THE
CHALLENGE -
There are few challenges that can
stand the test of time. With science and technology
many great challenges are not undertaken on the same
basis as the original pioneers who first dreamed
them possible. Not so Swimming the English Channel.
When Captain Matthew Webb swam the Channel in 1875
he had one costume, hat, goggles and grease. For the
crossing to be recognized officially today the same
restrictions apply.
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THE LEGEND
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There are a
lot of factors that combine to make the swim hard.
-
The English Channel is
approximately 21 Miles - 19 nautical miles
(38000 yards) or 35 kilometres (35000 mtrs) -
wide at its narrowest point (Shakespeare Beach,
Dover to Cap Gris Nez, France). Most swims are a
little longer to the land on either side.
-
The Tides are strong and
change direction approximately every 6 hours.
They flow to the North East from about 1.5 hours
before high water to about 4.5 hours after high
water (Flood tide) - then turn and flow South
West from 4.5 hours after high water to 1.5
hours before high water (Ebb tide). These tides
can flow at up to 4 nautical miles per hour. The
tide gets later every day by about 1 hour and
change in height and flow speed every day. The
lowest flow/ height range is known as the NEAP
TIDES and is the time most swimmers try to swim.
The highest flow/height range is the SPRING
TIDES and require calm weather and good piloting
for swims to be successful. (Good spring tide
swims are usually a little faster than neap
swims but require a lot more planning an skill
from the pilot).
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The wind and the weather are
an unknown quantity and the forecasts are only
approximate. The Dover Straits are prone to
local weather conditions that can vary
considerably from that which is forecast and the
weather can change very quickly (15/20 mins).
When you combined wind and tide you can have
some very sudden changes in sea conditions.
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There are over 600 commercial
ship movements a day in the traffic
separation zone, (which is about the middle 9
nautical miles). To go from England to France
you have to swim across the shipping lanes (at
90°T to the traffic) and it is the pilots job to
stay out of the path of the commercial vessels.
There are also 80 to 100 ferry crossings between
Dover and Calais every 24 hours. It's very busy.
-
It's very
cold ! Ranging between 57f and 61f in July
Put all these
things together, include a large portion of mental
tension, note that everything is "approximate" or
"about" and you have the worlds hardest swim --
"The Everest of open water swimming". The
success rate each season is usually less than 50%
for solo swims. (source data was from the
Channel
Swimmers and Piloting Federation - visit them
for masses of experience and knowledge of what
this challenge takes)
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THE CHARITY -
In the hope that the funds raised will help find a cure for more
forms of Cancer and one day prevent the heartache this disease
causes.
Perthes Association –This Association aims to help and advise
families of children suffering from Perthes' and associated
conditions in all parts of the British Isles and abroad. Perthes'
(a potentially crippling condition of the hip) is a form of
osteochondritis, which affects 5.5 per 100,000 children (mainly
boys) between the ages of 2 and 15 years. My youngest son is
part way through his recovery from this condition.
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Registered charity No.
1089464 
