Penny Palfrey: Cuba to Florida

evmoevmo SydneyAdmin
edited May 2012 in Cheering Section
Penny Palfrey ( @PennyPalfrey ) is without a doubt one of the greatest marathon swimmers the world has ever seen. It's inspiring to live and swim in the times of such an ambitious athlete - and we're proud to count her as a fellow member of this forum. It's only fitting that she have her own "cheering" thread as she prepares for her upcoming swim. Most of us won't be as lucky as @firebah to see it in person, but please know, Penny, the rest of us will be sitting by our computer monitors, watching and willing that dot across the screen. We'll be with you for as long as it takes!

(Following three comments split from the rash guard discussion).

Comments

  • smithsmith Huntsville, AlabamaSenior Member
    Ok guys and girls, nice chatting with you all, I have a big swim ahead of me with lot of organising to do. It’s in tropical waters so I will be wearing a stinger protective suit for part of the 103 miles, it would be great to know some of you are cheering for me.
    All the best with your upcoming swims, ~P

    What you're attempting to do---Cuba to Florida followed by the North Channel---is the most significant sports story of 2012. We will be cheering for you all the way.

    Keep moving forward.

  • Leonard_JansenLeonard_Jansen Charter Member
    Amen! You go girl!

    -LBJ

    “Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” - Oscar Wilde

  • firebahfirebah Charter Member
    Swim Penny Swim! I will be right there rooting for you every stroke!
  • pennypalfreypennypalfrey Seventeen Seventy, Queensland, AustraliaMem​ber
    Evan, please accept my heartfelt thanks for your kind and generous words. It’s my honour to be a part of the marathon swimmers forum; I truly appreciate your support and that of my fellow swimmers.

    I’ll read and appreciate every comment posted here right up until my swim, then please cheer louder; I will feel you all from the water. ~P
  • SharkoSharko Tomales BayGuest
    Best Wishes...on this new journey of yet another transformation... and "two fins up" to you Penny

    El Sharko

    "I never met a shark I didn't like"

  • heartheart San Francisco, CACharter Member
    Yay, Penny! Lots of beams for success, fun, and safety.
  • ForeverSwimForeverSwim Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaCharter Member
    What you're attempting to do---Cuba to Florida followed by the North Channel---is the most significant sports story of 2012. We will be cheering for you all the way.

    I'm saying this might be one of the most impressive back-to-back feats in the history of sporting! GO PENNY GO!!

    www.darren-miller.com
    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania U.S.A.

  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member
    Incredible! Good luck Penny! Cheers from Moscow.

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • Leonard_JansenLeonard_Jansen Charter Member
    evmo wrote:
    Penny Palfrey ( @PennyPalfrey ) is without a doubt one of the greatest marathon swimmers the world has ever seen. It's inspiring to live and swim in the times of such an ambitious athlete - and we're proud to count her as a fellow member of this forum.

    That has to be one of the more amazing aspects of the Internet and sports like ours - you can actually converse with people like Penny and moreover, she actually knows that YOU support her. How many Hall of Fame baseball or football players could that be said of?

    Penny - The jellyfish can't stop you - you're from Australia, where nearly everything is poisonous. Your parents probably gave you Brown Snakes as pets when you were a kid, so what are a few jellyfish stings? And remember, if things get a bit dicey, you can use the mantra I use to comfort myself when things go bad: "This would only be worse in New Jersey."
    You go, girl!

    -LBJ

    “Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” - Oscar Wilde

  • heartheart San Francisco, CACharter Member
    Penny, you're so brave and badass that I'm sure the jellyfish are more afraid than you. And if they're not, they should be! :)
  • Go Penny go!
  • WalterWalter Southern CaliforniaMember
    edited June 2012
    You are an inspiration, Penny! Your recent training swims would be lifetime achievements for most ow swimmers.

    Good luck this week - you'll have earned all the ice cream in Florida by the time you arrive!

    I'm not very popular around here; but I've heard that I'm huge in Edinburgh!

  • CoachVCoachV Member
    Penny best of luck on this latest swim endeavor. You're gonna smoke those waters and box jellyfish won't know what hit 'em! Wishing a fun, safe and successful swim! (*)
  • Leonard_JansenLeonard_Jansen Charter Member
    edited June 2012
    Penny - Arthur Conan-Doyle was thinking of you when he wrote:

    "To Sherlock Holmes she is always The Woman. I have seldom heard him mention her under any other name. In his eyes she eclipses and predominates the whole of her sex...."

    You go, girl!

    -LBJ

    “Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” - Oscar Wilde

  • pennypalfreypennypalfrey Seventeen Seventy, Queensland, AustraliaMem​ber
    Thank you! Final training is underway in the Cayman Islands and I’m looking forward to my swim a little later this month of June!
  • evmoevmo SydneyAdmin
    SPOT tracker (not currently live, but should be by Friday morning Eastern time):

    http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0cAjquq6FOarjFHTO97xpp2abd0R729uN
  • slowmoslowmo Member
    The tracker is up and going just like Penny...good luck I'm sure if anyone can do this it will be you.
  • loneswimmerloneswimmer IrelandCharter Member
    Penny's Facebook updates for those of you who use it, updates are public for of us who aren't signed up!

    Her Twitter also.

    loneswimmer.com

  • jcmalickjcmalick Wilmington, DEMember
    Go Penny! Just can't imagine Nyad's reaction when you accomplish this swim!!!
  • Leonard_JansenLeonard_Jansen Charter Member
    C'mon Penny!

    “Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” - Oscar Wilde

  • heartheart San Francisco, CACharter Member
    My goodness! This is so impressive! Go Penny!
  • KNicholasKNicholas ArizonaCharter Member
    Woke up to check the update on Penny's progress. Looks strong to me and I think she'll do it.
  • timsroottimsroot Spring, TXCharter Member
    Looks like she's what, halfway or so? Her course looks like she's being affected by the currents a lot less than Nyad was last year on her two attempts.

    Go Penny!
  • Leonard_JansenLeonard_Jansen Charter Member
    According to her facebook site she had covered 80k as of about 3 hours ago, so yes, she's 1/2 way or so and looking good.

    Keep it up, Penny!!!!!!

    -LBJ

    “Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” - Oscar Wilde

  • heartheart San Francisco, CACharter Member
    The spot tracker seems to be off. Those of you who have inside info, please share it with us when you can...
  • evmoevmo SydneyAdmin
    edited June 2012
    Latest update from Penny's Facebook, Saturday 3pm Eastern (32 hours elapsed time):

    Penny is swimming steady and strong.
    Penny has swum over 60 nautical miles which equals approxitemly 69.05 miles or 111 K, this means that she has broken her own world record of the longest solo unassisted ocean swim which was 59.64 nautical miles.
    Her mental and physical state are reported as strong. She reports no physical complaints, crew reported "She is still the boss in the water. She is all business"
    About 1 hour ago she reported to her crew that she briefly saw hammerhead sharks below her that quickly vanished. There have been pods of dolphins close to the escort boat and Penny throughout the afternoon. Crew reported seeing pilot whales in the distance.
    (It sounds like a great day to me)
    Reapplication of sunscreen and grease were reported as the sun is extremely hot. Ocean conditions continue to be excellent and in her favor.
  • Wow, this is impressive. It's amazing to think I will being waking up and checking in on this swim two mornings in a row. Go Penney, Go!
  • evmoevmo SydneyAdmin
    10:30pm Saturday, EDT. After 39.5 hours of swimming:

    The latest update from the escort boat is:
    Penny has swum 75.26 NM equal approxinatly to 86.61 miles or 139.23km. Penny continues to swim strong and is moving towards the Florida Keys at a good steady pace.
    The estimated time of her landing, at this point, is between 2pm-6pm EST on Sunday, her exact finish location will be better determined after sunrise on Sunday. "Her mouth hurts but other then that she is great" reported the Captain. Her crew continues to support her and cheer her on.


    Truly incredible stuff. History in the making.
  • heartheart San Francisco, CACharter Member
    This is like a great thriller. How exciting! Unbelievable!
  • loneswimmerloneswimmer IrelandCharter Member
    Unfortunately Penny was pulled shortly after. The tracker showed a dramatic change in direction to due east that was going to push her more away from land.

    Penny Palfrey had to be pulled out of the water , after swimming for more then 40 hours, at approximately midnight tonight due to a strong southeast current that made it impossible for her to continue her swim. Penny is presently on her escort boat being taken care off by her crew.

    All our thoughts and best wishes are with Penny and Chris and crew this morning.

    loneswimmer.com

  • jcmalickjcmalick Wilmington, DEMember
    Amazing how I go to check my mail at yahoo and her story was first! Way to go Penny and we have no doubt that you gave this your all! Congratulations!
  • heartheart San Francisco, CACharter Member
    Penny, congratulations on an incredible swim. I can't even imagine swimming for more than 40 hours. It is such an incredible achievement! Take good care of yourself and rest up. It's not about the goal, it's about the journey.
  • WaterGirlWaterGirl Scottsdale, AZCharter Member
    Amazing accomplishment, Penny!

    Can anyone explain the currents at work in that area? Is that southeasterly current a tide, or something else?
  • jcmalickjcmalick Wilmington, DEMember
    Perhaps a study from the following piece, "The Collected works of Sir Humpry Davy" from the early part of the 20th Century reasons to explain the current. Here's an excerpt that could explain the Yucatan Current coming into play:

    "According to the maps of Lieutenant Soley, one part of the Gulf Stream upon emerging from the Yucatan Channel turns westward and passes around or across the Campeche Bank-across if north winds prevail. From near Tampico, at the head of the Gulf, the main stream goes northeasterly to a point not far from the Mississippi Delta. An important northwestern branch goes from Yucatan Channel to join the branch just described near the Mississippi Delta. From this locality a stream flows southeasterly to the western end of Florida Strait."
  • Leonard_JansenLeonard_Jansen Charter Member
    Penny - Way to go! You are truly the toughest of the tough.

    -LBJ

    “Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” - Oscar Wilde

  • evmoevmo SydneyAdmin
    So JC, I have to ask: How on earth did you find that? :)
  • jcmalickjcmalick Wilmington, DEMember
    I have all these things in my Open Water Library, but of course!
  • smithsmith Huntsville, AlabamaSenior Member
    Mother Nature has been especially unkind in Japan, Mexico, and not far from the Florida Keys in the last month. Let's hope she takes a break for the rest of the summer.

    Keep moving forward.

  • Penny Palfrey's attemp truely is an evidence of amazing endurance and strenght. Regarding the cause of her pullout, interesting visualizations of ocean currents can be seen in the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Lab netsite.

    http://www.gfdl.noaa.gov/flash-video?vid=gulf_stream_current&title=Gulf Stream Current
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