Los Nadadores Cross Channel Swim

August 13th - 18th, 2009

A team of 8; Ocky, Rob, Mark, Pandora, John, Millie, Amy & Dave, bravely, (madly?), decided to swim the Channel, from Dover to France to raise money for BrAMS, The Julia Thomson Memorial Fund and the RNLI.

Having decided early on that Shaun and I would nip down to Dover to see them off, we, along with the team, were under the impression that we’d have a few days notice, some time between the 13th and 18th of August, to be on “standby”.

On Wednesday the 12th we received the “Standby!” message and I immediately went into panic mode. What happened to 3 days notice?!?!? And if I felt panic, what did the team feel? Texts and emails flew and we got the message that we were to meet at the harbour in Dover, and the boat’s berth at 2am Friday morning.

We left Bristol around 9.30pm, Thursday evening and arrived in good time around 1am. We met up with the team and located “Anastasia” and her crew.

Excitement and nerves were in equal abundance, we took photos and chatted and the team got their instructions from the skipper. The plan was that they would sail from the harbour to the beach where Rob would swim the first leg from Shakespeare Beach.

The nerves were jangled a little more when the crew mentioned that a woman had flown over from Australia and had attempted the swim the night before, but had to stop after 2 hours due to severe cramps. All I could think was, “sometimes it’s just best to say NOTHING!” There were also a few comments about the guys having to wear Speedo’s, (regulations) ~ why do I think they may never be worn again? Various comments also flew around about the use of Vaseline and what may also be lurking in the channel itself, but those are best left to the imagination!

Whilst surprisingly warm at 3am, around 17 degrees, the water was very cold! Then it was time. “Goodbyes” and lots of “Good Lucks” were called, we watched them sail off out of the harbour.

We knew we couldn’t get around to the beach so we headed straight for the ferry ~ yes, we were going to meet them the other side. At no point did we ever consider the fact they may not make it.

Once in Calais, Shaun and I decided to drive straight down to Cap Gris Nez along the coast road, where they would probably arrive. After finding that easily we headed for the little town of Wimereux for a well needed coffee.

Later we headed back to Calais to find a hotel. We found a small hotel called the Beffroi, the staff were very friendly and so helpful, they even raced to clean a downstairs room for us. So if you’re ever looking for an inexpensive hotel for a short stay in Calais, we’d recommend it!

Amy texed at 1.30 local time to say they were doing well and hoped to arrive in about 4 – 5 hours and that Rob had just finished his 2nd swim. We decided to try and get a few minutes sleep, we’d had none since Thursday morning.

Around 4pm we set out back along the coast road when Amy updated me again, saying they were approx 2 miles off Sangatte, which we’d just driven through, so back we went.

We found a gap between some houses,  I ran through to the beach to see if I could find “Anastasia” and another boat with another team of swimmers, no luck. We drove along and found a slipway, but still no sight of the boats, only ferries.

We headed back up the coast road towards a rather large monument on a cliff top, then down the other side to a little village, looking for ANY sign that said “LA PLAGE”. We found a lane which took us towards the sea, only to find we were still up on a cliff. By now I felt panic start to set it ~ I was on a mission and failure was NOT an option!

I called Amy and asked her if she could see the monument and a helicopter that was flying directly in front of me, whilst she couldn’t actually see me jumping up and down like a lunatic, she said that they were directly in front of the monument, in the boat on the right of the two. Then I finally spotted 2 little dots! I had to zoom in so much on the video camera that the slightest of movements cause the picture to look like it was being filmed by someone with a severe tremor! I’ve never claimed to be a good filmmaker.

I decided it was time to hike down the cliff with the cameras and a bottle of Bubbly, leaving Shaun at the top, next to the “Frites” van…how convenient!

I got down to the beach, only to find that you could only walk so far along before the rocks protruded into the water, it was a dead-end.

After hiking back up the hill, calves aching and heart racing, I got to Shaun who was indeed, getting some frites. We got back into the car. Back into the village, back up the hill towards the monument, I spotted a dirt track. By now I was turning into a mother hen who had lost her brood and was determined, at all costs, to find them! Shaun knew exactly what I was thinking, he groaned slightly then said “go on then”. Turning a sharp left we went “off road” down a dirt, or to be more precise, a sand track, leading between farmers fields. Unfortunately, after about a mile, I could feel the sand becoming looser under the wheels and we decided to turn back. Only one thing worse than getting stuck, and that was having to explain it!

Only I couldn’t turn the car around, there wasn’t enough room, so I had to reverse all the way back up and around the windy track to the main road. This was a sure sign of a desperate woman on the loose.

This left only one option, to drive back to the slipway in Sangatte and if necessary, I would run, yes RUN, along the beach. As we turned off the main road onto the slipway we suddenly spotted the boats to the left, the current was causing them to drift towards us! This was perfect!

I parked the car in a Tow-Away Zone – I was beyond caring, but we were close to the car to explain if necessary, we also had the big BrAMS Good Luck Sign stuck to the rear window and a BrAMS Bear jammed in the back quarter window, so it was apparent that something was going on.

By now the boats, including the dingy accompanying Millie, actually passed in front of us and were drifting to the right. So, leaving Shaun on the slipway, rolling my trousers up in true English fashion and with cameras and the Champagne in hand, I ran along the beach. In my mind I was hoping that I looked like Pamela Anderson in Baywatch, gracefully running along the beach in slow motion, but the harsh reality was that I probably looked more like a drunken Dawn French staggering across the sand in flip-flops, waving a bottle of champers and trouser legs rolling back down. (Please God, I hope that’s not on video!).

By this time, we had drawn a small crowd. One English couple asked Shaun what was happening, and they actually ended up staying on the beach with him to watch our team land on shore. A few other people asked, no doubt curious as to what this lunatic Englishwoman waving a bottle around, was up to. By various means of pointing out to sea, saying “Inglaterra” and making swimming arm movements followed by “ici”, it became understood what was happening. Which was good…….or I may have been arrested. Strangers started taking photos and all waited to see Millie emerge triumphant from the sea, approximately 13 ½ hours after they set out.

I could see the rest of our team on the boat, it was clear that they were under instructions NOT to swim the last few metres with Millie. (regulations!) She was on her own, apart from the dingy and I knew in my heart they would have wanted to jump in with her, but because they couldn‘t, it made me even more glad that we were there for them, for her.

Finally she made it and like the mother hen who had found her lost children, I ran (crying!), into the water and grabbed her, to rousing applause by onlookers. I was so proud and cried “well done”, probably more than once! She was so exhausted and I wondered if it had sunken in just what they had achieved.

After lots of hugs, waving to the rest of the team on the boat and the boat crew member taking photos from the dingy, Millie caught her breath for a few short moments, before swimming back to the dingy, (with the champagne), to join the rest of the team onboard Anastasia.

I walked back up the beach to Shaun and we watched them sail off back to England. We were so proud of them, for all their hard work, not just that day, but all the training they’d done. It was 2 years since they’d come up with the idea. Without doubt, they had achieved what they set out to do.

It should be mentioned that swimming the channel probably sounds easier than it is. These are the facts;

The English Channel is a unique and demanding swim, considered by many to be the ultimate long distance challenge. It isn't just the distance that is the challenge, but more, the variable conditions that you are likely to encounter. These may vary for mirror like conditions to wind force 6 and wave heights in excess of 2 metres. The water is cold, there is a good chance of meeting jellyfish, seaweed and the occasional plank of wood. It is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world with 600 tankers passing through and 200 ferries/seacats and other vessels going across daily.

Shortest distance is 21 miles - but on either side of Cap Griz Nez, the French Coastline drops away, so you have further to go to make landfall. You will swim across the channel for 21 miles (or more) BUT the current moves you many miles from side to side as the Tide ebbs and flows. You may deduce from this that unless a miracle happens and there is no Tide (!!) on your Swim day the only way you could cross the Channel in a straight line would be if you could counteract the effect of the Tide by swimming against it. But this would be a waste of valuable energy, you will get tired - the Tide will not! 

More people have managed to climb Everest than successfully swim the English Channel.

So…….

to Team Los Nadadores; Robert, Octavia, Mark, Pandora, John, Millie, Amy & Dave, a massive congratulations on your achievement and thank you so much for all your hard work from all the team at BrAMS and Shaun and I personally. It was our privilege to be part of it.

See you all soon in London!!

Alison & Shaun