close enough to see it through binoculars, just isn't close enough!

So my friend Madhu, accomplished marathon swimmer and Lake Ontario crossing aspirant, decided to try his trial swim this afternoon/evening.  The trial swim is a 6 hour/16k OW swim that must be completed in order to get the go ahead to attempt a Lake Ontario Crossing.  Madhu decided to step up the challenge by doing it when the Lake was pretty cold! (55F) and yes he has to do it without a wetsuit.

Bill and I offered to help support his attempt by taking turns kayaking beside him.  Bill finishes work earlier than me and was able to be there for Madhu's start at 3pm.  I would get there after I was done work around 6 and the plan was to switch with Bill in the kayak.  Only complication, we don't have a cell phone.  It's hard to meet up with someone somewhere out on the lake without a cell phone!  I stopped in at Madhu's house, close by where they'd be swimming to use their home phone to call the boat to let them know I was close, but his wife and kids weren't home. So then I headed to Coronation Park, and searched far and wide with my binoculars, but couldn't find them,,, hmmm.  I was about to go to another location to try again and I saw the pay phone (they still exist). Got a call into the boat and was told to go to Maple Grove, a fair bit east of where I was, good thing I called because I was going to go the other way to continue searching.

I made my way to Maple Grove and with my binoculars I find them.  They were pretty far off-shore.  I wave my yellow lifejacket around and hope they see me.  I had said in an earlier email amongst the team that I didn't have a cell phone, so I figured they would know I'd be at Maple Grove shortly after my previous call and would plan to come ashore for the switch-up.  But they thought since I phoned that I had a phone and would phone again.  So they never came and I watched Madhu and the team progress along for over an hour.  At one point, I watch the zodiac zip off in the other direction, at 1st I worried if Madhu had been pulled from the water and was being rush back to land, but the kayaks and the sailboat continued in the original direction (I couldn't really see Madhu in the water through the binoculars, but I knew he was still swimming by the way the boats/kayaks were moving)

Then another guy showed up where I was and I asked him if he had a cell phone.  He said yes so I ran up to the car to grab the phone numbers I needed for borrowing this guys phone; and who drives up but Rob Kent, another marathon swimming friend & Lake O aspirant too.  He tells me he had been out swimming with Madhu, and I realize he was why the zodiac zipped off, to take him to shore.  But he also tells me they are going to pull Madhu because of the cold.  Rob told me he had gone "naked" with Madhu for 1/2 an hour that was all he wanted to handle.  He reassured me that Madhu was okay, still coherent, answering questions, and not shivering, but he said that he had said he was cold and that he had the claw (a frozen looking hand position that can happen when in cold water).   Rob called the boat told them he found me and we were told they were going to head back to Bronte Harbour, towing the kayaks.  So I drove off to Bronte, Rob went home.  I was a little sad for Madhu, but really he accomplished alot in this swim (approx 5 hours in my estimate, haven't heard official word yet) and the attempt will benefit him as that's what acclimatizing is all about, each time you can do more and more.  He can try it again (and maybe this time I won't have to watch through binoculars haha)

You may think that's the end of my view (or lack there of) for Madhu's trial swim story, but no, I'm not done with feeling out of touch.  I'm at the sailboat's mooring, waiting, an hour goes by, two... what is happening???  I final decide to go looking for another pay phone (after leaving a little note for Bill on his car, so he doesn't show up and wonder where I've gotten to).  I find another pay phone, call the boat and find out that while they were getting everyone onto the sailboat, a rope got in the motor or something and cut it out, they were tacking back slowly and were waiting for TOWARF to come and tow them back.  Madhu was fine!  Bill said to go ahead home, and now I just wait for him to get home too. :)

What a weird night!

Madhu, my attempt at helping to support you was thwarted by my cellphonelessness, but I was watching your progress through binoculars (slightly further away than I had hoped) And I am very impressed! (I did dip my toe in while I watched you out there, so I can only imagine how you kept your whole body in there for that long!)