July 2013 - OSSOxon

OSS Swim the Thames #52 - Chertsey Meads to Shepperton - Saturday 3 Aug 2013 10:30am
by Hywel Davies 30 Jul '13

30 Jul '13

Hi OSS emailers, We'll rendezvous here on Saturday 3rd August at 10:30 a.m. This is the free Chertsey Meads car park that we used at the end of swim #51. http://goo.gl/maps/6kKYh We'll shuttle 2 or 3 cars containing your dry eating togs down to the pub finish. Then we will swim the 2.5 km to Shepperton Lock which will be a good place to meet bank support, if we have any. The river gives us options but we will stick to our left and take the scenic M shaped route going north of Desborough Island. There's a swimming lake very near here, I suggest we wave our unspent fivers at anyone paying to use it. I would however recommend it as a very good facility. After Shepperton lock it is just 2km to the Red Lion pub here http://goo.gl/maps/87TDO I'm hoping we'll be able get out directly into the pub garden with sodden boxes of milk tray held aloft. We'll check the exact get out spot as we shuttle cars. I have a table for ~15 booked at 2 p.m. in my name (Hywel). We’ll plan the number of cars to leave depending on who will eat and who needs to rush off. Hywel. By joining any jolly jaunt with Hywel, Jeremy and Sef you agree to abide by the Outdoor Swimming Society's Swim Responsibility Statement: http://www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com/index.php?p=swimming_tips&s=responsib… Before signing up to join the OSS or partaking in any swims mentioned on this site or the Outdoor Swimming Society facebook page, please read the OSS swim responsibility statement. By signing up to join the society, or participating in any swims, or using any material on the Wild swim map you confirm that you have read and understand the OSS swim responsibility statement and accept its terms.

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OSS Swim the Thames Schedule for 2013
by Jeremy Wellingham 22 Jul '13

22 Jul '13

Some dates for your diaries for those not on Facebook. Here are the proposed dates for Thames swims to take us to the end of the Non Tidal Thames at Teddington: (Sat 20Jul) OSS Swim the Thames #50 Runnymede Bell Weir Lock to Penton Hook (Camp @Cormac's, if available) (Sun 21Jul) OSS Swim the Thames #51 Penton Hook Lock to Chertsey Lock (Sun 04Aug) OSS Swim the Thames #52 Chertsey Lock to Shepperton Lock (Sat 17Aug) OSS Swim theThames #53 Shepperton Lock to Sunbury Lock (Camp - somewhere?) (Sun 18Aug) OSS Swim the Thames #54 Sunbury Lock to Mosley Lock (Sun01Sep) OSS Swim the Thames #55 Mosley Lock to Kingston Bridge (Sun22Sep) OSS Swim the Thames #56 Kingston Bridge to Teddington Obelisk- The End! Full details will be send for each swim soon but if you would like to camp at Runnymede for a weekend of swimming please let me know. I'm trying to book the same camp at Runnymede we used last time but there will be a limited number of spaces. Jeremy & Sef

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OSS Swim the Thames #50 and #51 - Runnymede Bell Weir Lock to Chertsey Lock via Staines Penton Hook Lock - Saturday 20 July 2013 1:00pm / Sunday 21 July 10:00am
by Jeremy Wellingham 18 Jul '13

18 Jul '13

Thames Swimmers, An epic half century, 50th swim, starting with a swim under 14 lanes of the M25, on Saturday and under the M3 on Sunday. Practice your butterfly - the M25 trolls will need a lot of appeasement. We are firmly within the bounds of London now, or at least in my rural head we are, and not far from our goal of the Teddington Obelisk. (And we are still managing to camp out.) *CAMPING SATURDAY 20th JULY 2013* This weekend we have a Saturday #50 and a Sunday #51 swim, with a camping option on the night of Saturday 20 July at Runnymede in a Thames side garden, courtesy of http://campinmygarden.com/ at £20 per tent single occupancy or £30 per tent double occupancy. We used this two weeks ago and were made very welcome by Cormac. Bring food / drink to cook on B-B-Q and prepare to invade any riverside parties from the water under the cover of darkness. *Please let me know if you would like to camp ASAP, so I can firm up the booking.* **Swim #50* SATURDAY 20 JULY 2013 1:00pm Runnymede Bell Weir Lock to Staines Penton Hook Lock *We'll meet here on Sat20Juk13 at 1:00pm, in the Runnymede Pleasure grounds car park: http://goo.gl/maps/B6mbt (Parking is £4.50 / 3 hours or £6.00 all day.) We'll optionally shuttle a couple of cars down to a small car park at Egham Hythe, near the finish but on the wrong side of the river. (But we can swim across, right?)here: http://goo.gl/maps/gurtx (Small car park but free.) Get changed, stroll down to Bell Weir Lock and jump in and swim down to Penton Hook Lock, stopping for Elevenses on the way down. This is swim 68 in Michael Worthington's /*'I ? the Thames*'' /and is about 4.5k. **Swim #51*SUNDAY 21st JULY 2013 10:00am Staines Penton Hook Lock to Chertsey Lock* We'll meet here on Sun21Jul13 at 10:00am, in Chertsey Meads car park,Mead Lane here: http://goo.gl/maps/6kKYh (Free car park) This is on the wrong side of the river so we'll have to swim over to the other side and walk up to Penton Hook Lock, passing Chertsey Lock, jump in and swim back down again. This is swim 69 in Michael Worthington's /*'I ? the Thames*'' /and is about 3.1k, so we might extend itjust past Chertsey Lock to the car park. We'll finish off at The Jolly Gardnersagain, at Old Windsor, where we had an excellent roast last time: http://www.jollygardeners.com/ Sef and Jeremy ---------------------------------------------------- By joining any jolly jaunt with Jeremy and Sef you agree to abide by the Outdoor Swimming Society's Swim Responsibility Statement: http://www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com/index.php?p=swimming_tips&s=responsib… Before signing up to join the OSS or partaking in any swims mentioned on this site or the Outdoor Swimming Society facebook page, please read the OSS swim responsibility statement. By signing up to join the society, or participating in any swims, or using any material on the Wild swim map you confirm that you have read and understand the OSS swim responsibility statement and accept its terms.

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Big Jump
by Sefryn Penrose 12 Jul '13

12 Jul '13

The Big Jump aims to reconcile people with their rivers. People across Europe, nay, the world, will be jumping n at the same time, 2pm, on Sunday, July 14th to show that rivers are for life, not just for effluent discharge and casual boating. http://www.rivernet.org/bigjump/bigjump.htm For those who want to jump in Oxford, there may be a few people meeting to jump in the Thames at Port Meadow. Here's a map showing Walton Well Carpark and the location of the Fiddler's Island Bridge. We usually jump together from the bridge at 2pm into the weir pond (not the river) and then swim upstream and back down again afterwards. http://goo.gl/maps/zt3Zb <http://goo.gl/maps/3ERo> The carpark is no longer free. If you want a free carpark, at the other end of Port Meadow, off Godstow Road in Wolvercote I believe the carpark is free - a fair in both senses walk. Have a look at some of the lovely photos and films taken two years ago here: Take your friends - take a picnic, have fun. Sef 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.

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Big Jump - this Saturday
by Sefryn Penrose 09 Jul '13

09 Jul '13

Dear People of the Thames (and Isis), It's Big Jump time. As some may know from previous years, this is a Europe (World?) wide event in which swimmers are encouraged to jump in the river at the same time (2pm) to reclaim the river for leisure, love and life. We usually jump in off the Fiddler's Island, Port Meadow, Oxford, small bridge. Unfortunately this year I've been a bit preoccupied and I am unable to be there and so haven't organised it. Some people would still like to take part, however.Please email me & the list back if you would like to go ahead anyway for a Port Meadow, Oxford, jump, dip n' picnic on Saturday at 2pm (meet 1.15 and eat afterwards?). Or go to the thread on the Facebook OSS Thames page. This is the perfect event for families, and new to the riverees, and swimmers with swim-widows and widowers who just like to sit in the sun. It's going to be a beautiful day! Yours, Sefryn

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