swim07: Thursday Swimming Holiday

This blog entry relates the holiday events of Thursday May 24th 2012 of our Greek swimming holiday.


This is the last full day of our SwimTrek holiday, we are a little sad already.

 Where are we going today?

Agata braves the wind




Morning Swim - Keros

Swimming along the side of Keros was not mysterious to me  (sorry Phil!) but great great fun.   Also, some caves to explore.




Lunch on Board

Satisfied customers


Afternoon Swim

Although short in distance; for our last afternoon swim we were challenged with waves and finally rain


Evening Presentations

Marcus collects his T shirt video

swim06: Wednesday Pani Koufonissi

This is the blog entry for day 6, Wednesday May 23rd 2012 of our Swimtrek swimming holiday....


Greece's times is +3GMT whereas the summer timezone for Switzerland is +2GMT.  So this means it was relatively easy to get up at 07.00 and check the water conditions ..

Oh no choppy i.e. white crests on the waves


In such conditions our swim from the Koufonisi to Keros had to be cancelled.  :-(


Instead we made a mini crossing to the nearby Kato Koufonisi and then swam south west along the coastline

Marcus video Diary


As the top graphic shows this was just over 5Km.

As the swim progressed the waters got choppier but I was not concerned about that!


Marcus had to pee!  And so I had to make an emergency pitstop on board Aki's boat, then back into decidedly choppy waters to complete the 5Km swim

Finally we finished, all safe and sound


Late Lunch

 Phil checks him tummy

We all get a drinking




Running around Koufonisi
After a small nap Marcus and Agata decided to run around ... the island:

Google maps pointed out only a few roads on the island but hey we know about walking paths too.   Come out of the Paradise hotel we decided to go around the edge anti-clockwise.  Notes for potential runners

• About 10Km and took us about 80 minutes
• Follow the lake path
• In the above diagram the bit that sticks out top right - you cannot easily runaround
• Then we struggled to find a path and ended up running in fields and over walls.
• Keep at it and you will eventually rejoin a road
• This leads you to a path to the left of the rubbish tip which is very smelly and on fire when we passed
• More climbing/jumping over Walls
• Then meet another road on island edge
• Goes down to port
• Run past port and then back to hotel paradise resort

Dinner at Captain Nicolas

After a large lunch I promised myself a small or zero dinner, however I just could not resist it!


Time for a stroll around town

 We always like to check out the Churches

 Fiona showed off those shoes

 Phil was taking fancy pictures

Marcus checked out the religious merchandise


Another great day, what can I say!


Links
Marcus Video diary for Wednesday Swim

swim05: Tuesday Pano Koufonisi

As you can see the team are still in very good spirits.

It was time to leave the Iliovasilema hotel  which had served us well during the last 3 days.

We watched the locals working and took photos,  I can imagine how annoying this must be to them!

 We performed some morning exercises

And admired the view



Getting there

Skipper Aki sailed us to Ano Koufonisi for the morning swim: a baby crossing.  

Phil's morning briefing

 Agata said: No Paparzzi please

 Marcus admired the View

 Stephen worked on his tan

Phil talked about the mysterious Keros  (not an ex Girlfriend but an island)


To Pee or Not to Pee
Most swimmers agree that cold water not only makes you shiver but also have a strong desire to goto the toilet.   If you are wearing a swimming costume in the ocean this is trivial. But for marcus with a wetsuit, not so easy.   Unless you want to pee into your closed wetsuit  (I'll never do that) it means getting out of the water, onto the boat or close to dry land and doing the necessary.





Morning Swim

The original crossing that was planned cancelled due to bad weather so instead we made the above mini crossing.


I was working on my stroke, in particular a more correct left arm movement (not crossing centreline of body) as it entered the water.


However, for the last 30 minutes all Marcus could think about was going for a Pee!   At swim end there was a record rapid ascent into the boat and instantaneous wetsuit removal in order to goto the toilet!





Afternoon Swim

Very choppy waters but in a thick wesuit well marcus was invulerable,  Agata practically froze though.

We swam into some nice caves




Now it was time for our new hotel in Koufonisi

 The local romeo

My princess

 Fiona

Nicola and Phil




Welcome to Hotel Paradise Resort

The Hotel seemed fine so after unpacking Marcus and Agata went for a quick run to the port and back.  Agata is running on Vibram shoes so we try to stick to tarmac roads.




Windy Dinner

Even by Swiss standards we waited an eternity for food at a nearby restaurant.  First it was so windy that we all ended up moving tables, but if you click to enhance this photograph you will see a group of anxious faces thinking,  just where is the dinner!


Another fine day with 2 swims and move to the new island of Koufonisi.



Links
Hotel Paradise
http://www.paradisekoufonisi.gr/