Much of my research for this book consisted of time spent gamboling around Cape Clear, Sherkin Island, Baltimore, Skibereen, and surrounding areas, hanging out in pubs, talking with locals, taking lots of long walks. I also used many books, including Cape Clear Island: Its People and Landscape, by Eamon Lankford, The Natural History of Cape Clear Island, by J. T. R. Sharrock, Swimming to Antarctica and other books by the great Lynne Cox, Charles Sprawson’s beautiful literary history of swimming Haunts of the Black Masseur, the books of Chuck Kruger, as well as several well-worn maps of Clear and Roaringwater Bay. I appreciate the general welcoming spirit of the denizens of Clear and their forgiving nature as I often blundered through their pastures and paddocks in my island roaming. Special thanks to the Cape Clear Island Co-Operative, An Siopa Beag (best food on the island), Ard na Gaoithe and Eileen Leonard, Ciarán Danny Mike’s Pub, Cotter’s Pub (best pint on the island), the gracious Mary O’Driscoll, a friend to all the writers and artists that blow through, Joe Aston and Gannet’s Way on Sherkin Island, the Harpercraft store, Club Cleire, and especially Ed Harper’s goat farm. Ed can tell you everything you need to know about raising, breeding, and milking goats, and a lot of other things besides.
I was fortunate to meet (and race with) the legendary open-water swimmer Ned Denison, of County Cork, who supplied me with various bits about swimming in the waters off Ireland. Thanks to him and all the Cork Co. swimmers I spoke with during my participation in the Beginish Island Swim. I also received valuable training and coaching help from the Dallas JCC Masters Team, Scott Eder, and Brian Loncar Racing in Dallas. As far as I can determine, no one has ever swum from Cape Clear to Fastnet and back.
Good parts of this novel were written at Yaddo and the MacDowell Colony, and I am grateful for my time at these wonderful places. I would like to thank J. L. Torres, Michael Carrino, Bruce Butterfield, and the English Department of SUNY Plattsburgh. Kjell and the racing crew of the J/105 Freya on Lake Champlain, and Phil, Amber, Ty, Amy, and all the rest who taught me to sail, and to Roland for taking a total unknown rookie out Soling class racing. Also thank you to the Arts and Humanities Department at the University of Texas at Dallas for their support of my research.
I am indebted, as always, to the short stories, novels, and journals of the great John Cheever.
I would like to thank once again my agent, Alex Glass, and Trident Media Group, and I am so fortunate to work with the best editor in NYC, Alexis Gargagliano. Thanks to all the folks at Scribner for their support, my longtime readers Mike Mannon and Seth Tucker, and lastly my wife, Stacy, who spent the last eight years hearing me talk endlessly about this place and this story.