It's May 28th and I had no problem meeting the guide at 5am this morning as I had only managed to get two hrs sleep last night. Along with jetlag my thoughts were "this is not a good start".

For those of you that own a wetsuit, imagine tying to get it on with the zip half closed and with it inside out! yes, that was what I was trying to do at 6:15 am standing in a public bathroom at the harbour port. I was becoming extremely frustrated as I had no idea what I was doing wrong, and I got hotter and hotter by the minute. I eventually realised what I was doing wrong and hey presto, wet suit on!

So this was how nervous I was!

The bay was calm, the sun was out. What luck? the forecast wind had dropped and the weather couldn't have been any more perfect. Apart from some technical problems with my goggles slipping and sliding around my face my challenge went extremely well and I managed to escape from Alcatraz in just 41 minutes.

Last June I travelled to Africa to climb Kilimanjaro.  Following a period of 18 months solid hard training, I remained concerned that I would not succeed. I have suffered ill health at altitude three times previously and I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to raise any money for charity if I failed to reach the summit. Well, I reached the top and back to base camp again, fit, healthy, and I can thank my beautiful little granddaughter for that. Because of her, I have managed to give up smoking. By the time I complete my new challenge, I will have been smoke-free for three years. If I had not given up smoking, I would never have succeeded at last years challenge. The sad point I am trying to make is that I missed a once in a lifetime opportunity to raise money for a worthy cause.

I don't want to waste another opportunity, and that is why I am asking for your help. Apart from my family and friends, (of course!), my yearly trips and treks form the most important part of my life. When I train to complete a challenge, I am fulfilling an ambition and will cherish the memories forever. Please give generously to the Rays of Sunshine children's charity which exists to grant the wishes of children who are living with serious or life threatening illnesses in the United Kingdom. With our help, the children and their families can experience the joy and excitement of something that they have only ever dreamed of before.  www.raysofsunshine.org.uk

This year I am training equally as hard, and am equally as nervous. My challenge is to swim for 1.5 miles from Alcatraz to shore, across the San Francisco Bay. I have paid for this challenge myself and will be swimming solo. Yes, solo, I can't find three friends to swim with me! I wont be totally on my own though, I have a pilot sitting on a comfy boat, and a guide who promises me that he is also my lifeguard (that's a relief - I hope he concentrates!).

Yes, my friends and family tell me I hate the cold and my house is the hottest in town and I wear my socks in bed.  I know I've been haunted by jaws ever since I saw the film, and I've remembered how miserable I am when the alarm clock goes off at 5:30 am, four times a week, week in week out.

Stay confident Pattie, on the day, it won't take long, there won't be freezing cold currents, no jelly fish (YUK!) no sea lions, no friendly sharks, and the wetsuit will not rub! (I will have my granddaughters favourite pink swim hat on to keep me safe!).

Since January I have introduced myself to the icy waters of Brighton on my alternate Saturdays off work. It is now warming up and has reached 7 degrees. I have also been in my local lake a couple of times, the first time it was just 0 degrees. So just my training is already challenging in itself and deserves a few quid eh?

Please donate to my chosen charity. I promise I will continue to train as hard as is possible. However, there are no guarantees Mother Ocean will cooperate with my plans on challenge day. The challenge director would be forced to cancel if adverse weather conditions, i.e., impenetrable fog, gale force winds, or a four foot chop made it too dangerous for me to start the swim at the designated slot time of 7am (according to currents etc).

Many thanks and I'll keep you all updated when I've escaped and warmed myself up.

Pattie. xxx.

 

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