CREW | RESPONSIBILITIES | PERSONNEL |
Adhere to the Rules for Swim Crew (SSO rulebook) · Attend crew meeting; complete required info and waivers | ||
BOAT DRIVERS | Follow Code of Behavior for Lifeguard Boat Drivers (SSO rules) · Follow navigational directives from Head Navigator · Drive boats and deal with boat issues as they arise during the swim | DAVID LORD (KACHINA); TYLER SHANE (1/4 RELIEF: FIONA LOWDEN, SHARRON HUGHES, COLLEEN SHIELDS, PETRA HANEBERRY, DIANE GRIEVES |
HEAD NAVIGATOR (driver of lead boat) | · Plot and maintain easiest and shortest course for swimmer · Communicate info to other boats as needed during the swim | DAVID LORD |
COACH | · Work with swimmer to train and pre-plan the swim · Supervise swimmer during the event, making appropriate decisions with Swim Master as needed · Assist clean-up of swimmer’s items following the swim | |
EQUIPMENT MANAGER | · Secure items from the required items list in advance of the swim · Ensure required items are in place and used properly · Recover and return all items following the swim | PETER WEBER (will not be on board) |
CREW MENU PLANNER | · Pre-plan crew food for the swim · Purchase required food supplies · Assist clean-up following the swim | FIONA LOWDEN (PCO) |
· Prepare food and drinks for crew according to menu plan · Clean up kitchen facilities following event | FIONA LOWDEN (PCO); SHARRON HUGHES (PCO) DENYSE COWLING | |
MANAGER | · Administer pre-swim activities · Coordinate fundraising · Work on swim plan with Swim Master · Assist with Food prep or other jobs · Assist with boat clean-up following swim · Administer post-swim activities | FIONA LOWDEN (PCO) |
MEDICAL | · Prepare first aid kits and hypothermia supplies · Observe crew and swimmer for symptoms of illness during swim · Provide medical treatment as appropriate · Assist with food prep as needed · Assist with boat clean-up following swim | JOHN STRANG (+) |
NUTRITION SUPERVISOR | · Pre-plan swimmer nutritional input · Pre-plan crew food for the swim · Purchase required food supplies · Administer swimmer nutrition according to pre-plan · Assist clean-up of swimmer’s items following the swim | WILLIAM JOHNSON (PCO,+) |
PACERS | · Swim with swimmer during allowed times, providing pacing and moral support · Perform extra duties as requested including clean- up of boats following the swim | DENYSE COWLING, STACEY VANWART; |
PHOTOGRAPHER | · Capture visual recordings of the swim · Perform extra duties as assigned | ANDREW ULLOCK |
· Perform duties according to Solo Swims Ontario mandate · Direct swim and crew during event · Confer with key event personnel as needed | COLLEEN SHILDS (PCO,+) | |
TRACKER / PUBLICITY | · Track swimmers’ progress · Arrange media contacts · Relay information to media and supporters · Perform extra duties as required | ACCIPITER RADAR (set up the tracking radar) with Peter Weber on land); JENNIFER FISHER (NLS); |
Solo Swims of Ontario Inc. (SSO) suggests/notes the following regarding the crew:
- It is advisable to have a coach or manager who is experienced in long-distance swimming. Ideally, this person will have a swimming and/or coaching background, knowledge of water safety, and experience in open water swimming. He/she should also have a list of personal details about the swimmer for the purpose of testing the swimmer’s mental state during the swim.
- Boat drivers preferably have had previous positive experience with accompanying a swimmer and have accompanied the swimmer during the Trial Swim.
- all boat drivers (including boats less than 4 metres in length, and jet skis) are required to carry a Pleasure Craft Operator Card. Obtaining a Pleasure Craft Operator Card involves passing a written boating test – details of which may be obtained from any Power Squadron or from http://www.boaterexam.com/
- It is strongly recommended that one or more of the swimmer's crew have a lifeguard certificate and is knowledgeable in first aid, CPR, and hypothermia
- A marathon swim is an arduous undertaking, not only for the swimmer but also for the crew.
- In the past a swim has been cancelled, just a few days before the scheduled swim, due to a heart attack suffered by the captain of the lead boat.
- Swims are better organized and run more smoothly if every person on the swim is given a job identified in advance.
- Space on the lifeguard boats is limited and must accommodate support crew, safety equipment, carry-on bags, and food. No more than three people are allowed on a lifeguard boat at any one time. Remember, in an emergency, you may also have to accommodate an exhausted swimmer in the boat.
- To keep the number of crew manageable, crew can double-up on duties such as pacing, life-guarding, and lifeguard boat driving.
- Do not choose crew who are prone to sea-sickness. Nevertheless, ensure there are sufficient remedies to combat the possibility of sea-sickness occurring.
My crew:
Coach - Dave Judd - Dave coaches age groupers at the Oakville Aquatic Club and has been coaching 'Masters' with Burlington Masters Swim Club (BMSC) since 1996. He has been coaching me since 2004. He has a B.Sc. Psychology & Chemistry, Certified Personal Weight Trainer, Certified Performance Enhancement Consultant, NCCP Level III, CPR, First Aid, NLS. - Manager - Fiona Lowden - Fiona is a great friend and team mate at BMSC. Her organizational and social skills were a definite asset! Fiona put in many hours behind the scene to ensure things went smoothly! She also paced with me, prepared food for the crew and was able to provide boat driving relief if required.
- Nutrition supervisor - William Johnson - Bill is my husband and big all around supporter, also putting in many hours before hand to help me train. He cooks for me at home so why not out on the Lake too. He also drove the small zodiac and jumped in and paced me too!
- Pacers - Denyse Cowling, Petra Haneberry and Stacey VanWart are all great friends with BMSC (and are being converted to LOST team mates too). We have fun in and out of the pool and now in open water (lots of it)!
- Food Prep - Sharron Hughes - Sharron is a friend from work and is able to supervise the boating exam, if you are interested in getting the pleasure craft operating card too!
- Photographer - Andrew Ullock - Andrew is also a friend from BMSC and LOST, is often taking photographs at events and jumped in and paced too!
- Lifeguards - Jennifer Fisher, I know from BMSC, she recently decided to get her NLS, great work Jennifer! Maisey Kent is Rob (LOST founder)'s daughter. I see a great open water future for her. She participated in the 5k open water event at Age Group Nationals (a qualifying meet). Having been a part of her dad's English Channel experience, she was the youngest crew member but a definite asset. She got in and paced with me too (experience for her crossing one day?)
- Boat drivers - David Lord started sailing as a teenager and is now an active racer at Bronte Harbour Yacht Club. In the last few years he has volunteered with the clubs VIP program where they take visually impaired people out sailing and racing. He was assisted by Diane Grieves. I'm very excited and thankful to have David and Diane onboard. Tyler Share is a friend from BMSC. He has a 25' Bayliner name "Quarter Life Crisis" lol. He's the only quarter lifer I know with a boat. (I got myself new boots when I turned 30) Grimsby Auxillary Marine Rescue Unit supplied 3 boat drivers to man their boat, having a experienced rescue unit involved was reassuring!
- Peter Weber (Count) is a friend from BMSC and my bucket friend. He approached Accipiter Radar about colloborating for tracking the swim crossing. Peter helped with the tracking on land.
- Colleen Shields is the SSO official assigned to me. I first met Colleen at Nationals this year, where we talked briefly. Since, she has joined LOST and been out a fair bit which has been a great opportunity for Bill and I to chat with her. She is very down to earth and helpful. She crossed the Lake in 1990 when she was 38 (the same age as I am now), which at the time gave her the title of oldest woman to cross the Lake! She has a long list of swimming achievements from sprinting including Olympic trials in 1976 to marathon swims including the 1st person to cross from Tobermory to Manatoulin Island in Lake Huron where locals dubbed her Queen of the Chichimaun. Thanks Colleen! and Good Luck next year, when Colleen plans to attempt another Lake Ontario crossing to regain the oldest woman title in honour of her 60th year! Amazing!!
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