Finally the go ahead to enter the water - the 19C (66F) temperature and taste far exceeded my wildest hopes. I said hello to Ted (kayaker), a first timer and explained the swim plan.
GO!
Through the gift of craftiness honed over the years I came out of the Cove in the first three before a few started to pass me. We swam into a flood tide for the first mile. The water felt warm and my body felt no pain - happy days!!!!
I ignored the mass of confused kayakers and focused on getting a rhythm, easing thru the previous neck/shoulder pain (which never made an appearance during the swim), keeping a fast pace, not going too fast and staying close to the wall to lessen the effects of the current. All systems go! A great view of the Statue of Liberty for the better part of two minutes and I didn't notice the tide trying to push me backwards. Later I learned that two of the swimmers didn't beat the on-rushing tide. So, the first part of my plan worked - out fast to beat the tide and catch the tide up the East River. I relaxed a bit and went into a cruise speed (about 3,700 metres/hour in still water) which probably doubled with the rising tide.
In less than an hour I swam under the famous Brooklyn then Manhattan then Williamsburg Bridges. I enjoyed swimming under the Liffey and Lee River Bridges in Ireland and especially under the Belvelley Bridge during my Cobb swim - but these three in NY monsters soar fifty times higher!
I breathe to the right so missed all of the downtown Manhattan scenery. Later I heard that some of my fellow swimmers took in the view and waived to spectators. Good for them, I concentrated on the swim and enjoyed the fast tide helping to push me. It drove us all up the East River and I wanted to get as much advantage before it ran out or worse - turned.
Well past the hour and no safety boat in sight. While missing Shelly (and naturally Emilio) I needed the carbohydrate powder mixed with water (fuel). My body expected fuel 45 minutes earlier on the every half hour plan. I completed the three hours to Inisbofin and four hours across Lake Champlain in 2006 without a "feed". My first English Channel attempt took eight hours on one litre of fluid so I started to convince myself that I could do the whole swim without a feed if necessary. My kayaker Ted in perfect position to my right and I could see him on every stroke which helped my confidence.
Then the water temperature dropped and my confidence vanished instantly. My thoughts went first to my hospital stay with hypothermia after the Santa Barbara swim and then to my cousin Doug who recently died of hypothermia in a boating accident in Maine. I remember fun times with him and wondered how his young family would manage. The water turned choppy and I approached a major panic when safety boat number 6 pulled alongside with Shelly giving me the thumbs up and Emilio holding my bottle on a rope. That litre went down quickly and ranked as one of the better tastes experienced in a long swim!
A few more swimmers passed at this point but for the most part I swam in my own little world with the water, kayaker and safety boat crew. At the next feed stop I could see and hear Mike and the gang cheering me on from their black and white boat. A constant source of encouragement from seeing and hearing them for the entire day.
Back to the warm water temperature but up the East River I hit several more cold patches which seemed to last less than 10 seconds each. I flew under the 59th Street powered along with the rising tide, feeling great and waiting for the first signs of Hell Gate. Hell Gate's reputation justified the name. I saw the video and read the reports. Too far the right and swept out to Long Island Sound - the end your swim. Ride the fast tide in the middle and, on a good day you would fly - on a bad day you went backwards. Try to hug the wall to the right with the least tide and you risked running into floating telephone poles, wooden doors and my favourite: the bloated Giraffe which fell off a circus boat a few years back.
I visualized this stretch of water for months and now maintained the 63 strokes/minute cruising speed: focus, focus, focus, focus. Next I remember seeing the Triborough Bridge well behind me - I passed thought Hell Gate without a bother. I felt lucky - bless the tide predictors and race starters! I wondered if the swimmers behind me would share my luck as the tide must slow and soon turn.
Along the Bronx and I enjoyed the calm of the Harlem River. The Google maps showed a dirty brown colour so I prepared for the worst. Another potential problem avoided - water taste still excellent - better than the sea and rivers back in Ireland. My feeds came every half hour and Emilio, Shelly, observer and safety boat captain enjoyed clear skies and hot sun. Tim (observer) and Shelly in particular seemed far too relaxed so at the next feed stop I finished off the bottle from Emilio and held up my arm and asked Shelly for the special stuff. He looked confused so I then asked for the pint of Floyd Landis blood (the disqualified Tour de France cyclist). Tim snapped to full attention until Shelly started to laugh. Off again with a smile on my face. Tim missed witnessing a blood doping violation in the Manhattan swim - he could tell the story for a few years!
Ted steadied my swim - calm, confident, using some peddle gizmo instead of paddles and he seemed to have an unlimited assortment of cameras, blackberries, GPS stuff to play with. Then a second kayaker joined us - clearly his swimmer pulled out and Ted took a break. I thought it would prove a challenge to find a toilet on the Bronx shore! My guide went from calm Ted to a directive Craig. He directed me to change directions and steered me away from some floating wood.
About the Author: Ned Denison played water polo goalie in the USA and England for 20 years before taking up open water swimming in 2000. His move to Cork Ireland allows all year sea training (no wet suit) in temps from 7-17C (45-63F). Active in Cork Masters, up to 200 local open water swims annually in Ireland keeps him fit. Ned logged other articles on his English Channel and Santa Barbara Channel Swims.
