I swam the English Channel

Today, Tue 20 July 2010, I successfully swam from England to France in a time of 11 hours and 27 minutes. I will write more details when I get back to a computer next week. I am over the moon

Got the call - 4am Tue 20 July 2010

I spoke to the pilot today. The swim is on for tomorrow - Tuesday 20 July 2010 meeting at Dover marina at 4am. Less than 12 hours to go.

Varne Ridge - zero weeks to go

This weekend me and my family moved in to a static caravan at Varne Ridge Caravan Park. This is just outside Dover and very popular with Channel swimmers. I am now without access to a computer so updating my blog from my phone. Over the weekend I did a 3 hour swim on Saturday and a 2 hour swim on Sunday. Now I am waiting to hear when I can go. There is one person before me on my tide and once they have gone I can go on the next day that the weather is good. Watch this space.

1 week until my tide - and an easy weekend in Dover

Last week I wasn't sure at what point you started easing off before the big swim. I got my answer this weekend. While the swimmers who are swimming in August got to do another 7 and 6 hour swim, I was given a 5 hour on Saturday and a 4 hour on Sunday. It felt like cheating when I got out earlier than the other swimmers on Saturday and Sunday but I am feeling pretty tired and I want to be starting my channel attempt feeling fresh - so no complaints from me. I even got to take a picture of Don feeding - after I got out on the Sunday

My tide starts 1 week from today on Monday 19th July and I am spending this week getting all my kit together and making sure I am ready to go. It's a bit like preparing one of those bags when you are pregnant. Now I just need the weather to be good to me and hope for a bit of luck on the day.

2 weeks to go

Last week was another hard week of swimming culminating in another 7 hour swim on Saturday and 6 hour swim on Sunday. Today I can really feel it in my muscles. Plus the sun just wants to keep on shining and so my back and neck are bright red. Andrea, my girlfriend, reckons I look like a cooked Richmond sausage.

In any case, the channel swimming season has now started and lots of relays have already gone across and so have a few solo swimmers. 2 weeks till my tide and at some point I have to start reducing the amount I am swimming so that I am fully recovered for the big day. I think this may be from now but I will find out at the beach next weekend if I have another 7 and 6 hours to do. It still seems to me that I haven't done very many long swims but, as I am no expert, I will do as I am told on the beach this weekend. Although the long swims are hard, I actually quite enjoy them.

Sad news

I found out yesterday that Scooba Steve passed away last weekend. He has been training on the beach in Dover since the start of May and was a real character known to everyone that trained there. He had found acclimatising to the cold water a real challenge but no matter how hard he found it he would always be back the next week to give it another go. He was over the moon when he successfully completed his 6 hour qualifying swim.

Although I only knew him fleetingly, he was a really nice bloke and I am sorry that he did not get to fulfil his dream to swim the English Channel. He will be missed on the beach and at this time my thoughts are with his family and friends.

Sunny and hot and 3 weeks to go

First, let me explain the picture. I finished my contract at John Lewis last week and they bought me a few things to help me with my channel attempt; a pair of speedos, a nose clip and a pair of killer shark armbands. This was me, in my garden, mentally preparing for the swim.

This week has been another big swimming week. In Dover there are a number of volunteers, who give their time free of charge every year, each weekend from May to September, to help people achieve their dream of swimming the English Channel. These volunteers are led by Freda, a fantastic lady who has been doing this for ever. Ably helped by Barry, Irene, Louise, Michelle and Emma - to name but a few. This weekend Freda told us that we were to swim for 7 hours (So I got in the water at 09.00 and left at 16.00. Then on Sunday she gave us a 6 hour swim. My biggest concern was the fact that the sun was out in full force this weekend and I am a pasty ginger - but fortunately I have escaped with just a red neck and shoulders and they are not too burnt.

3 weeks to go - wow!!!