Submitted by Adam
We are aiming to complete a 6-man relay swim across the channel. Swimming in temperatures of approximately 15 degrees, through currents, tides, and open to the elements, this is no simple, easy feat.
We are aiming to complete a 6-man relay swim across the channel. Swimming in temperatures of approximately 15 degrees, through currents, tides, and open to the elements, this is no simple, easy feat.
The first completed solo Channel swim was on the 24th August 1875 by M Webb, however the first attempted swim was 3 years prior to this when J Johnson swam for just over an hour, before giving up!
The English Channel, in a straight line at it's narrowest point is 21 miles / 34km. But because the tide will push us up and down the Channel in an 'S' curve, the overall swim could be up to double this distance.
The tides of the Channel are strong and change direction approximately every 6 hours, flowing at up to 4 nautical miles per hour.
Think of the English Channel as a river between two humps of land. Approximately every 6 hours, the tide changes it's direction by 180 degrees and flows back to where it came from. We will be swimming across this tide, being carried up the 'river' for the first 6 hours, and pulled back down it the next, hence the 'S' curve swim.
Also critical to the swim is the fact that the landing spot in France is a point, where landing is accomplished by climbing up rocks whilst getting bombarded by waves. If this is missed, then a further swim of at least a couple more hours is required until we roll up the sandy beach on either side of the point.
The average swim takes between 10 to 20 hours.
No wet-suits are to be worn, only one hat, one costume, goggles, earplugs and grease (or Vaseline to prevent chaffing) are allowed for a successful Channel swim.
We will need to be aware of various hazards, such as Jellyfish, Hypothermia, Debris, Seasickness (for when we are on the boat recovering!), mother nature herself, oh, and the numerous ferries and super tankers passing through.
Every day over 400 boats pass through and across the two separate shipping lanes. All boats are frequently alerted over radio whenever there are swimmers in the water, but sometimes it gets very close!
We will depart from Dover, with one team member on shore ,1, and the rest on board an escort boat. Swimmer 1 shall then swim for approximately an hour, before a second member, 2, will get in the water with swimmer 1, and swim past swimmer 1 resuming the course. This way, there is not a single point of the Channel in the whole challenge that was not swam. Only when swimmer 2 passes 1, can 1 then get back in the escort boat.
This is then repeated with swimmer 3 taking swimmer 2's place after a further hour, and so on and so forth. The total change-over should not take more than 5 minutes.
That pretty much sums it up!! How mad are we!?
