- OSSRATS - earth.li

OSS Swim the Thames #34 - TVP to Shiplake College
by Sefryn Penrose 23 Aug '12

23 Aug '12

Captains Log Swimdate #34 Reading. The final frontier. On our three year quest aboard the OSS Thames we boldly go where no manatees have gone before, the bold crew of the giant swimfleet explores the excitement of strange new whilrpools, uncharted beach-stops, and exotic weeds. These are our voyages and adventures: Meet at *Shiplake church at 10am on Sunday 26th *(there is parking along the road opposite the church). http://goo.gl/maps/cSoIT We will leave as many moon buggies here as possible here, and a few at Shiplake College boathouse with our drysuits. We will shuttle to Thames Valley Park for the start of the swim. We'll swim down to Sonning Lock (2.4km) and stop for cucumber sandwiches, then down to the 'Wires' (3.7km) for proper refuelling and stopping for anyone who wants a shorter stretch. There is another opportunity for an exit at 5.2km - if you want to do this, we'll put a car on the right bank so let us know before hand. Final frontier at Shiplake College, *6km*. Then, one of our delightful swimfleet crew, Lieutenant Tuckett has offered barbecue facilities in her quarters on nearby planet Knowl Hill. Bring barbecuables. Be aware that it is Reading festival and the Kling-ons may be in great number on the inter-gallactic highways. Captains J.T. Wellingham and S-F Penquard and the aquanauts of the OSS Thames. With especial assistance from lieutenants 'There be whales here!' Lindsey, 'It's life Charles, but not as we know it' Sharon, 'Ye cannae change the laws of physics' Charles, and 'Beam me up' Neil. ------------------------------- 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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Full moon swimming
by Chloe Dewe Mathews 22 Aug '12

22 Aug '12

Hello dear swimmers! My name is Chloe Dewe Mathews. I am a photographer and a keen outdoor swimmer too. I am currently working on a long term photographic project about ritual along the Thames. I'm really keen to incorporate full moon swimming into the project, and hope that anyone who's planning to go would let me tag along too. It looks like the next full moon is on Friday 31st August. Of course I'd be happy to give you copies of the pictures I take. Please get in touch if you are happy to help or have any advice. All the best, Chloe -- CHLOE DEWE MATHEWS PHOTOGRAPHER +44 (0) 7875 230 489 www.chloedewemathews.com Represented by Panos Pictures

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Catch-up of swim from Gatehampton to Pangbourne
by NEIL RICHARDSON 06 Aug '12

06 Aug '12

Is there anyone who missed the swim on 29th July from Gatehampton to Pangbourne who would be interested in doing a steady-paced catch-up of this section with me sometime? This swim is awkward to do without a car at both ends! I can do any weekend days this month except the planned Swim the Thames days. I am not available on Bank Holiday Monday. Regards Neil Richardson

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August Full Moon Swim
by Chris Dalton 02 Aug '12

02 Aug '12

Hi All, Now summer is (stutteringly) getting going it’s time to swim in the dark! Thursday 2nd August is the Full Moon with moonrise at a sensible 8:28pm and sunset at 8:46pm. As the weather forecast for Thursday is, erm, variable I suggest we plan to be flexible. We should meet at the layby on Henley Road to the south-east of Dorchester: http://goo.gl/maps/kIrcd in plenty of time to set off to the little beach at 8pm. If the weather is nice then we should have plenty of time for a picnic before dark. If not we can just get on with the swimming. As is usual for these occasions, I suggest we set off upstream and everyone can return to the beach in their own time. CD 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.outdoorswimming society.com/index.php?p=swimming_tips <http://www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com/index.php?p=swimming_tips&s=responsib…> &s=responsibili ty All swimmers swim at their own risk.

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Throw down of next thames swim
by Pamela 29 Jul '12

29 Jul '12

The likelihood is that the next swim will be on Saturday 11th with a camp overnight and I am at the Theatre that day so does anyone fancy a throw down from Whitchurch to Mapledurham Lock on Sunday 5th August? @Jeremy. Will that be the extent of the next swim? Pam

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OSS Swim the Thames #31 - Gatehampton (Almost) to Pangbourne- 10:00am Sunday 29 July
by Jeremy Wellingham 29 Jul '12

29 Jul '12

Just a holding e-mail - full details tonight: We'll be meeting at Pangbourne River Meadow Car Park at 10:00am on Sunday 29 July: http://goo.gl/maps/MCyn We'll Shuttle to Goring and park at the same car park we finished at on the last swim: http://goo.gl/maps/T1GO and walk down to the beach Entry Point that we exited at on the last swim: http://goo.gl/maps/8x2q There is no access, pedestrian or otherwise at Whitchurch Lock, so we'll swim to thelock walk around, get in and swim under Whitchurch bridge and exit in Pangbourne River meadow here: http://goo.gl/maps/4scg Pub: to be decided - Ferry or Greyhound in Whitchurch - any recommendations? Jeremy

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Thames swim catch-up, Saturday?
by Sharon Curtis 27 Jul '12

27 Jul '12

This glorious weather may have gone away by the weekend, but still. I am planning a catch-up Thames swim, somewhere in the Cricklade-Lechlade stretch (that's the stretch from Swims 1-4), before the water levels go down too much. Anyone fancy joining me? Can offer 1 lift from somewhere mutually convenient. Sharon

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OSS Swim the Thames #30 - South Stoke to Gatehampton (Almost) - 10:00am Sunday 15 July
by Jeremy Wellingham 24 Jul '12

24 Jul '12

Yo! Thames Surfers, Hang Ten this Sunday and go with the rip. With the Thames in full spate we continue with our current assisted swims and have another 4.9km (feels like 3km!) swim from South Stoke almost to Gatehampton. (We need to pace ourselves for the next stretch which will finish in Pangbourne.) Swim number 30 -- is it really that many since we started at Easter last year? -- will be a momentous milestone as we will cross the half way mark shortly after starting on our non-tidal Thames journey from the Source to Teddington. Look out for performances of Thames Barrier and Falange of Boboons to mark the occasion. We will also be swimming through the famous Goring Gap via Cleeve Lock (keep to the right) and then Goring Lock (keep to the the left). Walkers will start along the Ridgeway at South Stoke on the left bank and will join the Thames path at Goring, which crosses the river to the left bank to meet the Ridgeway and the ancient Icknield Way. Goring was a major crossing point of the Thames in ancient times. This swim isswim 43,44 and some of 45 in the /I ♥ the Thames/ book. *Sunday 15 July 2012 at 10:00am South Stoke* We will meet at swim entry point at the end of Ferry Lane in South Stoke at, where there is limited parking (Green Arrow marks the spot): http://goo.gl/maps/fx8N Parking will also be available at the Perch and Pike, where we will be lunching afterwards, which is a 5-10 minute walk away from the start point at the end of Ferry Lane (Green Arrow marks the spot): http://goo.gl/maps/OF23 We will swim down to just *before* Brunel's Great Western Gatehampton Viaduct (A bridge with several equally spaced arches for the less pretentious.) We will exit at the beach on the left(Green Arrow marks the spot): http://goo.gl/maps/8x2q and walk back along the Thames path and Ferry Lane in Goring to cars that we have shuttled down to the car park in Goring (Or we may be able to move a car down to the end of Ferry Lane)(Green Arrow marks the spot): http://goo.gl/maps/T1GO And shuttle back to the Perch and Pike for Lunch *NB Please let me know if you would like to stay for lunch so I can confirm the numbers with the pub.* Sef, Jeremy and the Falange of Bobboons of the Thames Barrier 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.

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Re: [OSS RATS] OSS Swim the Thames #28 and #29
by Chris Dalton 01 Jul '12

01 Jul '12

Hi Gang, Another camping weekend survived! Distance travelled: 5.10 and 4.91 km Total distance travelled: 133.60 km Distance travelled since Cricklade: 111.28 km Distance remaining to Teddington Lock: 111.90 km Distance remaining to Sea Reach No1 Buoy: 222.96 km Distance Driven: 2,907.9 km Map and track etc on the blog: http://www.swimthethames.com CD From: ossrats-bounces(a)earth.li [mailto:ossrats-bounces@earth.li] On Behalf Of Jeremy Wellingham Sent: 24 June 2012 21:15 To: ossoxon(a)earth.li; ossrats(a)earth.li Subject: [OSS RATS] OSS Swim the Thames #28 and #29 - Shillingford to South Stoke via Carmel - 2:00pm Saturday 30 June 2012 / 9:30am Sunday 01 July Greeting to all Post Solstice Pagans, For everyone who missed seeing the sun rise on the Solstice it is now the meteorological season of summer - really. Thanks to Adam, another double swim weekend, with a camp at our new favourite location, Carmel College, is scheduled for the weekend of Saturday 30th June - Sunday 01st July. And as compensation for the disappointing Solstice there will be an - almost - full moon to howl at. You're welcome to come to either or both swims and camp or not as you feel inclined. The camp site does not have any facilities, bar access to a loo, so please come prepared for a degree of self sufficiency. We will be barbecuing on Saturday night so bring food and drink for yourselves and/or to share. The camp site is on the river and we hope - weather permitting - to have an evening dip/midnight swim by the light of the moon. The camp site is also the Saturday egress and Sunday ingress point for the swims. Please let me know if you intend to camp. (You may want to arrive early to pitch tents before the swim and will need directions to the pitches.) (There is also a possibility for a Friday and/or Sunday camp for those that might want to do catch up swims.) Saturday 30th June 2:00pm Carmel College - Shillingford to Carmel - 4.83km (Approximately swim 39 and 40 in the I ♥ the Thames book) We will meet at Carmel College on the hard standing (Where we rendezvoused for the last camp) at the point indicated by the green arrow (OS 461052,187668) at 2pm: http://goo.gl/maps/0NUl Please approach Carmel College along the road marked on Google maps as Constitution Hill. This is the turning off the A4074 Oxford to Reading road just before/after the B4009 turning to Goring. We will then shuttle up to the bus stop opposite the Benson Cafe and depart from there at 2:30pm for a 1km walk to the Shillingford entry point: http://goo.gl/maps/6H0B The exit point is at the camp site near the old boat House: http://goo.gl/maps/8Ek8 Sunday 1st July 9:30am Carmel College - Carmel to South Stoke - 4.74km (Approximately swim 41 and 42 in the I ♥ the Thames book) Non campers meet at Carmel College on the hard standing (Where we rendezvoused for the last camp) at the point indicated by the green arrow (OS 461052,187668) at 9:30am (Same as Saturday): http://goo.gl/maps/0NUl Please approach Carmel College along the road marked on Google maps as Constitution Hill. This is the turning off the A4074 Oxford to Reading road just before/after the B4009 turning to Goring. You will be met and guided to the camp site where we will enter the water at 10am near the old Boat House: http://goo.gl/maps/8Ek8 Dry changing kit will be shuttled down to the exit point. We will swim down to South Stoke and get out at the the slipway: http://goo.gl/maps/cKDp Where we will repair to the Perch and Pike for lunch. http://www.perchandpike.co.uk Note: The later start on Saturday, after lunch, is to allow peeps to do a Saturday morning catch up swim and the early start on Sunday to allow peeps to do a Sunday afternoon catch up, if they would like to. Adam, Sef and Jeremy and the Perchies and Pikies of the Thames 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 <http://www. outdoorswimmingsociety.com/index.php?p=swimming_tips&s=responsibility> &s=responsibility All swimmers swim at their own risk.

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OSS Swim the Thames #28 and #29 - Shillingford to South Stoke via Carmel - 2:00pm Saturday 30 June 2012 / 9:30am Sunday 01 July
by Jeremy Wellingham 24 Jun '12

24 Jun '12

Greeting to all Post Solstice Pagans, For everyone who missed seeing the sun rise on the Solstice it is now the meteorological season of summer - really. Thanks to Adam, another double swim weekend, with a camp at our new favourite location, Carmel College, is scheduled for the weekend of Saturday 30th June - Sunday 01st July. And as compensation for the disappointing Solstice there will be an - almost - full moon to howl at. You're welcome to come to either or both swims and camp or not as you feel inclined. The camp site does not have any facilities, bar access to a loo, so please come prepared for a degree of self sufficiency. We will be barbecuing on Saturday night so bring food and drink for yourselves and/or to share. The camp site is on the river and we hope - weather permitting - to have an evening dip/midnight swim by the light of the moon. The camp site is also the Saturday egress and Sunday ingress point for the swims. *Please let me know if you intend to camp.* (You may want to arrive early to pitch tents before the swim and will need directions to the pitches.) (There is also a possibility for a Friday and/or Sunday camp for those that might want to do catch up swims.) *Saturday 30th June 2:00pm Carmel College* - *Shillingford to Carmel - 4.83km* (Approximately swim 39 and 40 in the /I ? the Thames/ book) We will meet at Carmel College on the hard standing (Where we rendezvoused for the last camp) at the point indicated by the green arrow (OS 461052,187668) at 2pm: http://goo.gl/maps/0NUl Please approach Carmel College along the road marked on Google maps as Constitution Hill. This is the turning off the A4074 Oxford to Reading road just before/after the B4009 turning to Goring. We will then shuttle up to the bus stop opposite the Benson Cafe and depart from there at 2:30pm for a 1km walk to the Shillingford entry point: http://goo.gl/maps/6H0B The exit point is at the camp site near the old boat House: http://goo.gl/maps/8Ek8 *Sunday 1st July 9:30am Carmel College* *- Carmel to South Stoke - 4.74km* (Approximately swim 41 and 42 in the /I ? the Thames/ book) Non campers meet at Carmel College on the hard standing (Where we rendezvoused for the last camp) at the point indicated by the green arrow (OS 461052,187668) at 9:30am (Same as Saturday): http://goo.gl/maps/0NUl Please approach Carmel College along the road marked on Google maps as Constitution Hill. This is the turning off the A4074 Oxford to Reading road just before/after the B4009 turning to Goring. You will be met and guided to the camp site where we will enter the water at 10am near the old Boat House: http://goo.gl/maps/8Ek8 Dry changing kit will be shuttled down to the exit point. We will swim down to South Stoke and get out at the the slipway: http://goo.gl/maps/cKDp Where we will repair to the Perch and Pike for lunch. http://www.perchandpike.co.uk *Note:* The later start on Saturday, after lunch, is to allow peeps to do a Saturday morning catch up swim and the early start on Sunday to allow peeps to do a Sunday afternoon catch up, if they would like to. Adam, Sef and Jeremy and the Perchies and Pikies of the Thames 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.

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