Lake Champlain Swim

Hi - Here's the new url for this swim, August 9: www.gbymca.org/.../110-12th-annual-lake-swim-saturday-august-9th-at-ymca-camp-abnaki There is a person to email (click on the link) to register for the swim, and I imagine questions could be placed and answered as well. This year swimmers leave from Camp Abnaki. That's all the info I could find. Regards, VB Additional thoughts: When I was hiking the Long Trail in VT in June, I popped up on top of Mount Mansfield and saw a slender ribbon of a lake stretching away to the horizon north and south. Beautiful! Then I got a boat ride on it. The water seems always to have a slight chop to it; swimming any part of it is a serious proposition. The Adirondacks rising up on the NY shoreline are a nice touch, although they would be behind one as one swam from NY to VT. I think it would be nice to camp on the islands in the lake.

i am planning to do the swim this year. swam it about 8 years ago.

There seems to be a dearth of information of the Web about this swim, in general. Julie Oplinger has a Web site (go Luna Chicks !:groovy: ). I'd be interested in reading more swimmers' experiences: average times, hydration and nutrition how often, places to do trial swims in Lake Champlain, etc. I'd like to start figuring out how to prepare for it, plus the logistics. Thanks, VB

the course is different this year....sort of circular. i guess it will be a land start, so no ferry service will be necessary.

Did you encounter lamprey eels on previous swims? Makes a wetsuit look like a necessity. In addition to cold and likely choppy water, one serves as nutrition for other creatures! VB

I did the swim last year. No lampreys, no wetsuit, (and I am not, ahem, genetically engineered for cold water) lots of chop, and great fun. My time was much longer than I expected, but I think the conditions last year were more than anyone anticipated. I agree that it's hard to get information, but I've had success e-mailing Jamie Held, the new Aquatics Director at the YMCA. She e-mailed me a course map so my husband/kayaker could start prepping. My biggest concern is really how his back is going to hold out in the kayak. Last year required more ibuprofen for him than for me. And personally, while I miss the "we're in New York, there's Vermont, see you over there" course, I am glad that it sounds like my son with have more things to do with my mom while they wait for me to come in. Last year's beach was a bit bleak as a family member waiting for your swimmer. My seven-year-old is already so over waiting for mom to finish and when it's not in a really beautiful beach, he tends to get a bit bored. I do remember that last year, Tad, the former race director, e-mailed out a list of participants and many of us started e-mailing each other before the swim. Perhaps that will happen again? I'm happy to answer any questions for first-timers. My time was not great, but I had a great time, and really felt like the conditions were something I had not experienced to that degree before--except for a terrible Coney Island swim a few years ago. I'm not sure how much previous experiences matter given that the course is so different. I will say that my nutritional plan was having my husband stop me at least very half-hour for gatorade. Boring and obvious, but for a swim of that distance, it worked for me. Looking forward to August! Sydne

Thanks, Sydne! I sent J. Held an email today, asking for info so I could start appropriate training for the swim in a year or so. She may not find that a top priority right away, as I'm sure she's inundated and busy with this year's group of swimmers. After I do get some info, I'll have lots of questions for you! I picked Lake Champlain as my one meaningful swim (I'm very slow, altho' working with a coach has helped tremendously) of a lifetime, and it is so romantic (sob!) for a displaced New Englander to do it. I'd also be interested in other swimmers' blogs: pictures, details, the agony and the ecstasy. Thanks again! VB

So the new course is no longer a swim-across, touch NY side, touch VT side? Ooooh. Deflation. VB

Did you encounter lamprey eels on previous swims? Makes a wetsuit look like a necessity. In addition to cold and likely choppy water, one serves as nutrition for other creatures! VB i did not , but one of the swimmers made a friend.....al creatures must eat. i would rather play host to a couple of lampreys than don the rubber.

I just received info from the organizer, and it looks like the new course starts at the tip of N Hero Island (Camp Abenaki)and sort of goes around, out almost to the NY side, and back to start. The shorter swim 4ish miles (first time event) seems to be a straight line. I am not sure abut the reasons for the change, but the logistics were pretty tricky the old way - and VERY WAVY. Never saw an eel, though (too busy throwing up, I guess), or any other life forms! Water temp was great the year I did it, but this moves it farther north.