It's around 22 miles across the Channel from England to France. Rachel Reed describes what it was like to swim it. You can sponsor her at www.justgiving.com/rachelreed2/, or watch the YouTube video.

Early hours: climbing into the sea

The day started in the very early hours, when we were given a lift to the marina by Martin and Sonia. They run the Sandham guest house in Dover where we had been staying, and were very supportive throughout. They have many channel swimmers as guests.

Going aboard Seafarer 2, we got ready. It seemed like I was preparing for a training swim in Weymouth, apart from the fact that this one involved lanolin and light sticks. After preparing, I sat on my towel waiting to go in the water and swim to the beach to start. It was such a nerve-wracking time. I had imagined this moment since I was about fourteen years of age, now it was finally here.

I started the swim from Dover at 3:04 in the morning. It was pitch dark but I could see the lights on the boat. All that the boat crew could see was my two light sticks bobbing up and down in the little waves. I bumped into a couple of jellyfish as the tide was pushing me gently out to sea from the Kent coast: nothing to worry about though.

The sun began to come up after I had a few feeds, and after three and a half hours I was in the first shipping lane. The tankers were moving from east to west. They were rattling on past at very high speeds when I caught a glimpse of their nationality or what they had on board. The crew said later just how close some of them came!

In the shipping lanes

Next we were in the separation zone. I had made half way in just under seven hours, and we were well on course for a fourteen or fifteen hour swim. Deep down though, I knew it could be longer. So many people had talked about the tide near to France pushing swimmers back out to sea. This happened to Mervyn Sharp many years ago - he was the first to swim the Channel seven times. You just have to keep moving, as he did.

In French waters

I was well prepared mentally and physically and had a fantastic crew. Feed after feed went by in the separation zone, and we began to see tankers moving eastbound towards the North Sea. I knew we had entered the second shipping lane in French waters. This was a very welcome sight, because it meant I was moving towards France and making good time. We also saw a couple of fishing vessels and very many cross channel ferries in the distance during the day - I had never seen so many in my life!

We had been able to see the French coast for a while now but I wasn't thinking we were nearly there. Swimming in Weymouth Bay, you can see across to Lulworth, but it is much further away than it looks. It was early to mid afternoon but it felt like it was about five o'clock. This was due to the early start in Dover, which seemed a long way away now. Every time I had a feed, which was every forty five minutes, I lay back and kicked my legs to keep moving and it was possible to see the White Cliffs growing ever smaller in the distance.

The next feed came and there was a lovely message from the Weyport Masters Swimming Club in Weymouth. The open water swimmers sent their best regards and said they were with me stroke by stroke. This made me know that I wasn't on my own doing this swim in any way, especially with my crew Marian and Janice there as well.

I began to flag a couple of hours later because I hadn't had my second ibuprofen. I had forgotten about it, so had it on my next feed. Janice and Marian put more honey in my feeds and it was full steam ahead!

Sunset

I had been going for about fourteen hours, and swimming along nicely in a gorgeous sunset. The tide had begun to turn, and I was about five miles from the French coast for a long time, just edging in slowly. I was also moving sideways, even though I never felt it - the houses and windows on the French shore seemed to be edging to the side. I felt okay though. I knew that this was normal for many cross channel swimmers. Cap Gris Nez was over to the west of us and we were heading for Wissant beach. Chris Poutney, the observer, came in the water to put a couple more light sticks on my hat and costume ready for when the sun went down. Chris Osmond said to me that I was getting there and I was doing fine.

In fact I don't remember any low points in the swim. I remember there were times when I felt I could take on the world, and I was so lucky to be there. Despite the occasional aches and pains and swollen tongue, I wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else in the world!

There was no question in my mind that I was going to make it. I just hoped that our crew didn't mind having a late night. They had all done really well that day in terms of sea sickness, despite the boat doing what looked like a lot of rocking and rolling because it had to stay at swimmer speed.

Darkness, and more jellyfish

As we continued into the French coast, I was pushing harder and harder. That honey being added to my feed did the trick! When we got near to the coast, and the scarlet tinge in the sky gave way to darkness only lifted by the sodium lights on the French coast, I bumped into a couple more jellyfish. I got stung this time, but it was only like a little nettle rash across each wrist. Chris, the observer, was in the water with me by this time because when I landed he would have to ensure that I was entirely out of the water. I mentioned about the jellyfish and he said I should go towards him where there weren't any. Just a few feet over made a lot of difference!

Asleep

Chris then called out that he had sand, he could put his feet down. I tried and I could too - I had got to French sand. I was going to high five him but he said that I was not able to until I was out of the water, due to rules. We walked quickly out of the water and high fived. I had made it in seventeen hours and twenty three minutes. We looked for a rock to take back but it was difficult in the darkness, and I was safe in the knowledge that I had made it. I felt fine, and not at death's door like I expected I might be. Maybe it was being on a high that did it. While I was swimming back to the boat, avoiding the jellyfish, I thought of how much money I had raised. I had a very long sleep as the boat took us back to Dover - I guess most of us did!

Rachel did the swim on 24th September 2009, in 17 hours 23 minutes. www.justgiving.com/rachelreed2/

Channel swim, incl YouTube video