Rottnest Channel Swim 2008

Not just another weekend in WA - from the other half.

After a fairly pleasant 10 hour journey across Australia we arrived in Perth around lunch time on Thursday 14th February, valentines day, however for us getting up at 4am there wasn’t much valentineing going on, but we were both happy to be doing what we were, that is my husband Chris the usual writer of our swimming journeys and my self.
As we waited for our luggage to arrive on the carousel I wondered how many people in the crowd were here because of the annual Rottenest Channel swim, when at that moment “hello, hello’ hello” who would be there but Mr Ocean swims and Mrs Sparkle themselves with their friends from Brunswick Heads. Chat, chat, chat.
Soon we had our bags and it was time to organise our hire car before meeting my sister for lunch just out side the airport. Unfortunately that was all the time allowed on this short trip for none Rotto family members.
The following day, “the Friday before Rotto” has now become tradition for us Palfrey’s it’s a swim at Cottesloe Beach followed by breakfast at the Blue Duck café over looking the beautiful Indian Ocean and Rottenest Island. We had a table for ten booked which was soon filled with swimming friends and family with a couple of extra chairs pulled up, we noticed that Kim Beasley and Alan Bond also ate breakfast there that morning.
After beaky it was off to the “out of towners’ swim briefing, from there we headed back to our hotel in Fremantle meeting many old friends as we departed the briefing.
Chris’s brother Martin from Sydney and Heather their mother from Melbourne had joined us by now, Martin is planning to do a double Rotto crossing.
Friday afternoon was spent at our boat briefing with our wonderful friends Wayne and Barbie Williams who have tirelessly helped us for many years, with boats and crew for our swims.
It is an early start for all on Saturday morning we are up at 4.30am knowing however that our crew have already been out of bed for some time organising the boat side of the swim. Chris and I eat, drink, stretch then eat and drink again until it is time to head down to the hotel reception knocking on Martins door as we go by. Martin says he’s almost ready and will be in reception in a minute. Whilst in reception Chris makes a bee line for the concierge’s desk, he wants to look at the weather forecast again; by now seabreeze.com is a favourite on the concierge’s computer.
The taxi has arrived and is waiting but there is still no sign of Martin, Heather comes from Martins room he’s still coming she says, apparently his on the loo again! Martin was a little nervous about his double crossing it seemed, but who could blame him?
Finally we arrive at Cottesloe beach just before 6am. Soon the registrations are open we have our name ticked off our arms numbered and timing bands activated, we are ready to swim to Rottenest Island. This year the weather and forecast was for reasonable conditions, with some swell but at least the swim was going to take place which was great news after last years disappointing cancellation due to bad weather.
It was an overcast morning which offered us some protection form the sun, the water temperature was a warm 23C with some swell and chop coming from my left side (the south) the sun broke though and shone on my back for a few moments exactly as I passed though the ten kilometre gates, I could see the bottom for most of the swim.
I was pleased with my swim and time of 5hrs 23 minutes and third place in the woman’s event, after having some time out of the water due to some health issues towards the end of 2007. Chris came in at 5hrs 54 minutes and Martin turned around and began swimming back to Cottesloe Beach while most us were headed for the pub and others still had many hours of swimming ahead of them to complete their one way journey to Rottenest finishing late in the afternoon to rowdy applauses of all in Thompson Bay, you guys I take my hat off to you.
Presentation took place and we headed for the ferry back to Fremantle we sat with Barbara Pelleck and her family, Barbara had just completed her 20th Rottenest Channel crossing, well done Barb.
Our phone rang, it was Brian, Martins boat captain. Marty has 3k to go, we willed the ferry to go faster so that we could meet Martin at the finish, when we arrived inFremantle I called Brian again Martin had 1k left to swim, we jumped in the car that we had parked at C shed that morning. We raced off to Cottesloe, Martin was getting dragged North and was past the Blue Duck café and headed for the beach. The light was fading fast, the wind had picked up and was quite strong there was also some current just off the coast. We parked the car where we could see the lights of Martins boat coming in, Martin got dragged further North, we moved the car and ran down the beach to meet Martin . Martin had planned to swim back to the boat after the swim but this plan was changed and was now for us to take him back to the hotel, however all his gear was on the boat, we rustled up some gear we had to put around Martin when he finished, Brian wrapped Martins clothes and towel in plastic bags, Chris stripped off his clothes to his jocks, Brian threw Martins gear over board, Chris swam for the bag which was floating South and looked as though it would sink, I followed Martin along the beach who was still swimming and getting dragged further North. Goodness knows what the onlookers thought was going on up on the promenade, some sort of drug drop or something. Martin swam to shore after 14hrs and 1 minute of swimming and swore that was it for long swims for him, (of course we don’t believe him). I hurried Martin up the beach behind a sand dune where Chris soon joined us, it was a quick off with the wet togs and on with the towels, old jumpers and a plastic garbage bag to keep Martin warm. Soon we were in the car with the heater on headache hot and phoning Heather to pore a warm bath and order some food from room service.
As we entered our 5 star hotel with Martin wet & greasy, with bare feet wearing old tracksuit pants and a jumper we could only get one arm into and a garbage bag, it being Saturday evening and there was a sea of young women all wearing LBD’s little black dresses, Martin said to me “I wonder what they’re all looking at”, we decided it was his left nipple which was exposed by the too small jumper, what a laugh.
The following morning Martin, Heather Chris and myself along with Martin’s boat crew Brian, Donna and Richard joined up for a big breakfast, then the four Palfrey’s returned to Perth airport, Penny and Chris to Queensland, Heather to Melbourne and Martin to Sydney.

Yes another fabulous weekend in WA.

Congratulations
Martin Palfrey double crossing 14hrs 1min.
Barbara Pelleck 20th Rottenest Channel crossing
Melissa Benson first solo swimmer to finish (go the girls)
All swimmers solos, duos and teams you make this swim the fantastic event it is.

Thankyou
Our wonderful friends Wayne and Barbie Williams, JR, crew Neil Jo, Reece, Ryan and Hayden.
RCSA organisers
Sponsors.

Defiantly not just another weekend in the garden.