So I’ve been working on developing the Lake Ontario Crossing Organization, or LOCO. Which, in case you aren’t up to speed or read the tab above, is the boating and swimming organization I’ve created to help facilitate Lake O Crossings (like the one that LOST’s own Melanie Price is doing this summer!).
The historical problem in swimming across Lake O has been that it is harder to find boats to act as escorts than it is to swim across! And whenever someone does finally track down a boat for their swim, then next swimmer has to start from scratch, essentially reinventing the wheel.
The other problem is that currently Solo Swims Ontario requires 4 boats to escort a single swimmer… however, I did some research and spoke with swimmers and boating escorts from around the world and it showed that this is not the international norm and that having 4 boats out there doesn’t make it 4 times as safe, it only quadruples the chances of things growing wrong. I have submitted the information to SSO in the hopes they will consider adhering to the safer international norms for marathon swimming… and am still awaiting for a response, but it’s hard to dispute the facts.
Here is the study on marathon swimming norms with regards to boat requirements: International Norms for Escort Boats and Crew
The idea with LOCO is simply that a swimmer that wants to swim across Lake O will now be able to just contact LOCO and request a boat, and LOCO will then go into it’s stable of boats and captains and try to make a match. Pretty simple sounding, but lots of work talking to all the yacht clubs and boat owners… but the good news is that it has been very well recieved by all the yacht clubs and boat owners and even the Halton Police Marine Unit!
One example is the Oakville Yacht Squadron who was good enough to post a story about LOST and LOCO in their member’s newsletter and post it on their website! Have a look… here’s the link to their website too… http://www.oysqn.com/
PS. If you have any boater friends that might have an interest in being an escort on a Lake O Crossing… send them my way!
Cheers,
Rob