This time in 3 months, it's possible I'll be somewhere in the middle of the English Channel 😬
For those of you who I haven't bored to tears with the details of how a channel swim relay works, here goes...
The first thing you should know, is that to count as an official Channel Swim crossing, wetsuits are not permitted as they are a buoyancy aid. So we will be swimming in standard swimwear and will be at the mercy of the elements, chilly water temperature (expected to be somewhere between 14 and 18 degrees Celsius) and the wildlife, including jellyfish!
I will be swimming in a team of 4 and will be on standby from 11th July ready to set off from Dover. We have a window between 11th to 19th July in which to make our attempt. Our decision to set off will largely lie with our support boat pilot - an experienced sailor who knows the tides, currents, winds and weather conditions of the Channel exceptionally well.
Once the decision to make our attempt has been made, our team of 4 board the support boat and get taken to a nearby beach, which marks the formal starting point. Cruelly, the boat isn't able to take us up to the shoreline, so the unfortunate person who is designated as our first swimmer must swim from the boat to the beach and stand clear of the water. Only then does the attempt (and the clock!) actually start.
Swimmer 1 will swim for an hour, in close proximity to the support boat, who will navigating the tides, currents, weather and traffic. They will be looking out for our safety at all times. At the end of the first Swimmer 1's hour, Swimmer 2 jumps off the boat behind Swimmer 1. Only once they've overtaken (no contact between swimmers allowed) does Swimmer 1 head over to the boat, climb aboard and try to rest and warm up. Swimmer 2 then passes the virtual baton to Swimmer 3, Swimmer 3 to Swimmer 4 and Swimmer 4 back to Swimmer 1. That cycle continues until we get to France! The final twist is that, just like at the start, the boat isn't able to get to the shoreline, so the swimmer who completes the crossing has to swim to the beach, stand clear of the water...and then swim back to the boat.
If anyone is unable or unwilling to complete their full hour at any point or get back in the water when it's their turn, the attempt can continue, but must be without that team member and effectively turns into a team of 3 for the remainder of the swim. So it's all about the team...just like it is at Trafford Rowing Club (pictured above before a race earlier this year)!
English Channel Relay Swim
-
11/07/24
Event Date
-
14
Supporters
View Event