In July, I am planning to swim the English Channel solo.

The Channel is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, with 600 tankers and 200 ferries passing through it every day! So you can’t just jump in and swim across. I will have a pilot boat to navigate for me and find a safe path.

I won’t be swimming with a wetsuit. For a swim to be officially recognised, you must not be assisted by any kind of artificial aid – and you are only permitted to use goggles, one cap, a nose clip, ear plugs and one costume, that must be sleeveless and legless.

How long will it take? The shortest route is 21 miles long, but that can change depending on the current. The fastest record is held by Trent Grimsey from Australia who swam it in 6 hours 55 minutes. The slowest swim was by Jackie Cobell when she crossed the channel in 28 hours and 44 minutes. I’d be more than happy just to get across, but I expect it to be at least 18 hours of non-stop swimming.

I am hoping that the water will be warm in July, at a toasty 17c but this can vary and much of my training will be in much colder
water over spring.

Around 300 people take it on the challenge of the channel every single year, but only around one in five manage to complete it, so the swim is certainly not for the faint-hearted.  At the end of 2020 less people (2,157 individuals) had swum the channel than had successfully climbed Everest (5,788).

Water has always been a big part of my life, both for work and for fun. I know that I am privileged to have the chance to take on
this challenge whilst many people don’t have access to clean water and basic sanitation.  With that in mind I’d really
like to raise some money for WaterAid through my swim. As many of you already know WaterAid is the UK's only major charity dedicated exclusively to the provision of domestic water, sanitation and hygiene promotion to the world's poorest people.

Thank you

Andrea

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about channel swimming

How far is it?

The shortest route is 21 miles long, but that can
change depending on the current.

What about all those ships?

The Channel is one of the busiest shipping lanes in
the world, with 600 tankers and 200 ferries passing through it every day! So you cant just jump in and swim across. I will have a pilot boat to navigate for me and find a safe path.

Do you cover yourself in goose fat?

Swimmers don’t use goose fat anymore as it doesn’t
offer any insulation - it merely protects against chafing. Most swimmers now use Vaseline instead!

Is the water clean?

No doubt you Environment Agency folks will have the
best data, but here’s the official statement from the Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation –

‘The English Channel is one of the world's busiest
stretches of water for marine traffic. The water is very salty, brackish
even. We don't test the water, but swimmers have been swimming in the
English Channel since 1875.’

Do you need a passport?

Yes, you must have your passport on the boat (not necessarily on your person)!

How long will it take?

The fastest record is held by Trent Grimsey from Australia who swam it in 6 hours 55 minutes.

Jackie Cobell set the record for the slowest swim in
2010, when she crossed the channel in 28 hours and 44 minutes.

I’d be more than happy just to get across but I
expect it to be at least 16 hours of non-stop swimming.

Can you use a wetsuit?

For a swim to be officially recognised, you must
not be assisted by any kind of artificial aid – and you are only permitted to
use goggles, one cap, a nose clip, ear plugs and one costume, that must be
sleeveless and legless.

What will you eat?

You are not allowed to touch another human during
the course of the swim, any fuel in the way of food will be passed to you by a
long pole from your escort boat. I am still experimenting with the best things
to eat or drink.

What will the water temperature be?

It’s blooming chilly and part of your training is
getting used to the cold. During the swim season of July to September, says the
CSA, the temperature in the water ranges from 14 to 18C, but can plummet to 6C.
You must complete a six-hour swim in similar temperatures before the CSA will
let you attempt a crossing.

Epic trail blazers….

The first person to successfully cross the channel
was Captain Matthew Webb who swam the distance in 1875. It was his second attempt and it took him 21 hours and 45 minutes.

The American Gertrude Ederle became the first woman
to swim the Channel in 14 hours and 34 minutes.

Endurance swimming is a sport at which women excel.
History was made recently be two amazing women include Sarah Thomas’s four-way (yes you read that right, four!) English Channel swim on 15 September 2019, taking a total of 59 hours and 10 minutes. Add to that the achievement of Australian swimmer, Chloe McCardle, who on 13 October 2021 completed 44 channel
crossings, beating the record of 43 previously held by British swimmer Alison Streeter MBE, to become Queen of the channel.

What are the chances?

Around 300 people take it on every single year, but
only around one in five manage to complete it, so the swim is certainly not for the faint-hearted. Less people have swum the channel than have successfully climbed Everest.