Swim Across English Channel

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On August 25, 1875 Captain Matthew Webb of the British Merchant Navy was the first person to swim the English Channel without the use of artificial aids. He swam the 34 kilometers (21 miles) from Dover, England to Calais, France in the Strait of Dover in less than 22 hours. In the 1920’s the Channel Swimming Association (CSA) was formed to authenticate the swimmers’ times since many dubious claims had been made after Captain Webb’s feat. The current record is held by a Bulgarian with a time of under 7 hours. Since the Strait of Dover in the English Channel is considered the busiest waterway in the world any swimmers attempting to cross the English Channel must be escorted by a pilot boat under the auspices of the CSA. Only about 10% of the adventurers that set out to cross the English Channel actually complete the attempt. The challenge of crossing the channel is more than the distance as the water is particularly cold, tides are strong and unpredictable and the wind and weather compete with the prolific traffic in the English Channel as additional obstacles for swimmers hoping to complete the crossing. Among the achievements certified by the CSA are the most crossings by a woman (43), a man (34), the oldest person (70 years), youngest (11 years, 11 months) along with the fastest time by an individual and a number of relay related records. Any attempt to swim the English Channel must include a well-executed training plan that includes building up stamina and appropriate nutrition. Extreme sports enthusiasts hoping to join the relative few that have completed this crossing will necessarily need to join the Channel Swimming Association and pick a date some years into the future to attempt the crossing. Your first step is to add the dream to Swim Across the English Channel to your bucket list and then start investigating the details. Should you accomplish this challenge you will have memories to share with your family and friends that will last your lifetime.

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