Definitely interested but will most definitely not be able to swim them all, would love to join whenever I manage to have my babies looked after though so please do count me in!<br>Jenny McDowell <img goomoji="gtalk.35C" style="margin: 0pt 0.2ex; vertical-align: middle;" src="cid:gtalk.35C@goomoji.gmail"> <br>
<br><div class="gmail_quote">On Mon, Apr 4, 2011 at 11:12 PM, Jeremy Wellingham <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:jeremy@wellingham.com">jeremy@wellingham.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
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<p><i><font size="-1"><font face="Arial"><font face="Arial">A
few of us have decided we want to swim the length of
the Thames during the course of the next </font></font></font></i><i><font size="-1"><font face="Arial"><font face="Arial">year or
three.</font></font></font></i><br>
<br>
<i><font size="-1"><font face="Arial"><font face="Arial">We
will be doing this in small sections, in sequence,
using Mike Worthington’s book – ‘I Love the Thames’
– as our </font></font></font></i><i><font size="-1"><font face="Arial"><font face="Arial">guide,
starting at the Source of the Thames and working our
way </font></font></font></i><i><font size="-1"><font face="Arial"><font face="Arial">down to Teddington, a
distance of around 150 miles. We expect to swim on a
Saturday or </font></font></font></i><i><font size="-1"><font face="Arial"><font face="Arial">Sunday,
probably every other week or so. This is <b>not</b>
an endurance test but more a way to </font></font></font></i><br>
<i><font size="-1"><font face="Arial"><font face="Arial">experience
the complete Thames and hopefully add to our
repertoire of swimming locations that we </font></font></font></i><i><font size="-1"><font face="Arial"><font face="Arial">can come
back to in the future. To start with we will be
aiming for a swim of a mile or two in the morning or
afternoon </font></font></font></i><i><font size="-1"><font face="Arial"><font face="Arial">but as
the weather warms up, and we get the measure of our
capabilities, we can adjust the </font></font></font></i><i><font size="-1"><font face="Arial"><font face="Arial">distance
and maybe do some full days combined with a picnic
lunch. Later in the summer, we may program weekend
swims, camping overnight, </font></font></font></i><i><font size="-1"><font face="Arial"><font face="Arial">and full
moon swims, to make the journey as enjoyable and
diverse as possible.</font></font></font></i><br>
<br>
<i><font size="-1"><font face="Arial"><font face="Arial">The
first section of the Thames is a walk of around 12
miles from The Source near Kemble in </font></font></font></i><i><font size="-1"><font face="Arial"><font face="Arial">Gloucestershire
to Cricklade. We will do this on Easter Friday – 22
April - with a picnic lunch. The next section we
expect to </font></font></font></i><i><font size="-1"><font face="Arial"><font face="Arial">be more
of a wade than a swim which we will tackle the
following May bank holiday weekend, avoiding the
Wedding Friday to cater for Royalists! We will gauge
the distance following a recce </font></font></font></i><i><font size="-1"><font face="Arial"><font face="Arial">at the
end of our initial walk.</font></font></font></i><br>
<br>
<i><font size="-1"><font face="Arial"><font face="Arial">It
may be difficult to make all the swims / walks so
you are more than welcome to join us for any </font></font></font></i><i><font size="-1"><font face="Arial"><font face="Arial">sections
that take your fancy or fit your schedule, and if
you want to catch up on sections missing from your
collection we </font></font></font></i><i><font size="-1"><font face="Arial"><font face="Arial">hope to
record our experiences to provide some hints so you
could do them independently. </font></font></font></i><br>
<br>
<i><font size="-1"><font face="Arial"><font face="Arial">We
will make up the schedule and logistics as we go
along and try to set dates a month or two in advance
and post them on the OSS sites as per normal swims.</font></font></font></i><br>
<br>
<i><font size="-1"><font face="Arial"><font face="Arial">In
order not to overload the e-mail network, we will
set up a separate group list for those interested in
taking part, or following progress, and also a
Facebook group to post stories and pictures on. We
will also post swim alerts, as usual, to the OSS
Oxon list and to Facebook. </font></font></font></i></p>
<p><i><font size="-1"><font face="Arial"><font face="Arial">Let
us know if you think you would like to join us -
the more, the merrier - along the beautiful Thames.</font></font></font></i></p>
<p><i><font size="-1"><font face="Arial"><font face="Arial">Usual
OSS terms and conditions apply.</font></font></font></i></p>
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Please note that OSS Oxon exists to put swimmers in touch with other swimmers, not to organise swim events or in any way suggest that outdoor swimming is a safe activity or that you should go swimming. If you choose to swim you do so entirely at your own risk and on your own initiative, and any plans you make are your own responsibility.<br>
</blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Miss M.J McDowell<br>44 Folly Bridge Court<br>Shirelake Close<br>Oxford <br>OX1 1SW<br>England<br><br>Tel: 01865 251 630<br>Mob: 07837778599<br><br>