Getting Dumped Into The Cold Up North From Down Under
Chris Palfrey followed his wife, Penny Palfrey, into the Pacific Ocean last week in a Catalina Channel attempt. After training in Australia in one of the warmest winters on record, the Palfreys took to the Catalina Channel in the coldest ocean temperatures in recent and distant memories. Cold, rough, warm, calm, they accept what Mother Nature offers them.
Renowned Catalina Channel escort pilot John Pittman who was out on the water when his father escorted Lynne Cox back in the early 1970s said he has never seen a summer like this.
Chris, who earlier set the Molokai Channel record in 12:53 this year, made all the right moves. “We checked the water at Point Vicente for the currents, said waterman Forrest Nelson. “We discovered the currents were pretty nil, so went for a Palos Verdes start in 54°F (12°C) and aimed throughout the night for warmer water. Unfortunately, he cramped at the 90-minute mark. He chose a difficult week in a challenging summer. Chris and Penny never got to train in open water any colder than 75°F (24°C), so getting dumped into 12°C had to hurt.”
Copyright © 2010 by World Open Water Swimming Association
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.
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