Dover; 2nd - 3rd July

Submitted by Tarkan

Saturday 2^nd July

Another early start to make the 7:12 high speed train from London St Pancras to Dover Priory for a hard weekend of Channel swimming training. At 09:30 with a 10:00 start the SRLV channel swim team was down to the bare-bare-bones (me on my Jack Jones), with Adam up in Nottingham on a stag party most likely nursing a hangover and Yvette sunning it up somewhere in the Mediterranean I knew the team wouldn’t be at full strength but it was a shock when I bumped into Beth to be informed that team leader Rosie was missing in action again. My thoughts turned to the other lads (Taras & James) in my team who surely wouldn’t let me down but they were cutting it fine with us due to be in the sea in less than 30 minutes. A quick phone call to Taras who, after a few drinks on the Friday night, concluded against trekking down to Dover and instead swimming in Tooting Bec Lido with James. Not quite the same as swimming in the sea but I guess better than nothing. So there I was all alone and breaking the news to Andrew (who was disappointed to say the least). Due to the 2011 Dover Regatta we had to be out of the water by 12:30 at the latest so it was decided the whole charity roughly 25 people (30 people minus the rest of my team) would attempt the 2 hour compulsory swim. So we entered the water (which according to websites I have researched had a water temperature of approximately 14⁰C) which is a vast improvement on Brighton in May which was nearer the 10⁰C mark however doesn’t even compare to the sea temperatures in the following:

• 23⁰C Venice, Italy
• 24⁰C Ibiza, Spain
• 26⁰C Larnaca/Iskele, Cyprus
• 27⁰C Antalya, Turkey
• 28⁰C Nassau, Bahamas
• 29⁰C Male, Maldives
• 31⁰C Key West, Florida, USA
• 32⁰C Dubai, UAE

Unfortunately for us the temperatures of the English Channel will never reach such dizzying heights we will be lucky with water temperatures hitting 18⁰C to 19 ⁰C when we actually do our swim in September.

Anyway back to the task in hand; a 2 hour sea swim which is an extremely demanding physical challenge, one to which I fell short of at 1 hour and 25 mins (the longest stretch I had ever spent in open water at any one time). It started so well with the first 20 mins being bathed in glorious sunshine and clear blue skies but then grey smoggy clouds filled the sky and you could really feel the cold. By about 40 mins I really noticed the cold and started doubting if I would hit the hour mark. I managed to push through but by an hour and 20 mins I began shivering uncontrollably and decided it would be best to make my way out. I then sat on the beach and watched everyone else manage to complete the 2 hour swim and receive their certificate to which I congratulated them. With the bitter taste of disappointment and failure still fresh on my taste buds I was invited by Beth and the rest of team Penguin for a spot of lunch where I decided along with Alice one of the Penguins (who after this year’s relay Channel crossing has already booked a boat for a 2012 solo crossing and I take my hat off to her because I wouldn’t even be able to do it in my wildest dreams) to get back in and do another hour swimming after lunch whilst the majority of other people decided to sunbathe as the sun had decided to make a reappearance. To be honest I don’t blame them if I had just completed a 2 hour swim I would also have decided to top up my tan rather than get back into the cold dirty sea in Dover Harbour. After the hour swim I checked into the Premier Inn to wallow in my self-pity until I was invited down for dinner with team Dolphin who were all very supportive. They all believed that my failure was down to the fact that I had taken to the 2 hour swim on my own rather than with some team mates, as they all believed after an hour they were seriously considering to get out as well however their team mates helped motivate and push them through.

After a not so good night sleep due to frustration of not completing my 2 hour swim I woke up for breakfast and psyched myself up to man-up and succeed in the compulsory swim. With clear blue skies and beaming sunshine surely I couldn’t fail. I entered the water alone and was caught up with by Beth after about 15 mins who swam along with and kept me company. After the 45 minute mark Alice joined us and then subsequently took over from Beth who although she had completed her two hour swim and went back in with me for an hour yesterday decided she would support and push me through to the 2 hour mark. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t cold and wanted to get out again after an hour but with Alice who seemed so nice yesterday turning into a demon who politely informed me the only way I was getting out before the 2 hour mark was if the coast guard was dragging my cold dead body out of the sea and even then she wouldn’t let them take me out until the compulsory 2 hours were up. Finally we made it to the pebbly beach after 2 hours and 12 mins in, I was cold, tired and stumbled out of the water being congratulated by the other charity members. I got my certificate signed by “The Channel General”. 

What I realised over the weekend is that the 2 hour swim is not just a physical challenge but a mental challenge as well. In the spirit of Wimbledon I will use a tennis analogy; on the Saturday I went into the sea as Andy Murray physically capable but not mentally, on the Sunday I was much more of a Nadal /Djokovic physically and mentally capable. I also realised this is a team event and with the team together as a unit we can definitely succeed. On the Friday I was part of a team of 6, Saturday I was the last man standing (with the exception of Adam and Yvette who I am sure would have turned up if it wasn’t for other commitments) and by Sunday I was part of a team of 30.

I want to say a big thank you to the Sharks, Penguins, Marlins and Dolphins who all supported me through the weekend but in particular I want to say big thank you’s to Beth, Alice, Gail and Romey.  Also as this is the last time we see any of the other teams before are crossings I want to wish everyone the best of luck from the whole of the SRLV channel swim team.