Ben Hooper - Swim across Atlantic Ocean

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Comments

  • I'm glad it's over and hope we cn quietly forget the whole episode and move on. This Walter Mitty guy hasn't done the sport of open water swimming any favours.

    I remember a guy starting to row the atlantic thinking he'd get fit during the crossing.

  • If anyone fancies following Kev Brady's SUP down the Mahaweli in Sri Lanka - follow him on twitter (or FB but twitter is more current) @kevbrady8 - his blogs are so good to read, I can't wait 'til this guy writes a book! Seriously. I'm also really worried about Crocs.. (and I'm not talking about those hideous rubber shoe things with holes where your dignity leaks out!)

    timsrootDanSimonelliTracy_ClarkSolo
  • timsroottimsroot Spring, TXCharter Member

    loneswimmer said:
    Also... 40 to 43 spm! Anyone here under 50 spm?

    I'm often right around 50 spm

  • curlycurly Issaquah, WASenior Member

    Ben may want to stay in Brazil. I think there will be a lot of donors and charities that will want some answers and they aren't going to like what he has to say. This stunt really stunk up the place I'm afraid. If anything it will show future endeavors the value of training, preparation, documentation and communication.

    captainhaddocksuziedodsTracy_ClarkSylviaMvGOhioGal
  • KatieBunKatieBun CornwallSenior Member
    edited December 2016

    @WarmWater said:
    I'm glad it's over and hope we cn quietly forget the whole episode and move on. This Walter Mitty guy hasn't done the sport of open water swimming any favours.

    You're absolutely right, Mr Water, but a couple of forum members have had abusive and/or threatening Facebook messages from one or two of the adoring masses..... just for posting legitimate questions. It's hard to bow out when you've been a victim of such viciousness. This smacks of the Nyad debacle...... and it's the same sort of narcissistic farce.

    captainhaddocksuziedodsIronMikeOhioGalTracy_ClarkSylviacurlyMvG
  • The low mileage in calm conditions, does beg some questions. I would have expected larger mileage at the start due to bravado and excitement , before finding a proper routine. The questions were certainly appropriate, but my main concern was the lack of support for Ben (once the answers were not forthcoming). I think we have experienced (with the DN debacle and Ben's swim) that scrutiny can be invasive and harmful for the swimmer. Scrutiny must therefore a be expected, planned and prepared for. Scrutiny and questions need to be embraced.

    I think we, as swimmers, have also faced wrath from each other with opposing views. Over a drink in the pub, the discussions would not feel somewhat hurtful. But in open forums and facebook, it is too easy to take anothers view as a personal attack and the responses can lead to offence. Not sure I like it that much, but still feel the need to read and contribute.

    DanSimonelliloneswimmer
  • david_barradavid_barra NYCharter Member
    edited December 2016

    Haydn said:
    I think we, as swimmers, have also faced wrath from each other with opposing views. Over a drink in the pub, the discussions would not feel somewhat hurtful. But in open forums and facebook, it is too easy to take anothers view as a personal attack and the responses can lead to offence. Not sure I like it that much, but still feel the need to read and contribute.

    I would be much more likely to encourage someone to embark on a foolhardy expedition over a drink in a pub than on a public forum.

    The inter-webs never forget.

    Tracy_Clarkaafairmandpm50

    ...anything worth doing is worth overdoing.

  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member

    @haydn, do you really think a drink with DN in a pub would lead her to admitting she didn't swim Cuba to FL the way she said she did in "open forums and facebook"? I doubt it. FWIW, I get the feeling that Ben would still be an egotistical a$$ even over a beer in a pub. If I had donated money I'd be extremely pissed off and no beer in a pub would change my mind about that.

    Sylvia

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • DanSimonelliDanSimonelli San Diego CASenior Member

    curly said:
    If anything it will show future endeavors the value of training, preparation, documentation and communication.

    Yes.

    dpm50
  • I fully accept the above, but I have seen many of my friends (not just facebook friends) opinions slammed by people I don't know, and I doubt they knew either. I have also seen my friends posts have a different opinion than mine. It's more noticeably hurtful when reading a posting, than if we were having a discussion around a cozy fire at Langdale Chase. Sometimes the discussions get a little heated. I am aware of more than a few discussions where friendships have been strained (even broken) over careless postings.

    loneswimmerevmoAnthonyMcCarley
  • I hope all on this forum have had a good Christmas. However reading Ben Hooper's last message on both this own FB and STBB page I thought I'd lost 4 months and been fast forwarded till April 1st! Ben is now advertising his 'trustworthy boat' for sale, surprisingly he has had no interest or offers yet. He did however say he will be back next year to succeed where he failed this year!!

    IronMikeJaimie
  • Screen Shot 01-07-17 at 08.03 PMwatermarked
    As at 15:16 UTC today.

  • phodgeszohophodgeszoho UKSenior Member

    Looks like they have arrived safely in South America.

    Big Blue Has Landed

    Jaimie
  • Or at least the boat has "arrived"...

  • Yes they've been there a couple of days now and absolutely nothing on Social Media from Ben. I reckon we won't hear much from him again, he's slipped off into the sunset owing certain charities and individuals thousands.

    OhioGal
  • Boat seems to work fine once the 'swim' had ended.

  • "In spending three years preparing for this expedition I have already swam over 12 million metres in the swimming pool and open water"

    Are my calculations wrong? Doesn't this amount to ~11km per day, every single day, for 3 years?!

    gw

    evmoTracy_ClarkKatieBunloneswimmerSolo
  • KatieBunKatieBun CornwallSenior Member

    @gregorywannabe said:

    "In spending three years preparing for this expedition I have already swam over 12 million metres in the swimming pool and open water"

    Are my calculations wrong? Doesn't this amount to ~11km per day, every single day, for 3 years?!

    Yes, but please don't question it, and don't ask where the 8 hour days were on the trip...or the 20k days..... or the 2 x 6 hour swims...... or the 2 x 4 hour swims....... even in flat calm waters at the start. I did that on his FB page. My post was deleted and I was blocked for being a "hater". You can post on his pages if you just just bow down and adore him and say he's done something amazing. I can read the soppy, sycophantic posts if I sign on as my dog, but I'm unable to ask pertinent questions. ;)

    loneswimmerIronMikeTracy_ClarkSidMottcurlypavlicovOhioGal
  • andissandiss Senior Member
    edited January 2017

    In contrast:

    Tracker is working, the mobile feed is working. One lad on an oversized SUP.

    http://www.thesupcrossing.com/live/

    https://www.facebook.com/400378690001722/posts/1363788840327364

    IronMikeKatieBunTracy_ClarkDanSimonelli
  • KatieBun said:
    @gregorywannabe said:

    "In spending three years preparing for this expedition I have already swam over 12 million metres in the swimming pool and open water"

    Are my calculations wrong? Doesn't this amount to ~11km per day, every single day, for 3 years?!

    Yes, but please don't question it, and don't ask where the 8 hour days were on the trip...or the 20k days..... or the 2 x 6 hour swims...... or the 2 x 4 hour swims....... even in flat calm waters at the start. I did that on his FB page. My post was deleted and I was blocked for being a "hater". You can post on his pages if you just just bow down and adore him and say he's done something amazing. I can read the soppy, sycophantic posts if I sign on as my dog, but I'm unable to ask pertinent questions. ;)

    Or branded a troll, which he has done again in his last post

  • I think this is a job for @danslos !
    To steal a phrase from an old cartoon...

    curlyAnthonyMcCarleydanslosssthomas
  • curlycurly Issaquah, WASenior Member

    I wish this whole thing would just die a quiet death. 12 million meters of training over three years. Raising money for kids and puppies. Getting attacked (attacked!) by a Man o War. Shipwrecked (almost) at sea. His indignation at people calling him on this whole farce is using the "best defense is a good offense" approach to public relations. It is a shame that such blatant liars can somewhat control their own press and that is probably the only reason why this dumb thread should continue to exist.

    And so I will just try to not read it. Except I have not been able to resist...

    KatieBunrosemarymint
  • EricEric Member
    edited January 2017

    DanSimonelli said:
    Ben's latest FB post:

    https://www.facebook.com/SwimTheBigBlue/posts/1827204527537000

    You've been quiet for a while, Dan. What are your thoughts now on Ben and his swim? Still defending him?

  • DanSimonelliDanSimonelli San Diego CASenior Member
    edited January 2017

    Eric said:
    You've been quiet for a while, Dan. What are your thoughts now on Ben and his swim? Still defending him?

    @Eric

    I, like others, have many other things to attend to. So, while "quiet" on this particular thread, I've been busy swimming and working and doing my part to uphold the integrity of our sport.
    For instance, getting ready to kayak for Antonio Arguelles' Catalina Channel swim tomorrow night!

    So, "defending him" is not an accurate assessment of my posts here.
    Rather, it was my attempt to push the discussion to better fact finding and less speculation; more astute questioning and less pontificating.
    My posts were directly aimed at bolstering the sport and our nurturing of it, which always should take precedence over any individual attempting any swim!

    KatieBunKelliecaptainhaddockdavid_barrawendyv34curlySoloDeborahSpacemanspiffssthomasgregocloneswimmerrosemarymintMvG
  • Great post Dan.

  • andissandiss Senior Member

    And Chris Bertish is still going strong....im sooo impressed with this man, i can't even fathom(!! ;) ) the strength of this man to keep going!

    KatieBunDanSimonelli
  • bruckbruck San FranciscoMember
    edited January 2017
  • phodgeszohophodgeszoho UKSenior Member
    edited March 2017

    From Ben Hooper's Facebook Page (FYI - I am not a follower/friend but a friend liked it so it appeared on my timeline). Apparently WOWSA now have "verified" attempts...

    We are pleased to announce that Ben and his team have achieved the FIRST ever verified attempt to swim every single mile of The Atlantic Ocean. A huge thank you to all of our supporters, sponsors and friends and family. WOWSA have released the following statement:

    "Ben Hooper, a British swimmer, attempted a solo stage swim from Dakar, Senegal to Natal, Brazil, starting on 13 November 2016. After 33 days traversing westward in the Atlantic Ocean in which Mr. Hooper swam a total of 18 days, the swim was abandoned on 15 December 2017.

    During these 18 sessions in the Atlantic Ocean, Mr. Hooper swam a total of 160.6 km or 4.9% of the anticipated total distance, swimming under his own power. During his time in the water, Mr. Hooper swam in a single jammer shorts made of porous textile material, a pair of swimming goggles, a single latex swim cap on occasion, and a pair of earplugs. He did not wear fins, use a snorkel, or use any kind of neoprene wetsuit or headwear during his swim where he was accompanied by an escort boat "Big Blue" and guided by a single kayaker from Dakar, Senegal. Feeding during his time in the water adhered to standard English Channel swimming rules and the logistics of the stage swim adhered to standard World Open Water Swimming Association rules with the exception of the days where swimming was not safely possible due to turbulent conditions, unanticipated weather, medical/health issues, or boat technical problems.

    His escort crew included Captain Nigel Taylor-Schofield (UK), Chief Mate Russell Sandbach (UK), Observer & Medic Pamela Mackie (UK), Support Crew Ophelie Vtn (France) and Kayaker Mamadou Sene (Senegal). After abandonment, all members of the unprecedented stage swimming expedition returned despite one injury safely to Fortaleaze, Brazil, January 8th 2017 and then subsequently returned safely to their homes in their respective countries. Mr. Hooper and his team anticipate a subsequent attempt to be made at a later date."

    I am assuming that the WOWSA "statement" they are referring to is this:

    http://dailynews.openwaterswimming.com/2017/03/ben-hooper-on-swimming-across-atlantic.html

    In addition to the statement quoted above there is also an interview with Ben Hooper.

  • malinakamalinaka Seattle, WACharter Member
    edited March 2017

    In other news, did you see Chris Bertish made it to Antigua?

    rosemarymintKatieBunsuziedodsTracy_ClarkssthomasOhioGal

    I don't wear a wetsuit; it gives the ocean a sporting chance.

  • Tracy_ClarkTracy_Clark Norwich, United Kingdom (from Auckland, New Zealand)Member

    What a joke. So I train at Sea Palling on the coast of Norfolk each Sunday, does this make me the first person to attempt swimming from the UK to the Netherlands...??

    phodgeszoho said:
    From Ben Hooper's Facebook Page (FYI - I am not a follower/friend but a friend liked it so it appeared on my timeline).

    We are pleased to announce that Ben and his team have achieved the FIRST ever verified attempt to swim every single mile of The Atlantic Ocean. A huge thank you to all of our supporters, sponsors and friends and family. WOWSA have released the following statement:

    "Ben Hooper, a British swimmer, attempted a solo stage swim from Dakar, Senegal to Natal, Brazil, starting on 13 November 2016. After 33 days traversing westward in the Atlantic Ocean in which Mr. Hooper swam a total of 18 days, the swim was abandoned on 15 December 2017.

    During these 18 sessions in the Atlantic Ocean, Mr. Hooper swam a total of 160.6 km or 4.9% of the anticipated total distance, swimming under his own power. During his time in the water, Mr. Hooper swam in a single jammer shorts made of porous textile material, a pair of swimming goggles, a single latex swim cap on occasion, and a pair of earplugs. He did not wear fins, use a snorkel, or use any kind of neoprene wetsuit or headwear during his swim where he was accompanied by an escort boat "Big Blue" and guided by a single kayaker from Dakar, Senegal. Feeding during his time in the water adhered to standard English Channel swimming rules and the logistics of the stage swim adhered to standard World Open Water Swimming Association rules with the exception of the days where swimming was not safely possible due to turbulent conditions, unanticipated weather, medical/health issues, or boat technical problems.

    His escort crew included Captain Nigel Taylor-Schofield (UK), Chief Mate Russell Sandbach (UK), Observer & Medic Pamela Mackie (UK), Support Crew Ophelie Vtn (France) and Kayaker Mamadou Sene (Senegal). After abandonment, all members of the unprecedented stage swimming expedition returned despite one injury safely to Fortaleaze, Brazil, January 8th 2017 and then subsequently returned safely to their homes in their respective countries. Mr. Hooper and his team anticipate a subsequent attempt to be made at a later date."

    I am assuming that the WOWSA "statement" they are referring to is this:

    http://dailynews.openwaterswimming.com/2017/03/ben-hooper-on-swimming-across-atlantic.html

    In addition to the statement quoted above there is also an interview with Ben Hooper.

    SoloOhioGal
  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member

    During his time in the water, Mr. Hooper swam in a single jammer shorts made of porous textile material, a pair of swimming goggles, a single latex swim cap on occasion, and a pair of earplugs. He did not wear fins, use a snorkel, or use any kind of neoprene wetsuit or headwear during his swim

    Absolutely do not believe this. There are pictures out there showing him with a music player on. Some of the pictures look like he wore them when he started this swim, thus he did not swim just with the equipment the WOWSA statement lists.

    Five days after being saved having suffered a severe reaction to Portuguese man o war and dying on the boat, I was back in the water and swimming again.

    So he died now?

    This may prevent the speculation, slander, lies and outright vulgar commentary being made by those not on the vessel and with no idea of what they are talking about.

    Yes. It is we who don't know what we're talking about

    My daughter sadly read a lot of this and she is only 8.

    Sounds like a parenting issue to me. Your 8-year old shouldn't be reading social media.

    when we need to push ourselves beyond our limits, we can achieve this no matter what or who tries to get in the way, sabotage the swim or simply is as unpredicted as the weather.

    "sabotage"?!?!

    Daily News of Open Water Swimming: What did your sponsors and charity organisations say to you after the attempt was abandoned? Will they join you on the next attempt?

    Ben Hooper: The feedback has been supportive from sponsors and charities alike and so far, most sponsors remain with me. Again, changing PR management to being from the boat will improve sponsor relations in the future.

    Very interested if any of you who donated money have contacted the charities to see if or how much this guy gave to the charities.

    captainhaddockSidMottKatieBunrosemarymintTracy_Clark

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • EricEric Member

    Reading between the lines, it sounds like Ben has some erstwhile sponsors/benefactors breathing down his neck. Do they feel misled? That this thing had any chance of happening? Perhaps Ben needed something "official looking" from Steve, "verified attempt", blah blah blah, as defense against lawsuits.

    captainhaddockKatieBunpavlicovSidMottJbetley
  • loneswimmerloneswimmer IrelandCharter Member

    Here's something curious:

    In the Gloucestershire Live website linkedby @OhioGal it mentions the company having been dissolved in Nov 2015 (a year before the swim start) and another company incorporated.

    That's not quite accurate. In fact there are **Three **related companies which have or had Mr Hooper are Director.

    STBB LIMITED Reg: 09021052. Status: Active, Mr Hooper, Director. Current filings to May 2016 indicate Debtors owed to the value of £80,295 (~ $103K)

    (I think that's what it means. "I'm a doctor, dammit, not an accountant." Also...not a doctor).

    SWIM THE BIG BLUE LIMITED Reg: 09888501. Status: Inactive, Mr Hooper, Director. No company filings were made.

    SWIM THE BIG BLUE LTD Reg: 08988059 Status: Inactive, Mr Hooper, Director & ANO, Incorporated 9 April, 2014, Dissolved. 24 Nov 2015. No company filings were made.

    These are UK Private Limited Companies, which means AFAIK, Liability is Limited should the company be dissolved. I don't know the criteria for dissolving a company.

    I can not say why three separate companies would have been formed.

    captainhaddockevmoKatieBun

    loneswimmer.com

  • MoCoMoCo Worcester, MASenior Member

    Aren't the swims at Gilbralter and Hellepont between continents? Either I'm wrong about how many people have been to the moon or I'm wrong about how many people have done those two swims.

    Or, um, he's wrong. Nah. Unpossible.

    evmocaptainhaddockKatieBunIronMikeandissTracy_Clark
  • edited April 2017

    @loneswimmer He certainly has some questions to answer. SWIM THE BIG BLUE LTD Reg: 08988059 was dissolved on 24 Nov 2015 and SWIM THE BIG BLUE LIMITED Reg: 09888501 registered 25 Nov 2015. Why? Did the first company incur some debts that he escaped paying by this ruse?
    The STBB accounts are even more curious. There are no assets in the filing despite having bought the boat in that financial period. I am aware of personal loans made to Ben Hooper to help purchase the boat so since he is not declaring the boat as an asset in all probability he is not declaring personal loans to him. He stated on FB that his turnover for that financial year was £150,000. That is an enormous spend with no assets to show. Where did it all go? I hazard a guess that he was funding a profligate lifestyle jetting around the world for his "training overseas in the right type of water". The next accounts will be even more revealing when they come. His turnover has been separately stated as £250,000 and £225,000. There was at least one other last minute loan that I am aware of.
    Since the boat only limped into port in Brazil nothing has been said about what has happened to it, It can hardly have been worth much. This is the boat that was bought http://norfolk.boatshed.com/wharram_tehini-boat-172540.html For what seems to be, given the problems they had, much over the odds at the price I have been told of £46,000.

    Sadly I fear local news outlets like gloucestershirelive will never be the deep probing investigative journalism that is needed for this. @OhioGal, you are right this is pathetic. £400,000 spend to raise £15,000 for charity. What is more disgraceful is that this spend appears to be mainly other people's money. I sincerely hope they are repaid.

    KatieBunTracy_Clark
  • @Niek with no pictures published we have no idea how severe his stings were. For me the stings sustained by Adam Walker were a classic example of a swimmer swimming on after being stung. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-28676161

    Tracy_Clark
  • loneswimmerloneswimmer IrelandCharter Member
    edited April 2017

    If you look at the filing for the first company, SWIM THE BIG BLUE LTD Reg: 08988059, where I listed ANO as the other director, that person is Roy Finlay.

    Google reveals that Roy Finlay was the first intended skipper of the support vessel in 2014. They seem to have parted ways.

    Roy Finlay has significant experience with the Atlantic, specifically in the area of trans-Atlantic multi-hull rowing.

    In what was then H2Open, in 2014 Roy Finlay points out that it would never be feasible to swim the complete distance, restarting at the previous GPS stop point, due to obvious fuel restrictions. Nonetheless Ben Hooper continued to make that claim until close to, if not after, the swim attempt actually started, at the very least until email contact about swim verification with MSF in 2016.

    Here's the H2Open 2104 article.

    Mr Finlay and Mr Hooper obviously parted ways before the swim, and the first company was dissolved. On his professional LinkedIn page, however, Mr Hopper makes no mention of his previous companies.

    It would be interesting to find out more about this parting, I think.

    There's an old Swim the Big Blue website still live, (not the one we all looked at). On that there's an undated interview with Roy Finlay about the swim challenges.

    BTW, as it's a Weebly site there's no domain registration info.

    The H2Open article is worth reading, knowing what we now know. One claim in it is that Ben Hooper intended to swim @david_barra's 8 Bridges in training, which we know didn't happen. Possibly David can let us know if there was ever even an application.

    Of further interest to me, is the fact that we bemaon the lack of journalism about our sport. I feel it's time we discussed H2Open, now Outdoorswimmer.

    We have seen @SimonGriffiths and crew publish unquestioning articles on Mr Hooper. A freelancer for H2Open has said to me that what H2Open readers are interested in is beginner and the dreaded "inspirational" articles, so I understand that we are not the audience. If I recall, only as the swim veered into farce, did H2Open go so far as to call the swim "controversial".

    A couple of us have been asked to write for H2Open. For free. All the parts of our sport, less our part in truth, as most here are beyond the H2Open triathlete and beginner type articles, provide the raw material for the magazine. It is probably marathon swimming that provides the most grist for the mill of the inspirational articles.

    It would be great if Simon and his team of professionals were to put some of their UK-based resources to work investigating some of this story. I'd be happy to provide some off-the-record pointers.

    At the very least, it would be good to see H2Open support the community which so strongly supported it in the early years and at least revisit the story as it is now, and maybe get some of the concerns out publicly by a reputable magazine that is other than us Internet Haterz.

    (Disclaimer: I wrote a paid article for H2Open about five years ago on tides, and I turned down providing any free information for another article a few months ago).

    evmocaptainhaddockIronMikephodgeszohoDanSimonelli

    loneswimmer.com

  • david_barradavid_barra NYCharter Member

    "The H2Open article is worth reading, knowing what we now know. One claim in it is that Ben Hooper intended to swim @david_barra's 8 Bridges in training, which we know didn't happen. Possibly David can let us know if there was ever even an application."

    Our registered swimmers and wait-list have always been posted on our website.
    As for private emails, I will not comment on a public forum.

    IronMikeandissDanSimonelli

    ...anything worth doing is worth overdoing.

  • loneswimmerloneswimmer IrelandCharter Member

    Thanks @david_barra, I should have rememberd that!

    loneswimmer.com

  • andissandiss Senior Member

    He added: "Success is the fact we have the first verified attempt."

    Im gonna attempt to swim across the Atlantic (e.g. from Ireland to Newfoundland) later today - can someone please verify this attempt?

    Tracy_ClarkslknightDanSimonellitortugaCKswims
  • phodgeszohophodgeszoho UKSenior Member

    I really do not understand his logic: "Success is the fact we have the first verified attempt."

    Yet his own website lists other attempts (Guy Delage, Benoit Lecomte and Jennifer Figge) to swim the Atlantic with the distinction that his attempt would be different because "...none of these individuals have swum the distance from continent to continent and therefore, crossed The Atlantic."

    Yet we know he also drifted between swims, which doesn't really indicate that his attempt was in any way different form these previous examples.

    I also noticed when looking at his website that, with the near fatal Portuguese Man o' War of war "attack", the poor guy has now suffered three near death experiences.

    "However, Ben's inspirational story of surviving premature birth, collapsed lungs and death in ICU at birth, is highlighted further by his drowning at five-years of age in a swimming pool in Belgium, which only served to enthuse him and drive on his love of water and the sea."

    I can't help but think of the line from Fight Club. "On a long enough timeline the survival rate for everyone drops to zero."

    Tracy_ClarkevmoKatieBuncaptainhaddock
  • evmoevmo SydneyAdmin
    edited April 2017

    @loneswimmer said: I feel it's time we discussed H2Open, now Outdoorswimmer.
    We have seen @SimonGriffiths and crew publish unquestioning articles on Mr Hooper. A freelancer for H2Open has said to me that what H2Open readers are interested in is beginner and the dreaded "inspirational" articles, so I understand that we are not the audience. If I recall, only as the swim veered into farce, did H2Open go so far as to call the swim "controversial".
    ...
    It would be great if Simon and his team of professionals were to put some of their UK-based resources to work investigating some of this story. I'd be happy to provide some off-the-record pointers.

    At the very least, it would be good to see H2Open support the community which so strongly supported it in the early years and at least revisit the story as it is now, and maybe get some of the concerns out publicly by a reputable magazine that is other than us Internet Haterz.

    I agree with you, and it's one of the reasons I no longer subscribe to H2Open/Outdoor Swimmer. That, and the wetsuits prominently displayed on every other page. :-S

    I regret saying it, because I like Simon, and his publication provides a glossy, professional writer-employing, and non-US centric alternative to DNOWS and SwamSwimmed.

    But it's the same old story: Facts and analysis don't sell -- inspirational stories sell. Financially speaking, print-media publishing is tough, and open water swimming is tough. It's a minor miracle they've survived even this long -- and wetsuit ads are a big reason.

    Even in the mainstream press, deep-dive investigative journalism is a luxury of the top-tier pubs with profit margins to subsidize it. Nothing sells like inspiration.

    The MSM was dragged kicking & screaming to the conclusion that Lance Armstrong is a big lying cheater. They still haven't gotten there on Nyad, despite almost the entire sport of marathon swimming disavowing her. The only hope in Mr. Hooper's case is that he's bilked some charity or rich person with connections.

    captainhaddockpaulmDanSimonelli
  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member

    evmo said:
    But it's the same old story: Facts and analysis don't sell -- inspirational stories sell. Financially speaking, print-media publishing is tough, and open water swimming is tough. It's a minor miracle they've survived even this long -- and wetsuit ads are a big reason.

    And they've moved to monthly publishing, so that minor miracle is still working for them.

    I also don't like the wetsuits all over the place in the magazine, especially when I'm currently reading Modern Long Distance Swimming which covers 100% swimming in the UK, and there is absolutely no support for wetsuits by the author. The UK has come so far, and not in the right direction vis-a-vis wetsuits. Regardless, I still enjoy the magazine, mostly for the swim locations section, the Swim Smooth workouts and some other minor areas.

    evmoDanSimonelli

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • Tracy_ClarkTracy_Clark Norwich, United Kingdom (from Auckland, New Zealand)Member

    One magazine is never going to please all...I do look forward to it...now of course each month. I think it's a great idea to do a feature on this farce...it's not critical...just fact. I'm so sick of friends and some swimmers asking when will I attempt the Atlantic!!!! No thanks...I'm a real swimmer!!! (I'm too afraid of being 'attacked' by jellyfish...)!!! It would be great to have an honest article to point people to...!!!

    IronMike
  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member

    Tracy_Clark said:
    One magazine is never going to please all...I do look forward to it...now of course each month. I think it's a great idea to do a feature on this farce...it's not critical...just fact. I'm so sick of friends and some swimmers asking when will I attempt the Atlantic!!!! No thanks...I'm a real swimmer!!! (I'm too afraid of being 'attacked' by jellyfish...)!!! It would be great to have an honest article to point people to...!!!

    Perhaps soon we'll have a Ben Hooper Fact Check site like for she-who-cannot-be-named-without-owing-beer.

    Tracy_Clarkrosemarymint

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • Tracy_ClarkTracy_Clark Norwich, United Kingdom (from Auckland, New Zealand)Member

    IronMike said:

    Tracy_Clark said:
    One magazine is never going to please all...I do look forward to it...now of course each month. I think it's a great idea to do a feature on this farce...it's not critical...just fact. I'm so sick of friends and some swimmers asking when will I attempt the Atlantic!!!! No thanks...I'm a real swimmer!!! (I'm too afraid of being 'attacked' by jellyfish...)!!! It would be great to have an honest article to point people to...!!!

    Perhaps soon we'll have a Ben Hooper Fact Check site like for she-who-cannot-be-named-without-owing-beer.

    Great idea Iron Mike...anyone..???

    IronMike
  • andissandiss Senior Member
    edited April 2017

    Niek said:

    Niek said:

    andiss said:
    Im gonna attempt to swim across the Atlantic (e.g. from Ireland to Newfoundland) later today - can someone please verify this attempt?

    Done at 15:22h CMT+1 :)

    (Don't bother to get wet.)

    Thanks Niek! and We have success! I failed but its a second verified attempt!

    Kellie
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