Hawaii Swims – Thank You and Aloha.
Chris and I are now in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and I’ve finally found a few minutes for a way overdue thank you on our blog.
So much has happened over the past few weeks, Chris has swum and broken the record in the Molokai Channel and I was withdrawn from my Oahu to Kauai Channel swim with severe Man-Of-War jellyfish stings after swimming 60 kilometres in 12 hours.
Through all the triumphs and disappointments our friends and crew have held strong, been supportive and very, very professional in every way.
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We really enjoyed our stay in Hawaii and hope to return again one day, hopefully not far into the future.
I know that this note is a very long way short of the credits due to all who have been involved in our adventures in Hawaii, as always marathon swimming is a team effort; we can’t even think about doing these swims without a great support team, we were both very fortunate to have had just that, our thanks go to,
Penny’s boat crew – Captain Don Jones and his deck hand Calvin.
Penny’s swim crew – Forrest Nelson, Jeff Kozlovich, Bill Goding
Chris boat crew – Jim Dickson and Cody Vares
Chris swim crew - Quinn Carver.
Media support – Steven Munatones, Anne Cleveland, Anne O’malley, Mike Gordon, Josh Bavis ABC TV Australia and Beth-Anne Cozlovich.
Sponsors – Shark Shield, Endura sports powders and Rick Shema the weather guy.
Valentino Pikoulas and Madeline Ward for taking care of our home and dogs.
Thanks also to the many comments and well wishes from around the world.
Penny,
It was a pleasure meetiing you at ISHOF in Ft Lauderdale last Sunday during your induction into the Int’l Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame. Congratulations again!
All of you distance swimmers are amazing – had a chance to chat with Kevin Murphy and Paul Asmuth as well.
We have a series of ocean “mile” swims back home in Monmouth County, NJ and two of the participants, friends of mine – Don Walsh and Nancy Steadman Martin have done some interesting swims – Don – the swim around the Isle of Jersey and Nancy, the English Channel Swim. both have done the Manhattan (NY) Island swim a few times. I was with Nancy (on the boat) two years ago when she did the swim from Catalina Island to the mainland of California. That was something for me! I have a program of the induction weekend at ISHOF for each of them and will tell them both who I met at ISHOF! It was Nancy’s father, the late Richard E. Steadman – swim coach @ Monmouth College, and on our Olympic Diving Committee, who introduced me to the staff at ISHOF years ago. I have been friends with Bob Duenkel (Director) ever since, and help out at ISHOF whenever I am in Ft Lauderdale. Since I am now a retired high school science teacher, I am able to be at ISHOF more often, but this was the first time for me to experience the induction weekend, and it was grand!
I wish you all the best in your future swims and “good luck”. (“Luck favors the prepared mind (and body).” (Am. author – Mark Twain), and “Luck is where preparation meets opportunity.” (?). So one can go forth and make their own luck, and the rest is “happenstance”!).
I hope that you enjoy the book “”Splash” that I was able to pass onto you when you left ISHOF last Sunday
Regards, Bob Dillon