A midweek update - helpful reading

I'm currently reading a book by a female swimmer Sally Friedman (although i don't think she ever swam the channel, but was the first woman to swim from Rhode Island to Long Island and has also completed the 'Round Manhatten' swim a couple of times). It's called "Swimming the English Channel". I like it, a simple title, does what it says on the cover.
In the early pages (which is as far as I have read thus far) she describes in great detail and with clear emotion the joy and exhilaration of open water swimming, marathon swimming actually, in cold cold water. Now I'm not quite there for 10 mile swims on the bounce, not quite, but I have just read some technical information she gives about the mechanical yet strangely artistic side of each underwater stroke. As such this week I'm going to be focussing on the three-dimensional 'S' of the freestyle pull. Out and down - In and up - Out and down. By keeping each stroke longer and more powerful, you become more efficient in the water. You spin your arms less and make each burnt calorie a positive use of energy. As I expect to be battered by the waves - but worse the 'chop' - (where the tide runs in opposition to the wind, creating small repetitive mini-waves that smack into your arms and make it difficult to snatch a breath) I'll need to be as efficient as possible. The constant correction to being knocked off rhythm by waves is tiring and burns needless fuel.
Otherwise, I'm good right now. Have worked out that one rest-day is good but two rest-days are bad and allows the body to get comfortable. This is important to the taper week and if we have to wait at all before we go. You can't wait too long between swims but you can't sit around resting if the weather-window does not open.
Team meeting tonight to clarify plans and kit lists. We might almost get to a stage of being organised! My wife, Lisa, jokes that you can tell there are no girls in the team on account of us having planned absolutely nothing! Now that's funny because it's true.
Happy trails!