Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life..... !!

The Captain and Alex @ The Swan on Sunday.(23/10/11)
Looking on the bright side of things now the COLD swim is over.!!
(you will see what we by cold at the end of the Blog.!) 

October is has been a funny old month...it started off so well., The 6 hr test swim at Swan Pool on the 2nd October was blessed with amazing weather and even more amazing water temperatures 62..

6 swimmers undertook the 6hrs test and all completed the challenge, Richard ,Gary and Paul from Ricks all came down to lend their support to swimmers  by swimming an hour or so with them to try and keep them company..How ever..some of Ricks team were a massive let down...Super chest  and The Gimp always ..but not normally  these 3....!!!

Okay...this is the official Results from the 6hr Test Swim...as you can see it was great swimming by the guys and girls who got up early and started and ALL finished the swim...Not so good where Ricks 3..Miss Sloppy Alsop, Mr Chunky Boy Cash and maybe the worst of all 2013 solo swimmer  Mr Burford White...!!! Who all went out partying instead of swimming? The mighty Mr Earthquake who was not happy...!

The Don & Basher
Survivalifeguard Channel Swimming Club
Channel Cup 2011

The Badger..
Survivalifeguard Channel Swimming Club
Channel Cup 2011
Sunday 16^th was started of with a few pictures with the Survivalifeguard channel cup..; Big Ricks are very proud to be members of the Survivalifeguard channel club... The Club is run by Dan, Richard, and Jeremy...who apart from giving great advice about all things to do with open water and channel swimming, also give advice and teach about all things to with Life saving...  It’s due to their hard work that swimming at    Swan Pool is always done to highest safety standards ...,   

The Survivalifeguard Channel Club
Pictured from L to R. Dan,Richard and Jeremy, and Paul Watson..
Paul also won the channel Cup, but even better Paul Won The John Rickhuss Cup.
It was sad the whole team could not have been here for the pictures, but apart from Rob who was away playing Polo, The rest where nowhere to been seen..., anyway once that was over Paul and Richard went of to do a couple of miles swim in the still warm  water ( 13 degrees)...but Dan had other plans for Gary....

As you can see from the Video above, Gary along with Dan, had to do his duty in the Life Boat...Its part of the safety at Swan Pool, especially when training in the winter months, everyone  who wants to swim at the swan has to have some knowledge of some life saving.. 

The Safety Boat being man handled  into the Swan (23/10/11)..
it always has to in the water and maned before any swimming can take place...

Rob Looking a bit nervous..he has just found out the water temperature is 9 degrees

Sooner or later the water was going to get cold. It’s almost November  after all....we have been spoiled this yr, the first few weekends in October have felt more like summer  and the water temp felt the same...But not this week....the water  temperature   has dropped  4 degrees in a week..!!As you can see from the Video above...Rob was not his normal Jump straight in and swims self....

But Rob , along with Richard and Paul  and the regular nutters  at the Swan did get in . God was it cold...Rich and Paul managed  a lap, but Rob decided  it was not for him today and  quickly got out...and as usually once out he had some Cashy words of wisdom to share.”” If You Don`t Feel  Right...You Get Out””  .

Rob earned praise from Dan...There is No shame for the Captain here- you have to be honest with yourself at the start of every swim so that you don't put others in danger having to rescue you. Well done Rob..!!

Paul and Rob can laugh now the swim is over..!!
okay who on for next week then....????

Big Ricks Paul is Doing a 2 Way Aspire Channel Swim...

Paul has Reached France..., and is now will on his back to England 
he has  now done over 1700 Lengths in 4 weeks. (The Channel is 1416 Lengths in a 25m pool...)

We wish him well...it will be good practise for when Ricks Channel Starts for Real in November..

Aspire help and support people who have spinal Cord Injuries
Go on have a go, it will get you fit, and you will have fun telling your friends you are swimming the channel... And the best part... As result of your hard work...You will have helped others have a better Life... 
www.aspirechannelswim.co.uk .

OK...... SO What if the water going to be minus 9 !!! So What if Super Chest and The Gimp and Sloppy has given up Months ago.!!! , So what if you can`t feel your  hands and feet for a week..!!So What if you if you get sickness and uncontrollable diarrhea !!,So What if your hair and body turn blue and green from the Algae ..!!! We are open Water Swimmers and We love it..!!!! but as your swimming , just as your hands and feet are turning blue and your thinking what the hell am i doing... Why not just give a whistle and things will turn out for the best.!!( if your lips are not froze) 

A massive thank you to Miranda at Cancer Research UK for inviting Ricks to join fellow Fundraisers at The University of Birmingham for Thank You Event & Cancer Lab Tour last weekend. Mr and Mrs Super( Daz and Kaz !) Went along for Ricks and had great time. Ricks, as part of the our channel fundraising efforts donated some of the money raised to CR U.K. thus far that amounts to £ 4,350.50. A massive thank you to everyone who sponsored us with the channel swim, the final overall totally including the British Heart Foundation denotation is not yet known, but put it this way its just unbelievable. Rx