Return of Bert, introductions
The crew’s job on this swim began a long time ago. The swim hasn’t started yet, and already they’ve done so much to get me here, a week from the start. Even if they don’t realize it, they’re a giant...
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Return of Bert, technical details
ROUTE: The Return of Bert Thomas Swim is an 18.8 mile swim as measured by the shortest straight-line route between the starting and ending points. The start location is Old Town Dock on Ruston Way in...
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Return of Bert, actual route
Step one: jump in. Step two: turn left and go off course. The actual route for this swim does not match the shortest route. The shortest route, at 18.8 miles, heads north from the start through the...
View ArticleReturn of Bert, swim plan
In the immortal words of Dave Barra, anything worth doing is worth over doing. This is the 24-page swim plan for today’s swim. The plan! It covers the basics of communication protocol, course...
View ArticleReturn of Bert, highlights
Here are the highlights of my swim from Tacoma to West Seattle. Tarin of Bay Patrol told us we’d been left behind by the crew, Xiphius was off the dock heading to the start without Erika, Elaine, and...
View ArticleAround Bainbridge – swim plan
On either the 8th or 9th of August, I’m going to try my longest swim yet. Swimming around Bainbridge, something that has yet to be completed – or even attempted as far as I know – will take between...
View ArticleUnassisted
This weekend, I’m going to complete an unassisted marathon swim. By unassisted, I mean I will use nothing to improve my speed, buoyancy, heat-retention, or navigation. Well, unassisted except I’ll be...
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Around Bainbridge – route
No surprises on this one. Just once around the island, taking the shortest route we can manage. Point to point to point to point. This is a 25.5 mile circumnavigation. Thanks again to Google for...
View ArticleAround Bainbridge – excitement
Last Thursday, I sat on the bench at Alki and stared across the Puget Sound at the sun setting over Bainbridge Island. As I prepared for my last little swim before circling that big island, I couldn’t...
View ArticleConfidence
“Swimmer fails to cross Strait of Juan de Fuca” is what the AP reported the next day. Swimmer, me. Fails, what I did. I remember thinking two days later, “today is the first day of my training for next...
View ArticleInadequate
At the beginning of the season, at the start of an epic summer, I didn’t yet know where the journey would take me. I had goals in mind, but they paled in comparison with what I would be unexpectedly up...
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Puget Sound Temperatures
Once or twice a month, the folks at King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks send a boat out onto Puget Sound, drop some instruments to the bottom, pull them back up, and then do this...
View ArticleWhat pool?
US Masters Swimming @mastersswimming just tweeted: Seattle Seahawks quarterback @DangeRussWilson includes swimming in his training regimen. http://ow.ly/WCNaz See you in the pool, Russel What I find...
View ArticleHaiku 2 – video
There was a GoPro beneath the Christmas Tree this year. This seemed like a decent place to start. From the original haiku To the Victor.
View Article2:30am
This was the third year in a row I attended the Suzie Dods 24-hour Relay Extravaganza in Aquatic Park. The event is both a fun way to meet other swimmers and to meet yourself. Like any true marathon...
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Product Review – string
I’m finally doing it. Other athletes do it, now I’m doing it too. I’m writing my first product review. Compulsory disclaimer: I’m not sponsored by either product, and I purchased both products at...
View ArticleZoomed out
I’m no good at painting, and my drawing is representative at best. I lack the steady hand and focus of a sculptor. Sometime I wonder what, if I could play an instrument, beautiful sounds and rhythms I...
View ArticleThe Alki Outfalls – preview
For the past few months I’ve been taking a break from serious training and just trying to enjoy being in the water again. To focus my playtime a bit, I’ve come up with a project to work on – exploring...
View ArticleThe Alki Outfalls – 01 – Meeting the CSO
As I said, this is going to be a lot of me just messing around. The underwater portion of this was shot as one continuous 20 minute video. More than half of it was me swimming around and warming up,...
View ArticleThe Alki Outfalls – 02 – Finding the Storm Sewer
When I first saw this pipe, I was shocked. A second pipe on our beach?? I’ve only seen it once or twice since then, so I shouldn’t have been surprised when it was hard to find. When I did finally...
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