has been spread between the Penrith Lakes, the Nepean River, a few Olympic pools, and a variety of coastal locations.

Reg Brickell's Viking Princess will be Geoff's escort vessel.

Training is broken into short and long sessions. Short is anything from 4 to 6 kms; long varies between 16 and 24 kms. Long sessions need support, usually from Annette, and a supply of food and drinks. A lot of the food comes via a sports energy gel (a kind of high protein goo, like thick syrup) that keeps up the energy levels, and an "optimiser"—a carbo-hydrate powder that mixes with skimmed milk and helps repair worn muscles.

For a few months one of Geoff's regular training swims was from beautiful Cronulla Beach, past Shark Island (a rocky reef just off shore), around into Gunnamatta Bay, then back again. The seas can be violent around the point and the 10-12 km swim is dangerous.

And why is Shark Island so named? Well, yes. Geoff has seen a few sharks during training but said they were quite small. Only about as long as your arm. Just big enough to take a mouthful of leg if they were so inclined. No problem!

One of the problems for Australians swimming the English Channel is the water temperature. Because Geoff's swim is timed for late July it allows plenty of time to acclimatise, even here in sunny Sydney.

His first cold water session was after work one afternoon. Working at a glass furnace all day his shirt had been soaking from perspiration but at 7 o'clock on a May evening he swam in the Nepean River with the water temperature at 16°C. It didn't feel unduly cold but he swam only a kilometre before getting out. On the other hand, he has done a few training sessions in the Nepean when the water was only 11-12°C and felt hypothermic when he finished.

The summer temperature in the Channel is normally 14-18°C with July being the coldest time. August water is warmer.