Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

As many of you know i love sport, and though playing rugby is now just no longer an option(wonky knee, age, general slowness) being an strong swimmer the pool beckond to fend off the sands of time. Over the last couple of seasons the bug has taken me to open water swimming..lakes, rivers, sea etc..... the English Channel was always on my mind as the adventure of the lifetime. Being able to do this with Aspire and make a meaningful difference to people with life changing disability was just simply too good an opportunity to pass up.

For the uninitiated, the English Channel at its shortest point is 21 nautical miles across, though negotiating takes swimmers up and down this much reveared stretch of sea, due to tidal movement and with it considerably more distance.

Factor in average summer water temperatures of around 14 degrees(most pools are 30 deg!) sizeable waves and swell, swimming in the dark, the busiest shipping lanes in the world, jelly fish,Chronic sea sickness and you start to understand just why it is the everest of long distance swimming.

My team of 5 others and me will take turns 1 hr each in strict continual rotation(assuming we all survive the 2 hour qualifier in Dover Harbour(speedos only incidentally..no wetsuits allowed!)) until we make land in France and get to sign our names on the walls in the White Horse Pub in Dover.....

Team Aspire Starfish is due to make crossing on or around July 1st 2014

Watch this space for frequent updates on training and progress.... i'm calling in some favours now Friends, Family, Colleagues... i have a big target and failure is not an option for me!

Help me and help this wonderful charity.

 Love x

Phil

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