This one goes out to all the English Channel Swimmers out there. My father swam a relay of the channel this past summer and plans to do a solo crossing this summer. He said the most surreal part of the experience was to swim straight out away from the land without ever turning back towards land (as opposed to swimming along the shoreline as you do in most open water swims). Even though he is one of the most experienced and well known open water swimmers in the world he said he was actually a bit freaked out by swimming so far from land (and he NEVER gets freaked out when swimming!)
So...this song made me think of that sentiment.
I just recently heard of this band, Frightened Rabbit, literally just yesterday when checking out Rainn Wilson's blog (who plays Dwight Shrute on the one tv show that I watch and love, The Office). Rainn calls Frightened Rabbit him and John Krasinski's favorite band.
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It wasn't just not turning back toward land. I was, after all swimming TOWARD land, but it was France, 22 miles away and wouldn't be visible until we were within a mile or so, since we would reach Cap Gris Nez at around 10pm, in inky dark.
Rather it was the idea of swimming for hours without ever SEEING land. I swam around Manhattan in 2002 and 2006, but the island and millions of people were always in view each time I breathed to the left.
As I started swimming away from the beach (Samphire Hoe) I could "hear" the hind part of my brain saying with increasing urgency "Are you out of your mind? Where do you think you're going?" It took 30 minutes or so to convince myself I wasn't insane - even with a 54' pilot boat alongside.
Hi Fiona!
Saw your blog on Terry's FB :)
Will catchup with you here - very cool.
Thanks for the song!
Great song! I have definitely had that feeling of wondering what on earthhas possessed me to jump off a boat, often in the middle of the night, to strike out towards something that I can't see. Every swim is in its own right an act of faith.
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