May 2012 - OSSOxon

OSS Swim the Thames #24 - Abingdon Lock to Culham Lock - 10:30am Monday 7th May 2012 - subject to confirmation
by Jeremy Wellingham 11 Jun '12

11 Jun '12

/Darling Buds of May, Spring is here, the Thames has risen and is in full spate, making this a speedy swim - hopefully not too speedy. According to the flow meter at Maidenhead rowing club the Thames is running at 164 m^3 / sec today (Tuesday) . (In comparison, on our last swim it was a mere 11.7 //m^3 / sec.) //We'll need to do a risk assessment at the time - probably throw in a stick :-) Fortunately the exit and lock is at the end of a long cut where the flow should be minimal./ / First the bad news; we won't be able to camp this weekend - the local campsites won't entertain a single night's camping over a bank holiday weekend. Given the weather this might not be such a bad thing after all. Also, following a lot of deliberation, I've reluctantly rescheduled the date to Monday as the rain has turned the Thames in to a bit of a monster. Inspections locally from both Neil's colleague and mine reveal that the tow path is awash at Abingdon and Culham. The hope is that by postponing the swim to the end of the weekend the river will have calmed down. Apologies for deviating from the planned diary dates but the other option was a cancellation, which didn't seem a good option either. So, we will do a single day's swimming on Monday 7th May from Abingdon Lock to Culham Lock. This will be an approximately 4.15km swim - #34 in Michael Worthington's //I/?/the Thames/ /*We will don our Health and Safety hats (hard, of course), goggles and protective gloves and assess the risk on Saturday and send out an update to confirm if we are still going ahead - this will depend on the flow subsiding, considerably, which in turn will be dependent on no more significant rain. Look out for the confirmation e-mail on Sunday.* We'll meet here in the *free car park at Culham at 10:30am on Monday 7th May 2012: * http://g.co/maps/ynxdp Get changed, and shuttle up to the car park at Abingdon Bridge, where we met for the last swim: (Will need money for parking in this one - £1.20 for 3 hours) http://g.co/maps/rzf3d >From here it is a relatively short walk (0.75km) to Abingdon Lock across the fields, where we'll start our swim from: http://g.co/maps/x77ep We can have a breather around half way, just past the Marina entrance on the opposite bank, where there appears to be a beach of sorts: http://g.co/maps/v5rh6 ending up at Culham lock next to the car park. From there we'll repair to the /George & Dragon/for a spot of lunch - table is booked for 2:00pm: (/Tel: 01235 848142 ? ) /*Can you confirm by e-mail if you will be staying for lunch?*/ / //http://g.co/maps/an9n4 / Sef & Jeremy and the Barbus barbus of the Isis isis. OSS swim responsibility statement: By attending you confirm that you are a member of the OSS and have read and accepted the OSS swim responsibility statement: http://www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com/index.php?p=swimming_tips&s=responsib… <http://www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com/index.php?p=swimming_tips&s=responsib…> All swimmers swim at their own risk.

2 2

OSS Swim the Thames #25 and #26 - Culham Lock to Day's Lock - 10:30am Monday 04 June 2012/10:30am Tuesday 05 June
by Sefryn Penrose 05 Jun '12

05 Jun '12

Dear Jubilee Junebugs, On the Spring/Jubilee bank holidays, we will have two swims, on Monday and Tuesday, with an overnight stay near Wallingford on Monday night. All are welcome, to one, both and/or the camp. Please let me know re: camping so I have an idea of numbers. We will be barbecuing on Monday night, so do bring food and drink for yourselves and/or to share. At this stage, I am not sure of facilities - the campsite is not a commercial campsite but one just for us that Jeremy has staked out so, although not 'wild' per se, it may well be 'wild' when it comes to some of the finer comforts. Be prepared! The campsite is on the river and we hope - weather and access permitting - to have an evening dip/midnight swim. Adam has heroically staked out this swim - no mean feat as there will be a few tricksy road closures over the weekend which will require your full attention. Adam's skeleton plan for the whole weekend is below and he will supply us with faff and shuttle details on arrival. There is likely to be some walking. The river may also still be fast flowing and there are likely to be many boatists out and about, so extreme 'elf 'n' safety rules may still apply. If you are unable to come for the swim on Monday but would like to camp, let me know and I will send details of time and directions to meet us as we go to pitch camp, or come along later... Can I emphasise at this point that the Clifton Hampden bridge will be closed, so parking is in the village on the left/north bank, NOT in the carpark by the Barley Mow. Swim 25: Culham Lock to Clifton Lock (approx. 4.4km) Swim 26: Clifton Lock to Day's Lock (approx 4.9km) The bad news: they're both quite long. The good news: that's more or less one Dart 10km over a weekend to burn off any Jubilee cupcakes. These swims are equivalent to Michael Worthington's swim 35 Culham Lock to Clifton Lock and swim 36 Clifton Lock to Day's Lock, in *I ♥ the Thames.* We have missed a few old friends of late, so it would be lovely to have you back this weekend dear chums. Also if anyone needs lifts etc. beyond the normal, do let me know as we can bear it in mind in the planning stages.... Many thanks Adam for your footwork and council highways department wrangling. Jeremy & Sef and the Climbing Perch of Clifton Hampden OSS swim responsibility statement: By attending you confirm that you are a member of the OSS and have read and accepted the OSS swim responsibility statement: http://www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com/index.php?p=swimming_tips&s=responsib… All swimmers swim at their own risk. *OSS "SWIM THE THAMES" SWIMMING & CAMPING ON SPRING & JUBILEE BANK HOLIDAYS * IMPORTANT TRAVEL WARNINGS: - OMG Your tour guide is Adam! ;-) 07900 403240 - NB Clifton Hampden bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic for the duration of the BH w/e and beyond. - NB Long Wittenham High St is closed on Monday (10:00-18:00), due to a street party. - So, basically, to keep it simple, standard taxi driver advice will apply: - DO NOT GO SOUTH OF THE RIVER !!! (not in a vehicle, anyway). MEETING - Monday 04 Jun 2012 10:30: Culham Lock car park (same initial meeting point as for last swim on 19 May 12) (http://goo.gl/maps/BHxb) - Tuesday 05 Jun 2012 10:30: Clifton Hampden main village (North of River), parking by the Church (http://goo.gl/maps/J1zC) SWIMMING - Monday 04 Jun 2012: Culham Lock to Clifton Lock. - Tuesday 05 Jun 2012: Clifton Lock to Day's Lock. EATING: - Both days 14:00: Barley Mow pub in Clifton Hampden (South of River; ie on the "cut off" side). - NB We will be walking over the bridge from / to the main village on both days. (Pedestrians are allowed.) CAMPING - Campsite is booked. - Arrangement is that we will all arrive together on Monday afternoon, ie no pre-pitching on Monday morning. - So details and directions will be supplied at pub over lunch on Monday. - Just bring a tent. ;-) =*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= Adam =*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=

2 1

Thames temperature, 27/5/2012
by Sharon Curtis 27 May '12

27 May '12

Taken under the shade of a tree, near Radley. That is all. Sharon

1 0

Too hot!
by Sharon Curtis 23 May '12

23 May '12

Argh, it's too hot. Anyone else have itchy river feet? Anyone fancy a Thames catch-up swim on Sunday afternoon? (Not fussy, desperate, will consider any stretch.) Sharon

1 0

OSS Swim the Thames #24 - Abingdon Lock to Culham Lock - 10:30am Saturday 19th May 2012 - subject to confirmation
by Sefryn Penrose 20 May '12

20 May '12

Sopping Buds of May, * ** Despite the continued deluge, the weekend's sunny weather means the river is looking possible again. So, we will pick up on the abandoned swim for Saturday 19th May from Abingdon Lock to Culham Lock. This will be an approximately 4.15km swim - #34 in Michael Worthington's **I* ♥* the Thames* . Details below (please let me know by email about lunch - see below). *We will still have to be vigilant. The river is fast-flowing and we will have to be sensible about safety. Please be prepared to stay in groups. Look out for the confirmation e-mail on Friday. We'll meet here in the free car park at Culham at 10:30am on Saturday 19th May 2012: http://g.co/maps/ynxdp Get changed, and shuttle up to the car park at Abingdon Bridge, where we met for the last swim: (Will need money for parking in this one - £1.20 for 3 hours) http://g.co/maps/rzf3d >From here it is a relatively short walk (0.75km) to Abingdon Lock across the fields, where we'll start our swim from: http://g.co/maps/x77ep We can have a breather around half way, just past the Marina entrance on the opposite bank, where there appears to be a beach of sorts: http://g.co/maps/v5rh6 ending up at Culham lock next to the car park. From there we'll repair to the *George & Dragon* for a spot of lunch: (*Tel: 01235 848142 ‎ ) *Can you confirm by e-mail if you will be staying for lunch?* * **http://g.co/maps/an9n4 * Sef & Jeremy and the Barbus barbus of the Isis isis. OSS swim responsibility statement: By attending you confirm that you are a member of the OSS and have read and accepted the OSS swim responsibility statement: http://www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com/index.php?p=swimming_tips&s=responsib… All swimmers swim at their own risk. **** _______________________________________________ OSS Oxon mailing list OSSOxon(a)earth.li http://www.earth.li/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/ossoxon 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.

2 1

Swim 24
by Sefryn Penrose 19 May '12

19 May '12

Dear all, Just to confirm that we will go ahead tomorrow as planned with swim 24. Jenny has kindly recce'd the swim route today and thinks it is doable. The river status is down to amber from red. The beach exit around half-way is a good exit point for those who don't fancy the whole thing. (I've copied Jenny's message below). The river is faster than normal, so please take extra care and try and stick together in speed groups as far as possible. Also take care at the weir. Jenny notes that places to get out are fewer beyond the midway point, so if you are feeling tired half way, please don't push it. See you at 10.30. Sef cycled along the full length of the swim this pm. The river actually looks pretty normal to me now. It's certainly faster under Abingdon Bridge, but I didn't think it looked particularly dangerous. I took a picture of the 'beach' that has been recommended for a half way stop and will upload in a mo - not quite as much of it as on GoogleEarth maybe, but it looks fine. It's a slightly soggy stretch of field tho. Nothing else particularly of note. Plenty of places to get out of the river up until the mid-way point. From then on not many at all. Hope that helps. Personally I think I'll probably call it a day at the mid-way beach. Or if I carry on I'll get out at a tiny little beach next to the danger sign where you turn left to avoid the weir. That's because the narrower stretch of river from there on to Culham lock had a very slightly stagnant feel to it!

2 1

CAtch swim 21
by Pam Jones 17 May '12

17 May '12

Does anyone fancy joining me for a catch up of Swim 21 on Saturday evening? I am in Oxford all day at an event in college (having expected the swim to be in the evening as the schedule) so i cant come to the main event but it seems a shame to have gone up there and not swum. Pam Ice Maidens and Ice Men of the Isis*, Its time to start thawing out! By the time 25th March comes about the icy Winter waters should have been replaced by an (almost) tropical Spring flow and even the Neoprene Ninja should be looking forward to jumping in for the 1500m swim. In an attempt to confuse and disorient everyone our Glorious Leaders have delegated the organization of Swim #21 to me and, as such, we will have no tardiness or faffing around thank you very much!!! We will meet in the car park of the Kings Arms at Sandford-on-Thames at 11am (sharp) on Sunday 25th March: <http://g.co/maps/af5ag> http://g.co/maps/af5ag We will then walk upstream to the entry point at the little beach here: <http://g.co/maps/2fqgv> http://g.co/maps/2fqgv and then swim back to the lock next to the pub. There seem to be various possible routes but the possibility of getting lost just adds to the excitement! The car park costs £1 for 3 hours which will be refunded by the pub when we eat. If time is looking tight we can top up with another pound before going into the pub but Im told that you cant get a refund if you put in £2 at the start. Its likely that this swim is part of a swim from Michael Worthingtons book but I dont have a copy so I dont know!

1 0

Re: [OSS Oxon] OSS Swim the Thames #24 - Abingdon Lock to Culham Lock - 10:30am Saturday 19th May 2012 - subject to confirmation
by clairetuckett＠hotmail.com 16 May '12

16 May '12

Yippie! See you all there x Sent from my HTC ----- Reply message ----- From: "Sefryn Penrose" <sefryn(a)gmail.com> Date: Tue, May 15, 2012 17:00 Subject: [OSS Oxon] OSS Swim the Thames #24 - Abingdon Lock to Culham Lock - 10:30am Saturday 19th May 2012 - subject to confirmation To: "OSS Oxon" <OSSOxon(a)earth.li> _______________________________________________ OSS Oxon mailing list OSSOxon(a)earth.li http://www.earth.li/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/ossoxon 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.

1 0

Swim the thames?
by Pam Jones 15 May '12

15 May '12

When will we swim again? Pam

2 1