If I can swim 28 miles, solo, around Manhattan Island on 19th August 2017, I think I will become the 153rd person worldwide to earn the "Triple Crown" of open water marathon swimming - http://www.triplecrownofopenwaterswimming.com. 

More to the point, perhaps by completing this swim I can call a halt for the time being to the last 10 years of open water swimming and get over the mid life-crisis to the relief of family and friends! 

To succeed I will have to battle extreme tides, huge numbers of ferries and other boats and their swell and whatever flotsam and jetsam the Hudson, Harlem and East rivers have to throw my way.

I start at Mill Rock near Hell's Gate at around 10am local time, supported by a motor launch and a kayak. I will swim anti-clockwise counting off 20 bridges in total.

I am again undertaking fundraising for this challenge for the charity, RHMC, which  freely provides on-site accommodation to families of sick children in hospital, for however long they need it. Every penny I raise goes towards the fabulous work of this charity, not the administrative costs of running the charity or my own costs of organising and training for my swim. 

PLEASE NOTE I AM USING THE SAME PAGE AS I USED FOR MY CATALINA CHANNEL SWIM IN SEPTEMBER 2016, SO £3462.35 OF DONATIONS WAS DONATED FOR CATALINA (AND I HAVE KEPT THE MESSAGES FOR THOSE DONATIONS. 

I'M HOPING THAT, IF ANYONE  DIDN'T  SPONSOR ME LAST YEAR BUT WOULD LIKE TO DO SO THIS YEAR, THEN THEY WILL. AND IF ANYONE WHO DID SPONSOR ME BUT IS GENEROUSLY WILLING TO DO SO AGAIN, THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL. 

I WILL POST SEPARATELY ON THIS PAGE DETAILS HOW TO TRACK MY SWIM, WHEN I HAVE WORKED THIS OUT.