STRATEGY ENGLISH CHANNEL For a relay swim, the standard is six one-hour swimming
shiſt s in strict rotation. So you'll have fi ve hours in which to dry off , put on dry clothes (with your next swimsuit underneath), eat, drink and try to catch some sleep. You must stick to the order of swimmers you give to the offi cial observer at the start of your swim, and deviation from this – for any reason – will see the relay at empt aborted. Your fi rst swimmer starts the swim on dry land in England and you swim in rotation until one of you hits land the other side Many solo swimmers take part in a relay
before doing their own solo, seeing it as an invaluable way to gain experience of the swim, the Channel, the logistics and the reality. Others prefer not to know what's in store.
PICK YOUR TIDE You'll need to choose a tide and a boat pilot. Don't panic if you don't know which tide to go on and aren't familiar with any of the pilots; the organisation will guide you. Most swimmers swim on a neap tide, when the moon is at its fi rst or third quarter and the tide's range is at a minimum. The alternative is a spring tide, around new and full moons, when the tide's range is at its maximum, low waters are lowest and high water is higher than average. It is perfectly possible to swim on a spring tide but neaps are the more common choice.
Four swimmers are allocated slots per 10-to-14-day tide. You will therefore end up being (for example) number three on the tide starting 25th July. This means there are two swimmers ahead of you. Bear in mind that it's quite possible they may end up not taking their slot due
to extenuating circumstances. You could therefore be given the option to swim on the second, or even first, suitable day on the tide, often with little notice. Due to poor weather and sea conditions, entire tides can come and go without any swimmers getting away.
DO THE ADMIN
Every year, swims have to be cancelled because swimmers simply fail to return the necessary paperwork in time. Don't be one of those people. You will need a deposit, a fee to join the organisation, a medical (which you'll have to pay for), signed paperwork and the
balance of the swim fee in due course.
The approximate fee for a one-way crossing is £,2300 for a one-way crossing. There is usually a booking fee (around £250) to reserve a pilot’s place, which is part of the non-returnable deposit of around £1,000 to be paid to your pilot on confi rmation of your booking. There’s also an admin fee of £120 per solo swim and £150 for a relay swim, which is non-returnable.
YOU MAY PAUSE TO EAT AND DRINK BUT REMEMBER YOU CAN’T TOUCH YOUR BOAT OR ANY CREW MEMBER
A PILOT'S VIEW
Eddie Spelling, Channel pilot of the Anastasia, talks about his job: ”All Channel pilots give every job 100 percent and we know we're only as only as good as our last job. We do this for a living.
“If your pilot tells you to get out of the water, it's for one of two reasons: you're in danger or you're going nowhere. Follow his instructions, get his feedback and come back to try again another time. ”You can't try to swim the Channel with pool swims as
Nicola racing the ferry to France
Photo © Nicola Joyce 26
your frame of reference. Train for the worst conditions (cold, rough seas, a bad day, illness). Train hard, and then train harder. ”You set the speed, I set the course. Being slow isn't a problem, but not being honest with your pilot is. Be honest with us and we can deal with it. You are the engine.” ”Think about the overall cost, including air fare and accommodation. Varne Ridge Caravan Park in Dover looks aſt er hundreds of swimmers every season."
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