UPDATE:

 

I completed the swim on Monday 3 May, but it was much toughter than any of us expected.

When the swim is usually done in August the sea temperature is about 25C and about half way across the current kicks in and brings you home.  Last year the winner won in 43 minutes and the last swimmer came in in 91 minutes.  I was therefore hoping for something between an hour and one hour ten minutes for the 4.5 k crossing.  In fact, this year's winner (who swam the channel last year in 10 hours 30) took 1 hour 27.

On Monday, the sea temperature was 12C and we were strongly encouraged to wear wetsuits.  The course was changed slightly to increase the distance to 5k, but that was not a significant problem.

The biggest issue was the currents - they never helped us!  At times it seemed as if you really had been going nowhere for a very long time, as we battled through some very choppy sea.  One swimmer claimed that his GPS watch showed nearly 9 k at the end!

We had also be warned that we might see jellyfish.  Might?  beautiful moon jellyfish were almost a continous presence - it was only in the very deepest part of the shpping lane that they disappeared for a bit.  Once I decided that there was nothing I could do about then but swim through them, it became a bit surreal, like swimming through an aquarium exhibit.  I did not get stung, even though I did occasionally flick them with my fingers as I swam.

I finally arrived in Asia after the toughest 2 hours and one minute of my life!  Many swimmers did not make it, hauled out into boats because of the cold, cramp, or fear of the very rough seas.  The finish line was full of people suffering from mild hypothermia - others were treated in ambulances.  My natural insulation stood me in good stead!

There are some photos above - me after the race with the other (Europe) side of the Hellespont (where we started) in the background, me getting out at the finish (looking rather relieved, although, as I had not been wearing a watch, at that stage I did not know how long I had been swimming for), and a picture of the start of the race.

There was also a piece in the Daily Mail and a (much better) piece in the Guardian - http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/may/06/hellespont-swim-byron?CMP=twt_gu.

Thank you again for all your support, for a very worthwhile cause.

Sara

 

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

My mother died in the early hours of Monday 8th February, after having battled against pancreatic cancer, which had spread to her liver and lungs.  My sisters and I feel so grateful that mum was fortunate enough to be under the care of St Christopher's Hospice in South London for the final weeks of her life. 

St Christopher's specialises in pallative care for the dying, and it does it extremely well.  When my mum was transferred here from hospital in January, she turned to my sister Kate and said "I could end my days here".  She was cared for by a small group of specialist nurses who were very good at what they did but also treated mum as a human being, and not a "case".

St Christopher's is a charity, which receives only about one third of its income from the NHS. Each year it must raise more than £9 million to continue to deliver its services free of charge.  

So what am I doing to say thank you for the care my mother has received?  A sponsored swim of course!

On May 3, I am going to attempt to swim from Europe to Asia by swimming across the Hellespont in Turkey, a distance of about 4.5km across the most concentrated shipping lane in the world (although I am hoping it will be closed to ships while I am swimming).  This is the 200th anniversary to the day of the inaugural swim across the Hellespont - completed by Lord Byron, no less. 

I am paying all the costs of the trip, and I will also match the total amount donated up to £5000. 

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. If, however, you would prefer to donate in some other way, then just let me know and I will do the necessary.

So PLEASE sponsor me for this very worthy cause.

Many thanks

Sara