Richard Bain is working SO hard on L2LvP !!

Richard deserves a great deal of thanks as he is working SO hard behind the scenes on the organisation for our event.  He's not only put together the Crisis Management Document in conjunction with the MCA and WoodVale Challenge Ltd, (the company that organises the Ocean Rowing Races) http://woodvale-challenge.com but has also been working tirelessly to come up with variations on our logo's and advertising documents.

What do you think of this then?  Let me know your thoughts.  It is our intent to put this on our merchandising - such as polo shirts, caps, sweatshirts, fleeces and advertisements.

We have been bashing documents back and forward between us at the rate of ninety to the dozen all week!  All this and he's holding down an important job outside of L2LvP too.

The latest thing we have to overcome is the fact that the authorities in England and France have produced some interesting reading regarding crossing the Channel at the Dover Straights.  If you are interested, go to this link. 

http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga-hmcg_rescue/channel_navigation_information_service__cnis_/dops_-_all-sar_cnis_unorthodox_crossings.htm

There is an interesting viewpoint in there from Mike Oram at Dover Sea School too.  For those that don't know, Mike is considered THE leading authority on accompanying cross Channel swims, rows and other crossings and worked tirelessly with Jock Wishart (formerly the organiser for these London to Paris events) to make sure they ran smoothly.

The main issues raised by the French - who want to openly ban any and all crossings of swims, and small vessels of any kind in case there is an accident, is challenged by Mike who likens it to our government banning anything other than 42 ton lorries from using the M25 in case they hit something smaller than them!  A pretty accurate analogy I feel.  There would be uproar!  

The regulations point out in general that providing anyone organising an event has planned and co-operated with the authorities on both sides of the water and can provide suitable action plans that have been carefully thought out and have advised the French in particular, of their intentions in advance, then there should be no problem - providing the escort vessels comply with the relevant regulations and advice for avoiding collisions at sea.

In this day and age, all commercial vessels carry an item of kit that tells everyone around them who they are, what speed and course they are following and what they are doing.  These devices talk to each other too in one way or another and allow crews to take avoiding actions wherever they can.  As the MCA document does point out though, the large container and commercial vessels using the Channel can take a LONG time to avoid, slow down or stop in cases of conflicting manoeuvres with smaller craft.  

All of our Safety and Support vessels carry these warning devices and are capable of towing our rowing boats out of harms way in case of dire emergency - other than that, the gigs are made for pulling at sea at speeds that have beaten lifeboats to the scenes of some serious shipwrecks in the past.  That's why we have gone for them in the first place.  They are designed for the job in hand - unlike the formerly utilised Thames Waterman's Cutters.


I'm off to the gym now - if I can battle through the snow, to get some of my own training in for the Atlantic record attempt that is rapidly drawing closer!!