First there was the Manhattan Island Swim, then came the Governors Island Swim. NYC Swim Events now presents the second annual Liberty Island Swim - a 1.2-kilometer counterclockwise swim around Liberty Island, the home of the Statue of Liberty. It's a great way to spend a Friday morning in the summer — and you'll still have time to go to work in the afternoon and amaze your co-workers with tales about what you just did! Participation in this event is limited to swimmers who have finished in the top 70% of a NYC Swim event in the past two years. Please see our FAQ page for more information.
I was worried but I got in. I wasn't sure I could do it. I swam the Great Hudson River Swim (1.3 Miles) and thought I did horrible. Took consolation that I got an Open Water Swim out of it. Turns out I did better then I expected. Had to be in the top 70 %, finished in the 28th percentile. So far so good.
Important Instructions The special Statue Cruises ferry to Liberty Island departs from Battery Park, Gangway 5; check-in time is approximately 6:15 AM the morning of the race. Only approved swimmers and their guests will be allowed on the ferry. Please allow ample time to arrive at race check-in/start - if you miss this ferry, you will miss the race. Note that disruptions to subway service are possible. Check www.mta.info for service advisories that may affect your trip.
Wonderful. I have to catch a ferry around 6:15 a.m. At that hour, the LIRR is only running once an hour. Gonna be a hard day. Apparently I get myself in these situations. Perhaps even enjoy myself in these situations. I don't think so but then again I am biased so maybe I don't see things clearly.
I think they only want the top 70 percent of the field because it's a tougher swim. Gotta qualify and all that jazz. Never swam around an Island before.
Course Description Swimmers will access the water via a Statue Cruises ferry boat station adjacent the main dock at Liberty Island (the southern dock). Participants will swim counterclockwise around the island, remaining in the security zone at all times. On the northern side of the Island, the "Work" dock must be avoided. As the participants return to the Main dock, they will swim to the pontoon boat to climb out of the water and back onto the Island.
A few things come to mind while reading the course description and looking at the course map. What's the security zone? How is it marked? Did you look at the waves hitting the work dock in the picture? Are we going to be pushed onto the dock? Going to be a fight to make sure we don't get knocked on the dock, yet stay close enough to it because a) I don't want to swim extra and b) I need to stay in the security zone. Also, temperatures....? Wetsuit anyone? If wearing a wetsuit will make me not eligible for an award what do I do? Do I think there is a chance at an award? Probably not but I gotta take the chance, right?!?
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Decisions - Decisions - Decisions. Gotta wait and see. NYC Swim said there will be more information coming as we get closer to race day. Gotta be patient.
If we really have to be there at 6:15, then I have 2 options. I could take the 4:16 AM train which will arrive at 4:50 AM or take the 5:17 AM which will arrive at 5:55 AM. How early do I need to wake up?
| Liberty Island Swim | |
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| Date: | Friday, June 25, 2010 |
| Water Temperature: | Approximately 69 to 70° F. Swimmers in wetsuits/non-traditional swim attire are not eligible for awards. |
| Swimmer and Guest Check-In: | Starts at 6:30 AM and closes promptly at 7:30 AM @ Battery Park, Gangway 5 (near Castle Clinton). Government issue photo ID (drivers license, passport, etc.) is required for all swimmers and guests. |
| Ferry departs for Liberty Island: | 8:00 AM from Battery Park. If you miss this ferry, you will miss the race. |
| Swim Start: | 10:00 AM @ Liberty Island |
| Post-Swim Photo and Awards Ceremony: | 10:55 AM on Liberty Island |
| Ferry Schedule to Manhattan: | Approximate travel time to Manhattan is 35 minutes because the ferry first stops on Ellis Island. The full ferry schedule can be found here. |
So, that's it. If I think I can get an award then no wetsuit. On one hand, for the previous swim, I came in 5th for my age group. On the other hand, these are better swimmers. Still, my competitiveness nature is perhaps peaking out. I got no choice.
Everyone handles stress or worries differently. Let me clear something up: I am NOT an insomniac. I don't need a lot of sleep. When I worry or stress than I end up not sleeping. It's not that I can't...I'm asleep as soon as my head touches the pillow. I just don't go to bed. I procrastinate. I do everything except go to sleep. And suddenly it's a 4 hour night, er I mean 3 hour night, er I mean...Well you get the point. Anyway, I have not been sleeping lately. I'm worried about this one. First I was worried about getting in. Now I am worried about the swim itself. Just like I *haveta* race a 5K and try to get an award, I haveta try to get an award here too and therefore no wetsuit. Problem is that's gonna be rough water. This isn't like ocean swim. Done those. This is different. During a triathlon, my worry is finishing the whole thing or in the case of the IM race, whether I will make the bike cutoff. Here, I am not worried about finishing or completing. I AM SCARED. Got no problem admitting it. Danced around the subject with Lee and Kids but I don't want to get the "well don't do it then" answer. Can't talk to my mother about it either. Give her a healthy ulcer. With her, it's afterward I'll say "I did it". Moot point worrying about it now. Andre/Donald both said to just wear the wetsuit and be done with it. Get the OWS and who cares. Still, I can't.
I think I will bring the wetsuit just in case. Just in case, the water freezes along with hell. Just in case, the water is fill with Jellyfish. Just in case! But I won't use it. What an Idiot!
I'm not a religious person and I see how science butts against religion and God but I do believe in God etc. I believe that I have been very lucky in my life. I don't just mean family etc. I have done stupid things in my life and narrowedly escaped from injury. Almost like someone's watching over me. Well, hopefully someone will be watching on Friday as well.
How's this get so serious and somber? I don't know but I thought of this at 2 or 3 in the morning and had to get it out.
The plan: Take the 5:17 am train which gets in at 5:55 am. I can stop at work if I need to but take a taxi to the check in. Get there early but that's my style. Backup train is the 6:14 which gets in at 6:47. Don't want to take it but it will also work. Jessie is going on her first sleep over the night before. Hopefully she'll be ok. Imagine if I am up the whole night because there's a problem there? After the swim, maybe I'll sight see with Adi and then get to Bellerose.
My mom is away so I will have her car at the train station. No running to the train station. No walk home from the train station. Get in the car and hook up with Jeremy at my In-laws. His first day off school. Haircut for both of us after I shower, then pickup the girlie and hookup with Lee. Nice start to the weekend and to the kids summer.
Never explained who Adi is and what's with that. Adi is my niece and she is a stewardess for ElAl airlines. She is getting in Thursday afteroon. I'm allowed to bring 2 guests and she expressed interest. Since it's on Liberty Island there is a whole security thing to go through...I had to formally invite her. She had to accept the invitation and create a login on nycswim.org. She then had to identify her and give some credentials. They had to review and approve her. I assume that means that they passed her name and info to Homeland Security (DHS). All in all, the review and approval process took 2 days. Doesn't help or maybe it does that she is a foreign citizen. I have to bring government issue ID to get on the ferry. She needs her passport. No papers means no ferry ride to the nice little island which means no swim for me or no spectating for her. All will be OK.
Wednesday night was my last swim. Wasn't gonna do my usual Wednesday long swim (4000+), instead was just going to do Andre's 2,100. Ended up with close to 3,000 in total. Went home and should have gone to sleep early. As usual, should have. Didn't. Looking like another 3 hour sleep. I go up, head on the pillow, fall right asleep when Jessie calls. Nightmare. Brought her to our bed. Went right back to sleep. Wake up an hour later, no J2. Apparently, she told Lee she needs to go to the bathroom. Lee took her and then back to her bed.
Thursday is kids last day of school. They got out at 12:30. My in-laws picked them up and took J1 to a school_over_pool_party at a friends mansion. Good for him to see how the other 10 % live. Lee got out of work and went to her in-laws to pick up J2 and take her to her first sleep over party and from there to pick up J1 from his pool party. During all this a little Micro burst, really tornado, came down in Port Washington and dug up Great Neck, Douglaston, Douglaston Manor and such. Kids got out of the pool - Thank God the parents have some sense.
It was weird having dinner with 1 missing from the family but made through it. Also made sure to take cell phones up to the bedroom just in case. We usually leave them in the Kitchen. Went to sleep by 9:30ish and as usual for the weekend: 2am wake up.
Woke up with diarrhea. I don't know if it was nerves or something I ate but it doesn't really matter, does it? Took Imodium and kept going. Ended up taking 2 which I never do. Packed up the YMCA bag. Kept thinking something was missing. Only a swim and no wetsuit. Seemed like something was missing. Drove the dog nuts, I think because I had to go up twice which I never do. Had to get Quarters anddon't remember what else I forgot. Walked the dog and got in my mother's car. No running with a heavy bag to the train today - Yay! The radio is blasting the Black Eyes peas "Tonight's gonna be a good good night". Love it.
Park, fed the meters and went to the platform. Some drunkard or tired or slow construction worker was trying to find out how to get from Bellerose to Great Neck. Bellerose to Jamaice, switch to Penn train with me, get of at Woodhaven and head East to Great Neck. I don't even know if there were any trains running to Great Neck at that point. Not my prob. Had to tell the guy instructions over and over and over...Kept thanking me and shaking my hand and fist bumping. Whatever!
Seat to Jamaica. Switch at Jamaica and much busier train but still seat. Took a powernap. Got to Penn and went to meet Adi at 7th and 32nd street. Adi was there and she wanted us to hurry. Told her we have a change in plans and we're going to my work place first (1/2 block walk). Clean indoor plumbing. She said why not get to the race first and then use bathroom. I told her going to my workplace won't prevent me from ALSO using the bathroom there. Glad I did...No need to carry all that weight.
Taxi ride was smooth and we both checked in in 2 seconds flat. Love getting there early. Now we just had to wait and wait. About an hour's wait. Walked a little and saw the waves/wake coming in - Ugly. But no Jelly fish so far - Yay.
Sitting and talking. LC would havbe gone nuts over there. Tons of squirrels and they had cajones. They came right to you. I moved my foot at one 4 times before he got the message. At one point he is in the bench near me, eating. No worries. Must be nice.
At ome point, we see a guy with huge toes. Really long digits. Adi made a remark about it not being fair that he gets to use fins. She must be related to me...And how come I didn't think of that one...
It didn't hit me about security. I thought we passed already with showing the license and passport etc but nope. Pushed through security. Just like getting in a plane except for the shoes. Didn't have to take those off. On the boat. Adi wanted to go to the lower level because she was afraid of being nauseous. Told her it was the opposite. Had to go up not down. Had a catering gig once and it was on the boat and the Galley was on the bottom. Sucked. Kept going up for air. Same thing here. Got on the boat and she turned green. Climbing up the stairs was interesting. Had to push her up because as the boat rocked, it got ugly.
We sat outside enjoying the view and air. She still wasn't feeling it. Weird that she is a stewardess and that didn't help her. Me, I laid on the floor and rested.
Heard on the boat that everything is getting pushed. Meeting at 8:50 and swim by 9:30 latest. The tides have changed.
Put stuff down near Adi near the tent and went to bathroom again. Got there before everyone else had the same idea. No line and good idea. Killer combination.
Had the meeting and heard the news: A jammer is considered a wetsuit. Anyone wearing a jammer is considered wearing a wetsuit and therefore NOT eligible for awards. All the people wearing jammers tried folding them up but to no avail. Swam with a bathing suit so far up my butt and it didn't matter. Well, if I was close to an age award, I would have raised a lot of noise. As is, didn't matter.
Checked my bag in after Adi put 2 bandaids on my back. Had something I scratched all red and I am NOT jumping in that water with a bleeder. Ran to pee one last time. Told Adi I'll meet her on the line. Got out of bathroom and ran to find her. Couldn't find her on the line. Ran to where she was and I hear 1 volunteer asking another "Any more swimmers?". Oh my God...Ran to the line looking for her. Whistling the whole time. She heard me and looked for me. I don't know how I missed her....Got in line, grabbed water from her to wash goggles and we are walking. As I am about to board the boat, we are jumping off the boat we came in, I hear swimmer 56 - wetsuit. Started arguing and no avail. Caught up again to 55 and my turn to jump in. Water was great. Not that cold. Still the same ol' water tho. Got my bearing, waved to Adi and went to take my place. As we were waiting for everyone to get in, mass start, another ferry came in and all the people on the boat were waving at us and we were waving at them.
Didn't hear the countdown, but heard the bell and saw people start so I did too.
Few side notes:
Waiting to get my chip, I started talking to Mark. His wife has a sign on her back, "help me cheer for Mark the Shark". We start talking. Turns out he is number 55 and therefore jumping in right before me. In the water too, we were in the same area. Later, after I hosed down, I heard him holler at me. Nice to make friends.
Also started talking to this woman. This volunteer was giving out temporary tattoos and she didn't know what they were. I told her what they were and she said her husband was really against tattoos. Perfect I told her....Put one on your butt and tell husband that she got one and that since he's against them, it's on a place where no one will see. Also she made sure the volunteer cleaned up the area well. After laughing out nerves away we were talking about other good places. On her breast, tucked underneath the breast or near her estrogen patch on her butt.
Anyway, we started swimming and the guy to right kept slapping me on my head with his left hand. Enough. Let him go in the wrong direction and found my rhythem.
During the meeting we were told that the current will be with us in the beginning and that we would like that part. Once we turn around the Island, the current will be against us and that we won't like that part. Oh yeah, very little current too. I love how they minimize that part. Also, around the dock we need to avoid there are a lot of rocks/boulders and make sure to avoid it. Nice.
We had to swim between the NYC swim buoys and the markers they had for the ferries to respect. Did my best to swim in the best direction. Inhaled gas fumes from a boat and avoided the rocks and buoy.
At 1 point, I spied a woman doing the backstroke. Couldn't catch up to her. She WAS wearing a wetsuit. Not a jammer. A real wetsuit. Once we cleared the dock, things got fast fast. Decided that wetsuit_backhander will NOT beat me. Chased her and nothing. Then I saw the finish line. Zoomed after her. Sprinted, chased, whatever. CAUGHT HER! Passed her. Finished before her. Adi gave me water to rinse my mouth out with.
In search for shower hose and food. Long line for hose. As I was waiting, I told the girl in front of me that that water is cold. She didn't believe me. She got in and gasped. Told her it was funny that that water was colder than what we swam in. I felt the water hitting the person in front of her and it hit me. That's how I knew. Also, how stupid is it that there is only 1 hose available for everyone? Anyway, rinsed off and in search of food.
Ate, got dressed and got my goodie bag with my new shirt. I wanted to visit the gift shop to get something for the kids but Adi said we should check out the line and schedule for the ferry. Glad I listened to her. Huge line. Got on and rode back to Battery park. Taxi to Penn, train to Bellerose, car to home to go into out car and lunch at in-laws. BBQ Salmon burgers. YUMMY.
