Our Previous 99 Days' Chronicles
Day 34 - Holy Sploogs!
The local weather centre recorded a wave height average of 5.8m! That is the height of the eaves of your house!
That could be why it felt a little rough this morning. Actually, the official term is 'Very Rough'.
toobs still did a speedy 0.321nm though! There is no stopping her!
We hope to bring you some footage of toobs swimming in rough seas, but we are usually spending all our time being as safe as possible. So we have booked a cameraman for this weekend. Hopefully we can have some shots of toobs having a hoot!
Day 34 - Choppy Seas
Well, we managed to get out in between the worst of the rain, but the wind was pretty strong and building.
Luckily, by the time we were back on board the support vessel 'Stray', the full gale began to hit.
But, not before we made a visit to the SMS Shoalbuster - a 200 tonne British registered tug on her way to Scotland to pick up a barge and return it to Holland. A great thanks to Skipper Paul, who is originally from Bristol, and the Lithuanian crew:- First Mate Dmitrij and Prince of Darkness Alex. (See their photograph in the Friends of toobs Page)
They are going to stop off in Falmouth until the weather eases to allow them to pass Land's End.
To read all about the SMS Shoalbuster, and to see where they are this minute, follow {THIS LINK}
Day 33 - We lost the Internet!
Sorry to all you followers of toobs and her exploits, but we lost internet for a while. We did NOT sink!
Here is the exciting update for you as we reach 80% there!
We plan to arrive before Christmas, to give everyone a happy dog story to talk about around the Christmas dinner table when things get boring!
And, because you asked for it:- the Swim Statistics now include the wave height and description, so that you get an idea of how big the waves really are.
Day 29 - A VERY Cold Day
Heck! It is chilly out here!
toobs dodges frozen supertankers while surfing the chilly waves and still enjoys every minute!
We are about to leave the busy lane for the safety of the watery hard shoulder soon. Then it's a quick jaunt across to the French coast.
toobs put in an awesome 0.52nm today!
Day 28 - Over 2/3 there!
A beautiful, yet freezing night for a swim, with flat calm seas, stars in the sky and very low temperatures.
I made toobs run around a lot after her swim, to make sure that she was nice and warm again.
Just imagine standing under a freezing cold shower, with the bathroom window open, the light off, and having to wave your arms around for 20 minutes!
That's a toobular evening for you!
Day 26 - A record speed?
Well, today we thought toobs had broken all records, but then I realised that I had read the telemetrics incorrectly!
But, toobs DID reach an astounding maximum 3.0 knots in her swim across today! That is like a very fast walking pace! She swam this evening like a torpedo!
She was whimpering with excitement nearly all the way, then as we reached our goal of 0.5nm, she began barking as well! toobs has never barked while swimming before, so we know that she was having a great time out there! It certainly showed in the data as she completed the 0.524nm in 15 mins dead - which means she averaged a record-breaking 2.41 mph! The average human swimmer swims at 2 mph.
That was quite a swim, especially when you think that she has swum half way across the Channel, then she set another record like that!
Day 24 - Back Online!
After toobs' day off to celebrate getting half-way to France, we were so far from the coast - we lost our internet! (Or something like that!)
Well, toobs certainly got into her stride after her day off and is now completing over 0.5nm each day.
The first swim in French waters was at night and in flat calm seas. Sadly, it was too dark to film, so you just have to use your imagination.
With waves over 2m today, she had a different task!
Now all the sea traffic is coming from our right as we cross the second side of the TSS (Traffic Separation Scheme).
Day 20 - Half Way There!
She made it!
toobs is now half way to France.
With a pleasant day swim of just over .4nm, she passes into French waters and is ready to cross the southern lane of the TSS.
She is on course to finish just before Christmas!
Tell your friends! Spread the word! Let's make it the best World Record Christmas for pooches!
Day 19 - We reach safety!
Today, toobs managed to complete the crossing of the SW lane of the TSS and into the relative safety of the 'Central Reservation'.
With a bouncy swim, against Gale Force winds and 1/2m waves, she seemed to just enjoy it the more!
Tomorrow will be the last day in English waters, as we pass the half-way point and cross into the French waters of the English Channel, and then have to swim across the manic NE lane of the TSS - The busiest shipping lane in the World!
Day 18 - Roughest Day
Woh! It was choppy! Poor toobs was surfing down the waves, and wheelieing off the crests. I thought that she would get tired very quickly as she splashed around on every wave. I tried to shelter her from the waves with the dinghy, but it helped little.
She stuck to it and ploughed her way through it. She ended up with salt crystals on her nose for the first time ever!
The wind and waves took her well off course, so she had to swim against them to get back on track.
A Herculean effort by the mighty toobs, today; meaning that we have almost reached the 'central reservation' that is the safety zone between the busiest sea lanes in the world.
Day 17 - 40% across!
toobs has made it to 40% of her target across The Channel!
Just a couple of days away from HALF WAY!
Please pass on our challenge to friends so that we can catch up with the sponsorship. Just copy this link below and paste it onto any or all of your media pages and tell everyone of toobs' amazing adventure:-
https://teamtoobs.simdif.com/Progress.html
If you have any children, then get them on the toobular Kids' Page for fun and a great competition that could win your family tea on toobs' yacht!
Day 15/16 - Two lovely Days!
What a pleasant two days! toobs has made many new friends while ashore, and a few below water!
With the underwater footage we have taken over the last few days, we should be uploading our latest cool video shortly.
In the mean time; take a look at our Live News report for ITV!:-
Day 14 - Supertanker!
Woohoo! It is busy out here!
A huge supertanker pootled on by, as we expected, and we have this picture to show you how it looked! You should just be able to make out the black support dinghy and a little dog just to the left of it.
This tanker is the Delvar and is 1/3km long and toobs is 1/3 of her way across The Channel!
- It's gross weight is 160,000 tonnes,
- If it changed its load and carried lots of toobs instead of oil, it would be able to carry 4,918,400 toobs.
- You could fit 3 football pitches on top of it,
- The engine is 36,207 Horse Power or 241 family car engines,
- The total of the 7 cylinders is over 12 million cc,
- The propeller is bigger than a house,
- It uses 97 tonnes of fuel a day (when it is calm!) - That is 2309 car fuel tanks every single day.
toobs managed a great two legs today, taking us beyond 1/3 of the way there and 6 miles from England!
