Oh, the piloting/scheduling dilemma
I am constitutionally unsuited to booking something 2.5 years out that requires a non-refundable deposit.
[2019 commentary – It speaks to how booked up these guys are that no one has once tried to reassure me they are the right person for the job. And boy, oh boy, could I use some reassurance.]
One of them, who I like over email and responds quickly… isn’t the most booked up pilot – is that a concern? And then I came across this website (https://loneswimmer.com/2013/10/22/how-to-select-a-channel-pilot-boat/) that had this checklist (https://loneswimmer.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/ec-pilot-checklist.pdf), and suddenly there are 22 more things I need to take into consideration. Gak!
So I’ve sent a FB message to Pat Gallant-Charette, who was featured in the most recent edition of the US Masters Magazine “Swimmer.” She is 68 and a totally kick-ass marathon swimmer. She’s got experience with the Channel… I hope I hope she’ll be willing to share it with me.
To-do: Email the CSA boat pilots? (https://www.channelswimmingassociation.com/pilots/sea-leopard)
Get information from my favorites to fill out the checklist, and decide what is important to me?
Later: It’s the Farmer’s Market Perspective Phenomenon. I managed to insult our really sweet little old farmer’s market guy when I first went there by asking him to pick me out the best, I don’t know, tomato. My perspective being that I had spent years going to the grocery store, looking at all the tomatoes, and picking the best one. And, as the farmer and expert, he should have an eye for a great tomato. HIS perspective was, “all my tomatoes are great.”
I’m sure all these guys think they are great channel pilots – of course they do, and probably are. But not all tomatoes are the same.
