Stats - The first solo was by captain Webb in 1875. The fastest is by Peter Stoychev in just under 7 hours. The average is approx 13-14 hours. More have climbed Everest than swum solo across the English Channel; up to 1995, more people had been in space. To July 3rd 2010, there have been 1520 successful solo swims by 1099 swimmers. Of these, only about a third are from the UK.
The French - The French authorities no longer permit swims to start from France since 1996, following a death. This doesn't stop 2 way and even 3 way solo swims starting from Dover, though.
The Streeters - Alison Streeter is Queen of the Channel – she’s swum it 43 times, including a ‘triple’ in the World record time of 34 hours 40 minutes. She was allowed up to 10 minutes standing at each ‘end’ before having to start swimming again, not that she used them. Ali is now a pilot helping other swimmers achieve their crossings. Freda Streeter, Alison’s mother, has guided wannabe Channel swimmers for the last 25 years or so every weekend from May at Dover Harbour; a.k.a. “The Channel General”, Freda takes no nonsense and has an unnerving insight as to what each swimmer needs to do. My first instructions were “Be a good boy, do what you’re told and we’ll get you across” – I was in shock. And in awe. Shock and Awe! Neil Streeter is Freda’s son and also a pilot – quite a family!
Kevin Murphy is King of the Channel with 34 crossings. Kevin trains at my local pool at Barnet Copthall and also in Dover harbour. Having had a heart attack a while ago, he’s undaunted and told me early July on the beach that he’s thinking of another crossing later this Summer.
Distance -
The shortest distance across the Channel is from Shakespeare Beach, Dover, to Cap Gris Nez (the headland halfway between Calais and Boulogne). This distance is approximately 21 land miles. But the tides sweep you sideways towards the North sea and then back towards the Atlantic, so you cover a lot more ground and, if you don’t end up at the Cap, you’ll swim a lot further because the land drops away either side.
Tide and Time - Due to the shallow and narrow shape of the English Channel, the flow-direction carries on ‘filling’ the North Sea for 4.5 hours after high tide, until it finally turns and then flows out towards the Atlantic also for 4.5 hours longer than low tide. The flow-rates get faster during the 2 periods of spring tides each month; it can be 5 knots or more, so there’s less room for error when planning to finish at the Cap. Think “Frogger” – the electronic game where you guide a frog across rivers on fast moving logs first one way and then the other; each river is like a 6 hour tidal-flow taking you sideways at speed (particularly if it's a Sring tide) . If you swim at the same speed all the way across and take 12 hours, you should have ended up back on the line you started on. But now factor in wind and chop, swell, weather, misbehaving currents and tides, inconsistent swimming speeds, Channel traffic (-it’s like a 6 lane motorway out there-) and a lot more besides and pin-pointing your arrival at the Cap is inevitably hit and miss – mostly miss.
Start Time - Most of the swims start one hour before high water during one of the 2 periods of neap tides each month. Mine looks like being a 1a.m. start (or less likely 1p.m.), weather permitting. As it’ll be dark at some point, I shall have to wear a light on my goggle strap and on the back of my trunks until daylight.
Rules – There are many. Non-heat retaining costumes only, no wetsuits etc. goggles, ear plugs and nose clips only, along with Vaseline or grease, being a mixture of lanolin and Vaseline not goose fat and to stop chaffing not to keep you warm (-it doesn’t).
Authentication - only 2 bodies are allowed to authenticate Channel swims – the Channel Swimming Association and the Channel Swimmers and Pilots Federation. The reality is that swimmers will often pick the authority they already know or, as in my case, the one to which their pilot is registered. Full medicals and certification of a recent 6 hour qualifying swim in cold water are needed to register. An observer from your body will travel on the boat and check you don’t get help or touch the boat or the people on it. They’ll also check any pain killers, sea sickness, cramp and other medicines you may be planning to take to see if they’re permitted or not, just as with most of the major competitive sports.
Pilots and queues –
not planes, boats; they’re hugely skilled and experienced and there’s only about 15 of them, split between the CSA and the CS & PF. Each books a queue of 4 or 5 swimmers on each neap tide of 7 or 8 days. The first in line have first refusal as to when to swim and most often choose depending on whether to stay or wait depending on the weather. To get a 1st place in the queue between mid July to late September, you need to plan 3 years ahead. Pictured is my pilot Eric Hartley's boat, Pathfinder.
Feeding – typically this comprises warmed calorie-drinks, such as Maxim, but with treats that you can scoff without stopping or touching the boat – passed on poles or thrown in bottles tied to string for retrieving once used. The drinks and treats need to be quick and easy to swallow and carefully chosen; not everything mixes well with the inevitable swallowing of sea water e.g. bananas!
When Do I Go? - I am now 2nd in the queue for the first neap tide of August 2010 from 1st to the 8th, following my advance from 3rd place after a drop-out. In theory I could go any time in that period, but am hoping that the relay team in line before me won’t worry about the weather so much and will go at the first opportunity, even if not ideal. This is possible because relays are usually by teams of 6 people swimming 1 hour at a time in rotation, so factors like rougher water and the cold don’t have such an impact. Conversely, organising all 6 people to be in Dover at the same time on short notice can be a bigger concern.
How Long Will It Take Me? - Most who’ve swum it don’t think of times – there’s too many factors which can affect the swim’s chances of success, never mind sticking to a set time. Karteek Clarke, a new found friend and Cornwall neighbour of my parents, is registered as a 9 times successful soloist. His last swim in 2009 at just under 17 hours compares with his fastest of under 11 hours; the conditions are key. So I’m heeding his advice on this and lots more besides – forget the time!
The French - The French authorities no longer permit swims to start from France since 1996, following a death. This doesn't stop 2 way and even 3 way solo swims starting from Dover, though.
The Streeters - Alison Streeter is Queen of the Channel – she’s swum it 43 times, including a ‘triple’ in the World record time of 34 hours 40 minutes. She was allowed up to 10 minutes standing at each ‘end’ before having to start swimming again, not that she used them. Ali is now a pilot helping other swimmers achieve their crossings. Freda Streeter, Alison’s mother, has guided wannabe Channel swimmers for the last 25 years or so every weekend from May at Dover Harbour; a.k.a. “The Channel General”, Freda takes no nonsense and has an unnerving insight as to what each swimmer needs to do. My first instructions were “Be a good boy, do what you’re told and we’ll get you across” – I was in shock. And in awe. Shock and Awe! Neil Streeter is Freda’s son and also a pilot – quite a family!
Kevin Murphy is King of the Channel with 34 crossings. Kevin trains at my local pool at Barnet Copthall and also in Dover harbour. Having had a heart attack a while ago, he’s undaunted and told me early July on the beach that he’s thinking of another crossing later this Summer.
Distance -
The shortest distance across the Channel is from Shakespeare Beach, Dover, to Cap Gris Nez (the headland halfway between Calais and Boulogne). This distance is approximately 21 land miles. But the tides sweep you sideways towards the North sea and then back towards the Atlantic, so you cover a lot more ground and, if you don’t end up at the Cap, you’ll swim a lot further because the land drops away either side.Tide and Time - Due to the shallow and narrow shape of the English Channel, the flow-direction carries on ‘filling’ the North Sea for 4.5 hours after high tide, until it finally turns and then flows out towards the Atlantic also for 4.5 hours longer than low tide. The flow-rates get faster during the 2 periods of spring tides each month; it can be 5 knots or more, so there’s less room for error when planning to finish at the Cap. Think “Frogger” – the electronic game where you guide a frog across rivers on fast moving logs first one way and then the other; each river is like a 6 hour tidal-flow taking you sideways at speed (particularly if it's a Sring tide) . If you swim at the same speed all the way across and take 12 hours, you should have ended up back on the line you started on. But now factor in wind and chop, swell, weather, misbehaving currents and tides, inconsistent swimming speeds, Channel traffic (-it’s like a 6 lane motorway out there-) and a lot more besides and pin-pointing your arrival at the Cap is inevitably hit and miss – mostly miss.
Start Time - Most of the swims start one hour before high water during one of the 2 periods of neap tides each month. Mine looks like being a 1a.m. start (or less likely 1p.m.), weather permitting. As it’ll be dark at some point, I shall have to wear a light on my goggle strap and on the back of my trunks until daylight.
Rules – There are many. Non-heat retaining costumes only, no wetsuits etc. goggles, ear plugs and nose clips only, along with Vaseline or grease, being a mixture of lanolin and Vaseline not goose fat and to stop chaffing not to keep you warm (-it doesn’t).
Authentication - only 2 bodies are allowed to authenticate Channel swims – the Channel Swimming Association and the Channel Swimmers and Pilots Federation. The reality is that swimmers will often pick the authority they already know or, as in my case, the one to which their pilot is registered. Full medicals and certification of a recent 6 hour qualifying swim in cold water are needed to register. An observer from your body will travel on the boat and check you don’t get help or touch the boat or the people on it. They’ll also check any pain killers, sea sickness, cramp and other medicines you may be planning to take to see if they’re permitted or not, just as with most of the major competitive sports.
Pilots and queues –
not planes, boats; they’re hugely skilled and experienced and there’s only about 15 of them, split between the CSA and the CS & PF. Each books a queue of 4 or 5 swimmers on each neap tide of 7 or 8 days. The first in line have first refusal as to when to swim and most often choose depending on whether to stay or wait depending on the weather. To get a 1st place in the queue between mid July to late September, you need to plan 3 years ahead. Pictured is my pilot Eric Hartley's boat, Pathfinder.Feeding – typically this comprises warmed calorie-drinks, such as Maxim, but with treats that you can scoff without stopping or touching the boat – passed on poles or thrown in bottles tied to string for retrieving once used. The drinks and treats need to be quick and easy to swallow and carefully chosen; not everything mixes well with the inevitable swallowing of sea water e.g. bananas!
When Do I Go? - I am now 2nd in the queue for the first neap tide of August 2010 from 1st to the 8th, following my advance from 3rd place after a drop-out. In theory I could go any time in that period, but am hoping that the relay team in line before me won’t worry about the weather so much and will go at the first opportunity, even if not ideal. This is possible because relays are usually by teams of 6 people swimming 1 hour at a time in rotation, so factors like rougher water and the cold don’t have such an impact. Conversely, organising all 6 people to be in Dover at the same time on short notice can be a bigger concern.
How Long Will It Take Me? - Most who’ve swum it don’t think of times – there’s too many factors which can affect the swim’s chances of success, never mind sticking to a set time. Karteek Clarke, a new found friend and Cornwall neighbour of my parents, is registered as a 9 times successful soloist. His last swim in 2009 at just under 17 hours compares with his fastest of under 11 hours; the conditions are key. So I’m heeding his advice on this and lots more besides – forget the time!
What Do I think About When I am Swimming for hours on end? - That's the hardest question of all to answer; what I think about and, more importantly, how I do so is as likely to determine whether I can make it or not as anything else, even assuming the most favourable of conditions and a sufficiency of physical training.
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