Okay...so I'm finally nervous. I've been trying to get info out of the swim committee ("just click here to ask questions", says the website...but THEY NEVER ANSWER!)

Anyhow...I've gotten two mass emails in the last few days from the swim planners...and this "tip sheet" from a guy who's done the swim around key west 30 times (11 of which were in the past year...he swam around key west once each month leading up to this month...ya'll call me crazy)

So...I read through last night and I start feeling nervous...not because I don't feel like I've trained enough...but because of all the other unknowns. Will Dad and Dave do a good job guiding me around the island? Will there be really bad weather? What if the boat breaks down? What if I get sick or an ear infection?

I laid awake last night thinking about all the things that could go wrong...and all the crap I still need to get done before we leave next Thursday...

Anyhow...here's the letter from Bill Welzien...enjoy.

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This year the swim begins at 8:45 AM. This is a late starting time due to the tides and currents. The time and date changes from year to year because of this fact. We try to get the best water conditions to the swimmers advantage. We look for a Saturday toward the latter part of June or early July. I try to find the Saturday when we have the highest tide. We leave 2 hours and fifteen minutes prior to high tide in Key West Harbor. This works quite well for most of the swimmers. Only the super fast or very slow swimmers will have a challenge with changing tides. It is imperative that we begin on time as I have learned that the tide waits for no man. You should be out to the west end of Smathers Beach at least an hour before we start. That will give you time to load your kayak or boat and get your sunscreen on. It is best not to be rushed. If you are not ready we will not wait for you. We leave at 8:45AM with or without you

Because of the late start time, we will be in the water through the heat of the day. The average swimmer will cover the 12.5 distance somewhere between 5 and 7 hours. That means at 5 hours it will be 1:45PM and at 7 hours it will be 3:45PM. Any elites will finish before that but most of us mere mortal will be in the water between 2:15 and 4:15PM.

What that means is that you must protect your skin from the harsh rays of the sun. I have tried many sunblocks. Since I plan to swim the whole distance that means I would apply the sunblock before we leave the beach. At that time of day it is not critical. From noon onwards it is critical. Most sunblock will be washed away before you need it since you applied it at 8:00AM. It is not practical to apply it while you are in the water. Anyway, even if it was possible who wants to waste time fooling around with sunblock when you are supposed to be swimming. What you need is a sunblock that you can apply preswim that will stay on all the time. My block of choice is zinc oxide. Last year I learned that I could ask the pharmacist to order me a 1 pound jar. I picked it up a day or so later. This is a big savings over purchasing a bunch of tubes. I think it was less than $10.00 for the jar. I still have plenty left for my training swims and for the swim this year. I look pretty funny all white but you can't beat the protection. Also don’t forget your bottom lip. I swam almost 11.5 hours in Tampa Bay in April. I covered my body with zinc but forgot my bottom lip. I had a very sore blister for a good week after. Use the zinc or a good lip protectant for your bottom lip.

One special note before leaving the subject of skin protection: Check the ingredients of your zinc. Some of it is formulated with fish oil. I couldn't stand the smell so I returned it for zinc with mineral oil. Be careful of the lenses of your goggles after applying your skin protection, you don't want them smeared up with grease. When you finish you will need to have some cooking oil on hand and a paper towel, wet the paper towel with the oil and wipe your skin, and that will dissolve the remaining zinc oxide

While we are on the subject of the heat; the water is generally about 86 degrees in late June. You will be swimming and sweating as you do with all exercise. You must stay hydrated if you hope to complete the swim. Some swimmers drink every 20 minutes. You need water. Some swimmers opt for a sport drink of some type. That is personal preference but you must keep hydrated. Doing 5-7 hours of continuous exercise will probably make you hungry. I generally don't eat much. Consider gel packs. I will also have a Cliff bar or two cut up in pieces. Put each piece in a separate baggy. Remember you are swimming in salt water. If you have several pieces in one bag and it all gets wet, you will not want to eat any of it. Make sure whatever you will consume is well sealed. Whatever you plan on consuming, you should experiment with the product before the swim. We want to avoid any surprises on the big swim day!! Work with your support boat personnel as to what you will likely call for so they have some idea what to expect. You might want to tie a thin rope around your drink bottle so if you drop it, it won’t float away

Some of you wear swim caps. I only wear one in cold water. If that is your style go ahead but also be aware that it will retain heat on an already warm swim. There is the protection factor to wearing a cap (esp. if you are near bald or balding) and I can understand that you ladies with long hair find it a must to keep you hair out of your face.

Before I begin my island swim I always put a gob of Vaseline jelly or Body Glide under my armpits and on the sides of my neck. I never notice any chafing in this area of my body when I swim in fresh water but I often have during my 5 .5- 6 hours of salt-water swimming.

The support boat must have a dive flag in tow. The support boat is extremely important to your success. Your support boat will provide you with protection from jet skis and unaware motor boaters. Don't let your support boat get too far away from you. This is not only for protection but also when you need food or drink. If the boat is far away you have to swim to it or the boat has to come back to you. There are three areas that your support boat must be especially vigilant. The first is going through Key West Harbor between mile 2.5 and 4. It is a fast portion but there is a lot of boat traffic there-sometimes even big cruise ships. The next is Fleming Cut. This is one of the most exciting portions of the swim. It is a narrow cut and it is the fastest portion of the swim. You will fly through this area. There are also generally a lot of motorboats, so heads up. When you come out of the Fleming Cut you swim under a bridge, this is mile 5. The final area of especial vigilance is the Cow Key Channel. There is a lot of motor boat traffic here as well. When you swim under the Cow Key Channel you will be at mile 9. It is strongly recommended that you stay on the Channel as you swim through Cow Key. If you attempt to take a short cut you may come up short. The short cut may cut your swim short. The deepest water is along the channel markers. If you end up in water too shallow to swim in and you get up or crawl (and I don’t mean crawl stroke) along the bottom your swim is over, finished, caput, no more!! This is tragic as you have already swum almost 10 miles. Don’t chance it. Stay with the channel markers!

The first five miles of the swim is the deepest water. Beyond that you can see the bottom the rest of the way. Actually the only time you can't see the bottom is through the Key West Harbor until you exit the Fleming Cut. On a calm day you can see some of the most breathtaking sea life you will ever witness. I found this is seen from the start until you enter the Key West Harbor. I have seen Conch shells, manna rays and sting rays, once a sea turtle, schools of huge tarpons, nurse sharks (very docile) colorful tropical fish (as you round Fort Zachary Taylor). I have never been threatened by any thing in the water. Jet skis and motorboats scare me more than anything under the water. The only time I have ever encountered Men of War is in December and January.

Some times you will hit a pile of seaweed floating on the top. Some of it has organisms that sting. Generally the sting only last some minutes before it fades. Naturally, I avoid any of this stuff if at all possible. Much of the water we will be swimming in is very shallow. Here, I also avoid touching the weeds growing on the bottom, if I can. Some of it has organisms that can sting pretty badly. None of it is life threatening and should not threaten your completion of your swim.

Another tip is: don't swim out too far. If you swim out too far you have to swim back in, which increases your distance and hence your over all time. Look for water deep enough to swim comfortably in and as close to shore as possible. This can be a challenge especially from mile 10 to the finish. The Atlantic side is pretty shallow. Remember if you stand up you will be disqualified. Also, the only time you can hold onto your support boat is if you are on a relay team; once you have completed your full leg of the race then, and then only may you touch your boat to exit the water.

Also, don't forget the mandatory pre-swim session at 6:00PM on Friday, June 15th at the Double Tree Resort. Check in will start at 4:30. Call Bill Welzien at 305-394-5292 if you need any directions. Hopefully, the meeting will not last longer than one hour. You will receive your T-Shirts and other "goodies" at the check in. Try to get checked in early so everyone is ready for the meeting at 6:00PM.
At the Pre race Meeting I will go over the course map and the rules. I will try not to keep you for more than 75 minutes so you can ready yourself for the next morning. You will be able to ask any questions during that meeting. This meeting is mandatory for all swimmers and all support boat personnel.

We are chip timed this year. All swimmers will start in the water. Only the solo swimmers and the last leg swimmers of the relay teams will have chips in their ankles. You will find ten poles parallel to Smathers Beach as you approach the finish line. You must swim to the final (10th pole) and then make a hard right to the beach. Swim to the beach and then get up and run or walk across the finish line. Once you cross the line your time will be recorded. All solo swimmers who complete the course will receive a finisher medal after they cross the line.

Bill Welzien
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My favorite part of the letter??? The very last line!
Just keep swimming!!