FORMENTERA LONG DISTANCE TOUR USEFUL INFORMATION: WHEN WHERE ITINERARY TRAVEL ESSENTIALS FAQS

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1 Tel: +44 (0) FORMENTERA LONG DISTANCE TOUR USEFUL INFORMATION: WHEN WHERE ITINERARY TRAVEL ESSENTIALS FAQS Your SwimQuest Long Distance Tour is almost here. Below are some detailed notes to give you an idea of what to expect, what to bring and hopefully to answer any last minute questions you may have about the trip. WHEN AND WHERE Formentera is just off the south coast of Ibiza in the Mediterranean. It is the smaller and most southerly Pitiusic Island that belongs to the Spanish autonomous community of Balearic Islands. With crystal clear waters and stunning white sand, this is a great location for long distance swimming. John ran the original Channel & Distance training tours back in Since then, he has worked closely with Nick Adams (President of the Channel Swimming and Piloting Federation) and refined these tours to ensure that guests not only return home having completed their mandatory cold water distance qualifiers, but also with a much greater awareness of the preparation and planning required to undertake a successful swim. Alongside the longer swims, the week includes valuable seminars on feeding, pilot boat and support crew selection, as well as swim training and technique sessions. Whether you are a training for a solo or relay English Channel swim, an open water swim event, a triathlon or simply would like to push your swim distances, you will be given help, encouragement and coaching to push your boundaries and learn more about long distance swimming in open water. You will be part of a small group taking part in managed daily swims incrementing up to six hours, this allows solo Channel swimmers to complete their mandatory six- hour swim, and for those training for all other events to see what they are comfortable / capable of. Where: We will meet you at Formentera harbour on your arrival; please let us know what time you will arrive Time: Saturday 7.00pm for the safety briefing and acclimatisation swim Tour ends on Friday: 11.00am Travel to Formentera Flights into Ibiza and then a short taxi ride to Ibiza harbour to get the ferry to Formentera (please budget approx for this taxi journey.) Ferry from Ibiza to Formentera There are a number of ferry companies offering a regular service (approx. every 30 minutes) from Ibiza to Formentera and back. Trasmappi: and Mediterranea Pitiusa: are popular options. Hint when you buy a return ticket, it is worth checking that your return ferry journey allows you sufficient time to get to the airport, as you cannot transfer your ticket to another ferry provider and will have to purchase an additional single fare. 1

2 Tel: +44 (0) Tour Accommodation We will be staying in the Hotel Roca Bella ( just metres from the sea. Based on twin share rooms (single supplement option 100, please let the office know if you require a private room if you haven t already), the setting is unspoilt, idyllic and peaceful. Accommodation is approximately 5-10 minutes walk from the local town, and bike hire is available should you wish to hire a bike for the week. WHAT S INCLUDED? The trip cost includes all accommodation, breakfast, lunch, safety boats, guides, seminars, transfers from Formentera harbour to the villa, transportation to all swim venues during the week, a SwimQuest dry bag, swim hat and VAT. The only costs that are not covered are your travel to and from Formentera, wetsuits, training fins, dinner and any alcohol purchases. If you would like your own private room, a supplement of 100 is required. ITINERARY There are two planned swims per day based on how you progress during the week. Please realise that the below is a very rough guide and that that we will adapt the week carefully for each individual. Swim guides will advise you each day on what is best for you, but in all cases the main objective will be to encourage you to achieve your personal goals. In all cases, the main objective will be to encourage you to achieve more. You re likely to surprise yourself! Saturday Acclimatisation Swim: m We will meet in the late afternoon for the mandatory safety briefing. Topics covered include: swim preparation, swim routes, feeding, prevailing weather, and safety procedures. We will then complete an acclimatisation swim in a shallow bay by the villa. This allows the swim guides to assess your stroke and start preparing an individual plan for you for the week. Following this we will relax and have dinner, with time to discuss the week ahead. (If for any reason guests are unavoidably delayed, the briefing may be deferred to Sunday morning.) Sunday Swim 1 AM: Caynes Beach 1 hour Swim 2 PM: Caynes Beach 1.5 hours After breakfast we will complete the safety briefing (if not completed the night before) followed by the first swim in the bay. During the session the guides will be film you above and below the water. After the session, we will go back to watch the films, offering advice and encouragement on your swim stroke. This will be a continuing theme throughout the week. Regular filming is an invaluable tool, and at the end of the tour you will receive all your films for future reference. The afternoon swim will be a slightly longer swim in the bay, allowing you to think about the stroke session. 2

3 Tel: +44 (0) Monday Swim 1 AM: Canyes beach Platja de sa Roquetta (1.5 hours) Swim 2 PM: Canyes beach Punta Prima (2 hours) After breakfast, we will start from Caynes beach and make our way north up to Platja de sa Roquetta and beyond. After sufficient rest and lunch, we will then start from the villa and swim south to Punta Prima. In the evening we will host a seminar on mental preparation for a Long Distance swim over drinks and nibbles. Tuesday Swim 1 AM: Platja de sas Canyes - Racco de ses Ampolles (3-4 hours) Swim 2 PM: REST Today we will run one long swim, which will enable you to experience an extended time in the water and out feed regimes into practise. The afternoon offers a chance to relax prior to a long swim the following day. If required we will arrange for a masseur to visit the villa / hotel to work on any tight muscles for each swimmer prior to the long swim for a small additional charge. We will also continue with the informal seminars on topics such as swim preparation (logistics), training schedules, feeding programmes and support crews. Wednesday Swim 1 AM: Platja de sas Canyes - Racco de ses Ampolles (up to 6 hours) An early breakfast, after which we will start the long swim from the beach heading north along the coastline to Racco de ses Ampolles. We will all start together. The experience you have gained during the week will give you the best opportunity to see what you can achieve! For the solo Channel swimmers in training, it will be the mandatory six- hour qualifying swim, and for all other guests we will have agreed a time to work to as your longest swim. All of you will be supported all the way by the guides with appropriate feeds and words of encouragement. Thursday Swim 1 AM: 6 hour swim as per Tuesday (weather dependent) or relax with short recovery swims up to 1 hour Today will be a relaxing day of recovery after the long swim on Wednesday. If the weather dictates, we may use today to complete the long swim if this isn t possible on Wednesday. The rest day will include a late breakfast, followed by massages for those who want them (for a small additional charge). We also use today to chat collectively about the long swim, continue with seminars and advice and share suggested improvements to existing training programmes. Lunch will be arranged somewhere on the island with time to visit the local towns, but the key to the day is to relax and enjoy the beauty of Formentera. Friday Swim AM: Short bay swim 3

4 Tel: +44 (0) As this is the last day, there will be a short pre- breakfast bay swim by the hotel as you will need to pack and prepare for your ferry back to Ibiza. TRAVEL ESSENTIALS What do I pack? - At least two Swimming costumes - Wetsuit (although not allowed for English Channel Solo or Relay Swimmers)* - Head torch - Two Pairs of swim goggles one clear and one tinted - Towel(s) - Small daypack/rucksack to use for your personal equipment/clothing during the day - Sandals/aqua shoes for getting wet - Insect repellent (lemon based non- Deet repellents are good) - Insect bite relief - Fleece or warm jumper, tracksuit trousers/sweat pants - Waterproof - Sun hat, sun cream and glasses - USB stick for your swim stroke video - Waterproof watch - Training fins - Insurance (see below) Wetsuits* Anyone that requires a swim specific wetsuit, can hire or buy the 2XU T2 event wetsuit from Alternatively, a good standard wetsuit that you can hire or buy is the Foor Classic with a handy size chart on the web page; all the details can be found at classic If you do hire a wetsuit, please allow sufficient time for at least 3-4 swims of 1-1.5km to acclimatise to wearing the suit. Feel free to contact the office if you have any queries. Passports and visas To enter Ibiza you will require a full passport valid for a minimum of six months in addition to your arrival time and in some instances a visa. EU citizens do not require a visa but in all cases it is wise to check as requirements are liable to change. Insurance For this tour you will require comprehensive travel insurance. Please ensure you have adequate travel insurance before your tour, including cover for all the activities you are participating in. If you are in doubt that an activity is covered, you will need to contact your travel insurance provider for advice on cover. Fogg Travel Insurance are authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and are used to covering escorted open water swimming trips. If you wish to book travel insurance through Fogg, please visit and follow the Fogg link at the bottom of the website. Please ensure you bring a copy of your insurance details with you, as you will be expected to show your policy details to the guides at the mandatory safety briefing. FAQs 4

5 Tel: +44 (0) Is it compulsory to complete all swims? You are welcome to complete both or just one swim per day, however, as this trip is about pushing yourself the guides will try to help you to discover your full potential. Throughout the week the swim guides will advise you each day on what itinerary is best for you; in all cases the main objective will be to encourage you to achieve your personal goals. I am worried about whether or not I will cope with the cold. Shall I bring a wetsuit? This week is a great week to start becoming acclimatised to cold water, however, if you are worried, by all means bring your wetsuit along. Can I keep my swim analysis videos? Of course! We will send any videos through to you after the tour, or, if you wish you can bring along a memory stick and we will transfer the files to you during the week. Will there be access to WiFi on the island? Yes, there is wifi in the Hotel RocaBella What about sea life? Should I be worried? With regards to sea life to look out for, sea urchins and jelly fish are sometimes found in the Mediterranean. Sea urchins are black and spiky, whereas jellyfish are translucent and pink. Sea urchins loiter on reefs and unused sections on beaches. In the unlikely event that you step or sit on one, you may receive a gift of some black spines left in the contact area! They can be removed via tweezers, or left in to dissolve. If stung by a jellyfish there are a number of treatment options and the Swim Guides will be on hand to help. Who are my swim guides? All our guides are qualified as Beach Lifeguards, including a First Aid at Work qualification, and have an RYA Powerboat Level 2 license to use a RIB or dinghy. For more information about our guides please visit If you have any queries please info@swimquest.uk.com or call +44 (0) , we are always happy to hear from you. We can t wait to meet you on Formentera. 5