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Well thanks to all those who supported me in my Isle of Wight swim back in June this year. As a keen swimmer I immediately looked towards my next big challenge.
I have since decided that the next big step is to swim the 18-22km across from Spain to Morocco to raise more money for the lovely people at Africa Now.
Africa Now helps farmers and small businesses produce and sell better products. By supporting their own hard work and creativity, Africa Now offers a 'hand-up' rather than a 'hand-out', providing people with a future of opportunity, not charity. We assist with finance, training, technology and securing a fair price for their goods.
Africa Now not only helps producers expand their existing product range, but also provides training on new innovations and technologies, links to local banks for loans, and assistance in seeking out reliable markets where their products can be sold
See the link below to get a sense of what projects they work on:
http://www.africanow.org/projects.htm
Given the risks outlined below it would be good to get some sponsorship for the event although with it being in 2010 there is no immediate rush. Please find my justgiving page at the bottom of the 'risk list'
HAZARDS IN THE GIBRALTAR STRAIT:
Water temperature: The temperature of the water in the Strait of Gibraltar may vary from between 15ºC in winter to 22ºC in summer, so that it is advisable to attempt the crossing in the spring or summer period where the risk of hipotermia is smaller. The duration of the crossing depends on the characterisitics of each swimmer and the sea and current conditions but it is estimated from between 4 to 7 hours. It is therefore essential that the swimmer be able to stay at least 6 hours in the water if he/she wants to guarantee a succesful crossing. To fight against such a long period, it is convenient to protect the body with some type of grease made of lanolin except the face and the hands which act as a temperature sensors.
Fog: The selected period for most swimmers is the summer and specially the month of August. In this month dense fog usually forms, especially in the hours close to sunrise and sunset. Such fog gives rise to two serious problems that would compel us to cancel the event; one is the possibility of losing sight of the swimmer, which would leave him totally abandoned and disorientated; the other is the risk of collision with some of the numerous ships sailing through the Gibraltar Strait, due to the impossibility to sight the samall boats that escort the swimmer.
The traffic of vessels: The Gibraltar Strait is one of the busiest maritime zone of the world, with up to 300 vessels sailing through daily, not counting the ferries which cross between the harbours on both coasts of the Strait as well as many fishing and pleasure boats.
Currents: The influence of the currents and the way to make the trip in such a way as to be helped by these currents has been previously described. In spite of all available data to forecast the general currents in the Strait, the calculation is not mathematical and we can come up against unexpected and prompt currents which an interfere in the advance and direction of the trip. Because of that, from the escorting boats and from Tarifa Traffic, the crossing is monitored each half hour in order to check if the evolution complies with the previously established route and, otherwise, to take the appropriate measures.
oh and the weather...
