I left Dover at 3:04 in the morning and got to Wissant beach at about 8:27 in the evening. I saw the sun rise and set as well as lots and lots of ships: some of them very close!
Rachel Reed: Channel swim
Some of Rachel's other exploits: She took part in an overseas expedition to Alaska, as part of a team of 16 people who kayaked 200 miles across the Prince William Sound looking into the long term effects of the Exxon Valdez oil disaster. She did a parachute jump in 1998, a long term ambition. In 2003, she took part in a sail training voyage on the Stavros S Niarchos, a 200 foot square sailing ship belonging to the Sail Training Association. They sailed from Portsmouth to Dingle (in Ireland) and then on to Waterford. During a group swim in the sea, she managed to save one of her crew members who had an asthma attack while jumping into the sea. She achieved her purple belt in karate before going to university.
I bumped into four jellyfish and got stung by two when I was nearly on French sand. The observer came with me to shore to make sure I was wholly out of the water and said "Why aren't you really really tired?" I guess I got on such a high before doing it that I was still buzzing.
Then there was honey. At one point I appeared to be flagging slightly and needed some ibuprofen for my shoulders - well, that and copious amounts of honey, and I was steaming along even though the tide was slowing my progress. Marian and Janice kept loading my drinks with honey to see what effect it had on me and it made me get faster and faster against the tide so it must have been damn good stuff!
Marian Arnott Weeks and Janice Wheeler made a fantastic team with their help and all crew! Special thanks as well to Martin and Sonia at the Sandham Guesthouse, Dover for their hospitality and support!
I am doing my swim for two charities: British Stammering Association and RNLI (the lifeboat charity). I chose BSA because I have a stammer myself and I strongly believe that there isn't enough media coverage and awareness in our society of this condition. It can contribute to low confidence and bullying to the point where many children and adults lack assertiveness and the confidence to lead successful lives. BSA's mission is to strive for a world which understands stammering.
In my teens we did some swim training in the sea with the Weymouth Swimming club, and were coached by former Channel swimmers. I remember wanting to cover great distances, because I never felt the cold very badly.
After my degree and teacher training, I moved back to Dorset and obtained work at the local college, mentoring and lecturing. I joined the Weyport Masters Swimming club and decided to get into open water swimming. In 2006, I swam the length of Lake Windermere and I have been doing various open water swims since then.
7th September
We have had some bad news: we have to wait due to terrible weather during the tidal window. I will now have to wait until the end of September before I can do the swim. If not, it could be another year.
10th August
The swim is in about three weeks' time, weather depending. I have a window from 26th August till 3rd September.
Training for it, so far I've done many long swims including a 10¼ hour one in Weymouth bay on a rough day. The other day I did an 8 hour swim into the night followed by a 6 hour swim the following day (after a short night's sleep), so I guess I am ready now.
The water temperature has risen to about 18 celsius on a good day, although it still feels a bit cold in the mornings. I have done all of my long swims and I am tapering down now, soon I will be itching to do the real thing!
ISAD Online Conference 2009
This International Stammering Awareness Day event is freely available online. Read papers and discussion from around the world.
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