Thank you so much for supporting my attempt to cross the Channel and for your donations to support families affected by Alzheimer’s.  

After 9 brutal hours battling a headwind just to make it halfway to France—twice as long as that distance should have taken me—coupled with a forecast calling for deteriorating conditions and a spring tide threatening to sweep us away from our landing point in France, I decided to accept my captain’s advice to throw in the towel (or, more appropriately, to put the towel back on) and give it a go another day.  

I also heartily endorse this captain’s parting wisdom:  “The Channel is a bastard.”  

It sure is. 

Sincere thanks to my dad, mom, and wife, and everyone else on the boat, for watching over me.  They struggled just as much as I did.  

And thank you all.  You helped me raise thousands of dollars for families struggling with the debilitating effects of dementia-related diseases, so although I’m going home without the Triple Crown, I still consider this a win. 🏆

P.S. The donation link is still open, so it's not too late to contribute.

***

I'm attempting to swim the English Channel on Saturday, September 6, starting around 8 AM London time (3 AM ET).

If I'm successful, I'll complete the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming.

I'm raising funds for an organization in New York City called CaringKind that provides a support network to families affected by Alzheimer's and dementia.  These diseases are, unfortunately, personal to my family and me, so if you're in a position to donate, please consider doing so at the link below. 

You'll also find on this page a tracker to follow me while I swim.

Thanks for your support.

-Nikko

For more than 40 years, CaringKind has supported individuals and families affected by dementia, and also offers a helpline at (646) 744-2900 staffed by dementia specialists.