Heidi on Vashon

There’s nothing better than finally taking the trip you’ve been waiting for all year long. Tickets were purchased months ago, our excursion The Big Blue Swim had the Santorini (Greece) hotel, swim routes and other goodies sorted out and the rest was for David, me and our 12 mostly-Seattle swim friends to get there. David and I went by way of a nonstop red eye on BA from Seattle to London Heathrow. We had an overnight stopover at Hilton T4 London Heathrow. The stopover has the double benefit of allowing us to go explore the city and allows one lag day to adjust to the time change…a little, anyway. We dumped our bags, hopped the Paddington express train into town and met my friend Melanie at Victoria Pub. Mel, who lives in Norwich UK, came to Catalina in August for her victorious triple-crown swim that I helped crew. What a wonderful short visit: Guinness toasts, a lovely dinner in an historic pub and upstairs restaurant called Fuller’s, and a little night stroll where she showe

This year I've stuck to my work-travel-swim pattern and it's been fantastic. Hard work has afforded some really fun trips (will I make it to MVP on AK Air this year? Looks likely!). Kate and I headed to Dover, Kent (UK) to attend the English Channel CSPF class of 2018 banquet, where we made new swim friends and dipped into the winter waters of the famous Dover Harbor at swimmers' beach. That's just the start! Dover, UK - March - CSPF dinner/hangover swim  Lake Berryessa, CA - June USMS Middle Distance Open Water Nationals with my very spontaneous Seattle friend Melissa, who did well in her swim! Blake Island circumnavigation swim - June 26 - so fun! Mary Robinson, Amy Bogaard, Lise Ellner, Martha Johnson, Sarah Schieron, Rebecca Lanphear and me. Thanks to Chuck, Dana and David for crewing! Coronado, CA - 4th of July Roughwater Regional USMS/PNA competitions: Whidbey Adventure Swim- Langley, Fat Salmon at Lk WA, Swim Defiance across Dalco, Aly Fell