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Re: [OSS Oxon] Swim the Thames
by JUDY CORNISH 05 Apr '11

05 Apr '11

Hi - I'd be interested in joining some sections, probably once the water has warmed up a bit as I'm a bit of a lightweight! Cheers,  Judy --- On Mon, 4/4/11, Jeremy Wellingham <jeremy(a)wellingham.com> wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: rgb(16,16,255) 2px solid"> From: Jeremy Wellingham <jeremy(a)wellingham.com> Subject: [OSS Oxon] Swim the Thames To: ossoxon(a)earth.li, ossrats(a)earth.li Date: Monday, 4 April, 2011, 23:12 <DIV id=yiv1220716808> <DIV class=yiv1220716808gmail_quote> <DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE> A few of us have decided we want to swim the length of the Thames during the course of the next year or three. We will be doing this in small sections, in sequence, using Mike Worthington’s book – ‘I Love the Thames’ – as our guide, starting at the Source of the Thames and working our way down to Teddington, a distance of around 150 miles. We expect to swim on a Saturday or Sunday, probably every other week or so. This is not an endurance test but more a way to experience the complete Thames and hopefully add to our repertoire of swimming locations that we 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 but as the weather warms up, and we get the measure of our capabilities, we can adjust the distance and maybe do some full days combined with a picnic lunch. Later in the summer, we may program weekend swims, camping overnight, and full moon swims, to make the journey as enjoyable and diverse as possible. The first section of the Thames is a walk of around 12 miles from The Source near Kemble in Gloucestershire to Cricklade.  We will do this on Easter Friday – 22 April - with a picnic lunch.  The next section we expect to 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 at the end of our initial walk. It may be difficult to make all the swims / walks so you are more than welcome to join us for any sections that take your fancy or fit your schedule, and if you want to catch up on sections missing from your collection we hope to record our experiences to provide some hints so you could do them independently. 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. 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.  Let us know if you think you would like to join us  - the more, the merrier - along the beautiful Thames. Usual OSS terms and conditions apply.</BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></DIV></DIV> -----Inline Attachment Follows----- <DIV class=plainMail>_______________________________________________ OSS Oxon mailing list <A href="http://uk.mc867.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=OSSOxon@earth.li" ymailto="mailto:OSSOxon@earth.li">OSSOxon(a)earth.li</A> <A href="http://www.earth.li/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/ossoxon" target=_blank>http://www.earth.li/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/ossoxon</A> 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.</DIV></BLOCKQUOTE>

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Swim the Thames
by Jeremy Wellingham 05 Apr '11

05 Apr '11

/A few of us have decided we want to swim the length of the Thames during the course of the next //year or three./ /We will be doing this in small sections, in sequence, using Mike Worthington's book -- 'I Love the Thames' -- as our //guide, starting at the Source of the Thames and working our way //down to Teddington, a distance of around 150 miles. We expect to swim on a Saturday or //Sunday, probably every other week or so. This is *not* an endurance test but more a way to / /experience the complete Thames and hopefully add to our repertoire of swimming locations that we //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 //but as the weather warms up, and we get the measure of our capabilities, we can adjust the //distance and maybe do some full days combined with a picnic lunch. Later in the summer, we may program weekend swims, camping overnight, //and full moon swims, to make the journey as enjoyable and diverse as possible./ /The first section of the Thames is a walk of around 12 miles from The Source near Kemble in //Gloucestershire to Cricklade. We will do this on Easter Friday -- 22 April - with a picnic lunch. The next section we expect to //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 //at the end of our initial walk./ /It may be difficult to make all the swims / walks so you are more than welcome to join us for any //sections that take your fancy or fit your schedule, and if you want to catch up on sections missing from your collection we //hope to record our experiences to provide some hints so you could do them independently. / /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./ /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. / /Let us know if you think you would like to join us - the more, the merrier - along the beautiful Thames./ /Usual OSS terms and conditions apply./

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Swim April
by Sefryn Penrose 28 Mar '11

28 Mar '11

Hello! April's swim will be back in Oxford on April 17th. A few of us will be meeting at 11am at the carpark of the Perch in Binsey: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?client=safari&oe=UTF-8&ie=UTF8&q=perch+binsey… We'll get changed there and walk up to Godstow Lock at the top of Port Meadow and swim back down to Binsey, or if warm enough (energetic enough) further down to Fiddler's Island, a distance of 2km (Godstow to the Perch), or 2.5km to Fiddler's. If both sound too much, there are plenty of beaches to launch from before Godstow for a shorter swim. We can then have lunch at the Perch. See you there! March's Clifton Hampden swim yesterday couldn't have been nicer - so thankyou Neil for a lovely choice, and hopefully we will have the same lovely weather for April. Also - watch this space for news of a plan to swim the Thames - starting with an Easter walk from the source. Sef Usual terms and conditions apply (OSS swim responsibility statement): http://www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com/index.php?p=swimming_tips&s=responsib…

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Hinksey Pool opens on 30 April
by Transformation Swimming 26 Mar '11

26 Mar '11

Hi everyone Sorry I missed the full moon swim last weekend - I was in Cornwall. Bet it was wonderful. Just to give you all a heads-up for the opening of Hinksey Pool on 30 April. While it may not be 'wild swimming', it is 'outdoor' - and heated too! If you've never been there, you're missing a treat: especially first thing in the morning with the steam rising gently into the early sunshine ... There will be discounts on the Hinksey Slice (season ticket) prior to the opening - contact the manager, Peter Ennals peter.ennals(a)fusion-lifestyle.com for details. Cheers Dee ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dee Keane Transformation Swimming Oxford www.dklearning.com Tel 01865 203570

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Map for my Full Moon swim Saturday
by Bob Bradley 19 Mar '11

19 Mar '11

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=211525618… Beware I may not have the entry poitn quite right. Just watch out for the swimmers! Bob

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Of supermoons and other swims
by Sefryn Penrose 15 Mar '11

15 Mar '11

Two swims on the moonlit (and sunlit) horizon: I have posted Bob's supermoon swim on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=55781602829 And just a reminder of Reading and Oxford groups' March swim on the 27th of March, at Clifton Hampden near Abingdon. http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=172622676118943&index=1 And a head's-up for April's monthly swim which will be on the 17th April. Hope to see you at one or all of the above! Sef

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Saturday morning, Oxford?
by bryn dymott 15 Mar '11

15 Mar '11

Hi, anyone likely to be in the Thames in Oxford this Saurday morning? I have the pleasure of an overnight at the Four Pillars Hote,l off Abingdon Road (opposite the Hinkey Pool) Friday and wondered if I could gate crash a cold water plunge before I get off home to the Great Ouse? It looks like the river runs adjacent to the grounds of the hotel - anyone know if this is a good swimming spot? Regards all, spring is a coming - sometime soon, Bryn ________________________________ From: James <james.lowe(a)datacore.com> To: ossoxon(a)earth.li Sent: Monday, 2 August, 2010 13:34:53 Subject: [OSS Oxon] Swim at Dorchester and/or Little Stoke this eve and/or tomorrow eve (Mon 1st / Tues 2nd) Hello, If anyone wants to join me either doing a pottering gentle breast stroke or head-down crawl then I can be at either of these two spots between 19:30 to 19:45 start - the swim would be no longer than about an hour. Temps are nice at the moment and so you can either suit-up or not. I don't have any preference which spot I go to as they are both great , both straight, deep and wide and both suit all levels of swimming. They are easy to get to, to park at and to change at as well. Dorchester on Thames http://www.multimap.com/s/OP5NAFHP This is marked where the lay-by is. Little Stoke http://www.multimap.com/s/jkX7c9vf This is where we would park - there is a track down to the 'Old Dairy' which is a 2 minute walk to the river, it's very secluded and peaceful here. If anyone wants to join me on either day let me know which you prefer, else you'll have to take pot-luck and look for my Green Polo if you turn up on the day. Either way I'll be there between those times. Only reply if you intend coming. Thanks James _______________________________________________ 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.

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Biggest full moon in two decades
by Bob Bradley 14 Mar '11

14 Mar '11

Hi All My revised plans based on Andrew's comments about sunset are to arrive at Walton Well Car Park at 18:15, leave there at 18:30 walk up the river to the starting point we used last Saturday (about 15 mins) and then to swim about 10-15 mins back to the bridge whilst admiring the large full moon across Port Meadow! (Weather permitting!) Anybody there at the same time doing something similar I'd be pleased to see you and show you where I'm swimming. Cheers Bob

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biggest full moon in two decades
by Bob Bradley 13 Mar '11

13 Mar '11

Hi All Bryn pointed out this morning that next Saturday is the biggest full moon in two decades<http://uk.news.yahoo.com/38/20110309/tsc-world-to-see-biggest-full-moon-in-…> and even better I've discovered it is full over Oxford at 18:10 and rises at 18:28. Which makes it perfectly timed for an early evening viewing from the water! So I'm planning to park at the Walton Well Car Park between 18:00 and 18:15, then walk up the river to our starting point this morning. Then I'll have a pleasant brief swim back to the bridge admiring the moon across Port Meadow. If anyone else happens to be doing something similar that would be great! Cheers Bob

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Swim at Clifton Hampden on Sunday 27th March at 11:00am
by Jeremy Wellingham 25 Feb '11

25 Feb '11

/Dear all, Following one of the OSS Oxon regulars, a couple of us have decided that we will swim at least once every month over 2011. Having braved January and February - here is the plan for March:/ / Neil, Sef, Pam, Jeremy and Lindsay will be swimming in the Thames at Clifton Hampden, Nr Abingdon on Sunday 27th March at 11:00am. //If you would like to join us you would be very welcome. // //Non-swimming partners and friends who fancy a morning stroll along the river bank watching us swim will be more than welcome, especially if they are willing to carry a few items of kit to swimmers' getting-out points. //Let me know if you are thinking of coming or alternatively just turn up on the day./ / Meet in the car park opposite the Barley Mow pub. //(South of the bridge on the road towards Long Wittenham). Link to Google maps: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=51.653024,-1.208503&dadd… <http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Barley+Mow+ne…> We can decide on the exact plan on the day. We could swim up towards Clifton Lock and back, or (pleasanter) down-river as far as people want and either swim or walk back, depending on time, current, weather and energy. There is a good range of potential getting-out points downstream. / /Any questions drop us a line. THIS IS THE WEEKEND THE CLOCKS GO FORWARD SO 11:00am IS GOING TO FEEL LIKE 10:00am !/

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