2 Days in the Life of a Channel
Swimmer
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"It is like swimming the sea, but you don't have any tankers." |
Until you have been involved in Channel swimming,
no one really understands what it's like. For outdoor
swimmers, it is the Olympics and more of marathon
swimming. I can't believe that this summer, August
19th to be precise, I will have been in this 'game'
for 25 years, since it was on that exact date that
as a 15 year old, I became the fastest British Junior
to swim the Channel. AND at the ripe age of 38, I
conquered it again, this time using the most demanding
stroke, the 'butterfly', with which I smashed the
world record. Despite making this dream come true,
there's always something out there that keeps calling
me back! This year, it had to be a BIG one, and 'big'
it certainly was.
I’d organised and swam in the team that got
the British record for the ladies One-Way Channel
relay in 2001. Although the weather thwarted our Two-Way
attempt in 2003, it only added ‘fuel’
to our desire, the desire to do what no other female
team had ever done in the history of Channel swimming,
a Triple crossing: England-France-England-France,
a staggering distance of approximately 80 miles. The
relay works by swimming an hour each rotating in order
for the duration of the swim, overcoming obstacles
on the way and ‘trying’ to catch a ‘nap’
on the accompanying boat, that sways back and forth.
You can imagine! So here’s the story…
Thurs 22nd July, 7:30pm
Amazing! This time there’s no hanging around.
The pilot (the guy taking us across the Channel in
his boat) has given the go-ahead. Weather appears
to be on our side. Last minute preparations, bags
packed, a carbohydrate meal and a couple of hours
sleep; the prospect of a LONG boat trip awaits us!
Fri 23rd July 2:30am
After the alarm at 1am, a hurried breakfast, the team
get together and drive to Folkestone to get the boat.
Spirits are high, despite the ‘early morning’.
Setting off to Samphire Hoe, beach at Dover, it is
apparent that the sea is relatively calm. Only an
odd seagull and the ‘swish’ of waves can
be heard. The first swimmer, Dee gets ready…incidentally,
the swimmers and order are as follows: Dee Llewellyn,
Pip Spibey, myself, Liane Llewellyn, Andrea Gellan
and Lucy Roper, all experienced long distance swimmers.
3:35am
The hooter sounds, as Dee sets off from the beach.
For a start, the swimmer has to be out of the water
and to end, the swimmer must clear the water. Drawing
alongside the boat, Dee sets into a rhythm, arms and
legs going, a fluorescent night stick attached to
her costume, we’re away…all goes well
for that hour. Then, a change-over, as on the hour
the next swimmer, Pip, stands on the steps, waits
for her to pass and on the observer’s signal
drops into the water and takes over. Awesome swimming
5:35am
My first swim. The water feels great as I move swiftly
into my stroke. Seeing the team from the water spurs
me on. It’s all about keeping focused and a positive
mental attitude. Great swimmers have got out of the
Channel because their state of mind has not been right.
What do I see, think and feel? Never a moment goes by
without some shipping going by, whether it be night
or day. There’s always the thought of the ‘creatures’
below, but no sharks, fortunately!! Mid Channel, where
the two tides meet, usually there’s debris-seaweed,
floating wood; I’ve even seen a witch’s
broomstick!! The sight of the next swimmer, Liane, is
a welcome sight, a sight that was going to prove more
‘welcoming’ than I’d ever imagine,
the longer the swim went on.
7:30am
I get an expected call from the local radio. It makes
us all laugh when he asks me if I am near a land line-what
mid Channel? Obviously, he hadn’t realised we’d
set off. I report on our progress. The ‘gang’
are doing well. There’s been sightings of jellyfish
in the water, but nothing at the moment to worry about.
On board ‘Viking Princess’ the girls are
either ‘resting’ in their ‘body-bags’
to keep dry, or eating down the ‘hole’;
not many dare go down there for fear of the dreaded
sea-sickness. One un-named team member was sick from
start to finish!! But, her swimming was still outstanding!
Facilities on the vessel are for Channel swimming…bunks,
a microwave, a flush toilet (that had to be emptied
a few times!), a kettle…no room service though!!
Noon-4:30ish
After, a 2nd stint that took us across the current
to Cap Gris Nez, Liane takes over from me in the water.
She moves smoothly to the shore and gets out onto
the rocks. She shows us the cuts and grazes from her
fall after. We are only 5 minutes outside our British
record set in 2001 (9 hours 28 mins). Way to go team!
Andrea and Lucy maintain the rhythm and flow through
the water. They’d already swam through a couple
of rougher patches and wind, though behind us. As
always, Lucy found she had a tanker to race!
"It is like swimming in the sea, but you don't
have any tankers."
5:40pm
My third swim proves frightening for me. Despite all
the swimming I have done, I still carry a fear of
jellyfish. I don not know why, but I do and am not
afraid to admit it. I have to keep so positive and
think of the team, as I swim through masses of ‘jellies’,
all different colours and sizes. I can feel myself
almost hyperventilating for the hour that I am in
the water. It’s relentless.they are everywhere.
At times like this I realise there is someone looking
after me. Every-one on the boat points to me where
to go. I just want to get back on the boat, but there’s
still 30 minutes left. I have to hang on. Another
boat circles us to try to clear them. The sun has
brought them all up to the surface...finally, I see
Liane getting ready. The masses are gradually subsiding…
I’ve never felt so scared. But, I’d overcome
my ‘fear’ for the team. Gosh, the best
feeling in the world to be out.
We can see Dover clearly. There’s joy in the
camp, as we are definitely on for another record.
It’s going dark, so Dee and Pip begin the next
‘Lightstick’ stint. This helps the swimmer
to be seen and is a safety aspect of the swim. Text
messages from the supporters on shore - where will
you land? One can never be quite sure until you are
near the shore, as the tide can play havoc. However,
Pip strokes out to the beach, at the side of the Hovercraft
pier. She lands, then jumps straight back in for our
final journey across the waves. Yippee!! We’ve
broken the world record - 19 hours 7 mins, over 1,5
hours quicker than the last ladies team, a record
that had been held since 1993 by a Polish team.
Overnight!
Every swim is getting harder. I feel what the rest
of the team are going through. It’s harder now
that the darkness has settled and the night air is
colder. We take it in turns to sleep, although the
hooter for the take-over only reminds us that the
time to our next swim is not far off. Time is going
so quick. Swims come around before we know it. Then,
as the sun rises, we get another surge of energy.
Unfortunately, the tide on this leg had not helped.
For hours we could not get rid of the sight of the
Dover Cliffs. I’d been asleep for a few hours,
only to re-appear and see the Dover coast still in
view!! Everyone encourages and draws on their inner
strength. A Channel swim always takes courage and
guts. Determination keeps us going. Through the night,
there were more ‘jellies’; Liane even
had some eels swim under her. Though the darkness
never bothers me, the thought of my last encounter
with ‘jellies’ makes me very wary. It’s
when we see France that spurs us on even more. The
tide has pushed us more to Calais, so we are approaching
France from that side, the tide now swinging in towards
the Cape. Who will land us? Will we make it or will
we be swept round the corner and miss the Cape (Cap
Gris Nez)?
Sat 24th July 10-11:30am
Dee puts in a very strong effort, pulling on those
reserves, as does Pip when she gets in for her last
time. What a glorious feeling, to know that this is
the last hour each of us has to swim. By now, I realise
that it will be me taking us in. My attitude is determined
that I WILL make it before the Cape.
11:35am
I don’t care about what lurks in the waters
below. This has been a huge team effort and now I
will put in my last ‘bit’. I can hear
the shouts of the team, as I head for the shore. The
dinghy, which accompanies me to the shore, because
‘Viking Princess’ would get stuck otherwise
in the shallow waters, is now at the side of me.
12:07 approx
With each stroke I get closer, then finally I see
the ground. I stand and run to clear the water. I
throw my arms in the air. What a moment. Never had
I landed in France in the light before on any of my
Channel swims. I could hear the hooter go for the
end. After 32 hours 31 minutes, we’d finally
done it. We had made history and become the first
ladies team to do the Triple. This meant another world
record to add to my existing 10 for long distance
swimming. I got back to the boat, amidst the cheers
of the girls. Until you have experienced a Channel
swim of this kind, you have not really experienced
truly what a team can do.
So is this the last I am asked as I get back to the
UK? The last, there’s never a last…plans
are in the pipeline as I write this… sponsorship
permitting. All I can say is I’m glad for the
continued support of 3M Healthcare, Endless Pools,
and especially to Aqua Sphere, who came up with more
money at the last minute. As always, I am very happy
to do my swims for charity, this year again for Rainbows
Children’s Hospice.
~Julie Bradshaw
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