A MASSIVE channel swim thank you!
Splish splosh splurgh. We all want to say an enormous thank you to all those that supported Team Channel 6 on our crossing of the English Channel. Here’s how it went…..
Once upon a Sunday eve, not so very long ago, eleven fair folk filed down to Dover and met beneath a dockside clocktower. Ben, Iain, Chris, Lucy and John were there to swim the channel; Andy, Ben, Sally, Simon, Pilot Chris and the Skipper were there to make it happen. Their motivation? Raising money for Depression Alliance and having the experience of a lifetime!
Chapter 1: Off we jolly well go
“Mmm… the water looks SO inviting”
Nervous laughs all round as we set off from Dover Harbour. Nervous, but excited.
Nervous laughs all round as we set off from Dover Harbour. Nervous, but excited.
Chapter 2: Ben takes the plunge
“Where d’you want this vaseline then?”
Ben was the first to brave the murky depths of the Channel. He had to jump in, swim to shore, stand fully out of the water on the beach (in the dead of night!) and then get back into the water and swim for an hour away from dry land.
Ben was the first to brave the murky depths of the Channel. He had to jump in, swim to shore, stand fully out of the water on the beach (in the dead of night!) and then get back into the water and swim for an hour away from dry land.
Chapter 3: A few swims later…
“Nope, no sign of France yet…”
A few night-time swims- clockwise from top left: our skipper (he didn’t swim), Lucy, Iain, Chris. This bit was pretty scary and VERY counter-intuitive!
A few night-time swims- clockwise from top left: our skipper (he didn’t swim), Lucy, Iain, Chris. This bit was pretty scary and VERY counter-intuitive!
Chapter 4: …and the sun comes up!
“Phew”
It was a beautiful dawn and rallied the troops considerably. Also made those depths a lot less murky.
It was a beautiful dawn and rallied the troops considerably. Also made those depths a lot less murky.
Chapter 5: Our trusty support team
“No! No! It’s not time for the vas hand again already?!”
The swim literally wouldn’t have happened without the support team. Kudos to Andy for looking human after 5 hours of vomit-induced hell (he was literally glowing green during the night), and for Ben (who also suffered from sickness but was a lot less ‘demonstrative’ about it) who took all these amazing photos and many more. Also a big thank you to Mummy and Daddy Langdon who made a special midnight journey to Dover to send us off (with some fruitcake) and welcome us back (with some more surprises). Thank you all.
The swim literally wouldn’t have happened without the support team. Kudos to Andy for looking human after 5 hours of vomit-induced hell (he was literally glowing green during the night), and for Ben (who also suffered from sickness but was a lot less ‘demonstrative’ about it) who took all these amazing photos and many more. Also a big thank you to Mummy and Daddy Langdon who made a special midnight journey to Dover to send us off (with some fruitcake) and welcome us back (with some more surprises). Thank you all.
Chapter 6: A few MORE swims…
“At one point, I mistook it for the Med!”
The conditions were perfect and we all enjoyed our second swims much more than our first. Respect to Ben, Iain and Chris who had to put in an extra third leg each. Clockwise from top left: Chris, Lucy, Ben, John, Iain.
The conditions were perfect and we all enjoyed our second swims much more than our first. Respect to Ben, Iain and Chris who had to put in an extra third leg each. Clockwise from top left: Chris, Lucy, Ben, John, Iain.
Chapter 7: Making it look gooood
“Has anyone got a green hat I can try? I’m not sure this pink is working for me…”
Not only did we swim the channel, we did it in style.
Not only did we swim the channel, we did it in style.
Chapter 7: And we made it!
“…et au revoir la France!”
Tired but chuffed to bits. Loved every second (except the jumping into the dark sea bit, and the freezing cold bit, and the throwing up bit, and the having to get in again bit… oh, and the throwing up bit again).
I’m kidding: it was awesome.
Tired but chuffed to bits. Loved every second (except the jumping into the dark sea bit, and the freezing cold bit, and the throwing up bit, and the having to get in again bit… oh, and the throwing up bit again).
I’m kidding: it was awesome.
Thanks for sorting this out Lucy, it’s great to have the record and share it with everyone who supported us. Oh and well done, very proud of you!! Ben xx
Wowee, you guys are absolutely amazing! I salute you. HUGE congrats!
Alex xx
SO impressed! Well done! An amazing achievement, Luisa xxx
Ben, an amazng effort! Well done to you all.
An amazing achievement. Love the picture of one of you swimming with a channel ferry in the background! Who needs a ferry to go to France? Great and for a good cause too.
Lovely Jubberly! What an adventure. Big well done and brilliant documentary and photos.
ems x
Really well done Ben and Lucy – what an amazing achievement!! Very impressed but feeling very lazy indeed now!! xxx
What a triumphant achievement! You are one great bunch of incredible people and it was truly excting to be supporting you, not in the water, not in the boat, but on dry land!