Dover...' A Weekend At Freda`s...! '

Ricks Team along side The Channel General 
 Freda Streeter on Swimmers Beach in Dover

We had done everything we could possible think of to be ready for this day, but nothing could quite prepare us for what was install on first ever trip to swimmers beach in Dover. it was 5am on a beautiful sunny Saturday morning as we left the midlands on our 4 hour drive to Dover..., everyone in the team had been waiting for this day as we all knew  it would show us once and for all if  the previous months of 1st endless pool training, and as we moved on to the months of cold water training had paid of, AND we were ready to swim the channel................... 

The amazing view of Dover harbor and the English Channel

As we approached Dover on the M20, everyone was in good spirits  laughing and joking taking the Micheal out of captain cash as usual , but  then all of sudden as we  drove over last of the hills  that leads down into Dover,  the view that confronted us  left us all totally speechless., it was the our first sighting of  the English channel..it looked absolutely awe inspiring in the morning sunshine, it was stretching as far as the eye , it sent shivers down your spine just to see it that way..! ..the picture above simply does not do it justice.

Capt Matthew Webb.
first man to ever swim the channel in 1875

As we drive down the promenade along the sea front heading towards swimmers beach we pasted the statue of Captain Matthew Webb ,  the first man to ever swim the channel on Aug 24th 1875. Once you see the Captain you know you have arrived, we see could the crowds on the beach, so parked up, grabbed the gear and headed over..no one was speaking much...think it had really dawned on everyone that the talk was over and we really are swimming the channel.... and there it was ..!!

            click on an View the famous Channel swimmers beach @ Dover


Swimmers beach is world famous for channel swimmers, anyone who is  anyone would have swam and trained here before there attempts to conquer the mighty Channel...As we walked onto the pebbled beached we could already see a lot of the solo swimmers had already started there training, Freda told us  they had to start a hour before us wimpy relay swimmers as they have 6 hours or more to swim .!!!

Freda Streeter
Has trained channel swimmers for over 25yrs

Okay..it was time to meet the channel general Freda..., as i said in the last blog,,Freda has some what of a reputation for being hard on channel wimps..!! so as we walk over to her in our matching red tops, she looked up and said who are these guys .?? they look more like a formation dance outfit  than a relay team.!! so when the first thing we asked here was for a team picture she knew she was right.!

So after we had danced around the beach for 5 minutes trying to get a good picture (which is hard work i can tell you with this ugly bunch, with the exception of super model Gary and Nicky of course.!!) we got down to business..Freda explained in full graphic detail about the safety of rules of swimming at Dover.. thee most important of these is to Never , never swim further than 2  whites lines marked on either side of the harbour walls., Because firstly you will most likely get hit by the P&O ferry heading to Calais,  but even worse you will get a rollicking of me for not listening...!!

Darran laughing at the meat boys, Rob and Rich..making all the excuses in the world to Freda..but she just waited for them to finished, and said just talk to the hands boys, I,ve heard them all before...now if that's it...?? Get in....!!

The Gimp..was looking a bit worried before the off.!!

Once the safety briefing was sorted , Freda then when on to tell us what she wanted us to do ,the plan is with no exception's ,( she meant NONE.!) was to swim for 2 hours ,with a 1 hour rest , and then back in for another hour to finish off....!! Hm mm i could see some of the dance group were not happy at the thought of this..!!!

Its 10am ,and so time to go. Big Ricks joined the 40 or so other relay swimmers from all over the UK who are also planning their own attempts on the channel this summer..its small and a very select group and we were proud to be part of it. ,

( Ricks team are the swimmers already in the sea in the middle of the pic.!)

Well the Swim went great, sea was cold ish but not to bad..about  12/13 degrees..its best to explain the way you swim at Dover . You roughly enter the sea from the middle of  swimmers beach , then head straight out about 100 yards or so from the beach , then turn right and head for the harbour wall and the 2 white vertical lines painted on it..guess it was about a 600m swim  to the wall.

You can just about see the 2 whites lines where you swim to
on the left side of the harbor

Once there, you touch the wall,  turn around and head back across the harbor to the other white lines painted on the opposite wall some 1300m or so away..  As you swim across , you must make sure as  you don`t get pushed out to sea  by the strong tide which is very easy to do ,Just ask Paul and Doug who were almost in France at point..!! and that's it really ..you swim from wall to wall for 2 hours..!!

Think you can just about see Paul and Doug chasing the ferry to France,
 you just imagine what Freda thought of them both after.!!

The sea was a bit choppy on the day , especially as you approached the left harbour wall., but it wasn`t bad enough that you couldn`t swim okay..after about hour and half..we had a quick chat and checked our watches...most of us where started to feeling a little cold, but it was only another half so carried in,  we got back to the getting out point with still 5 minutes to spare, but  thought it would be okay to get out now..!!

                                      click on..See on how the swim went
As we started to get out , like a flash Freda and her team appeared for nowhere and started shouting orders at us, just like a Drill sergeant would !! ..GET BACK IN, did you not hear me, GET BACK IN...you haven`t finished it... I said 2 hours was the test so get back in and finish it..!!!! after the shock of being shouted at , we couldn`t stop laughing..this little old lady shouting out the orders like that..;-)) 

The Rush to get Warm when its all over..!!

Super won , well he was the 1st out ;-))

Gary having tears of joy now that's its all over..!!

Paul enjoying some of Darran Delicious home made bird food.!!

Miss Alsop posing in front of the P&O ferry



The Don looking a bit cold

Big Ricks formation dance team.!



Captain Cashy all smiles now its over..!,

He shouted okay men the swim is done, now lets

find our boat in Folkestone..! to which we all replied Yes Freda.!!  

Once the swim was over, we thanked Freda and her team for all there help and advice and went on our way the  few miles round the coast to Folkestone to find our boat that will take us across the channel next month, sadly our pilot Fred Mardle was on holiday so we couldn`t have chat with him, but he told us to head down to the quay side in Folkestone and we would see our vessel in the harbour ..!!! so that's what we did..

The Boys on  Folkesone Quay side in search of the Boat..!
No wonder paul is swimming so fast..check out that solar panel.!!

Pauls has spotted it.!!! Hmmmmm

Gary , can not bring himself to Look..!!!Hmmm 

i think we are going to need a bigger boat..!!!

Can anyone spot the man who could not stop laughing
after seeing the size of Fred boat..!! Doug don,t you just love him

A Great weekend over...!

This Weeks Channel  classic tune was picked by 'The Don' aka Richard..it might not be everyone,s cup of tea...but its top song for sure..its Country...by Mr Paul Weller

Big Ricks Channel Tip....
This is a common sense tip... If Anyone is seriously thinking about swimming the Channel at some point in the future, Then we would say, sure do as much training as you can in the pool and lake, but there really is no substitute for Sea training.. So when ever its possible to start get you ass to Dover ( 1s weekend in May)..because no matter how much you think you have prepared yourself  by pool training in the winter , and then moved on into cold water training in lakes in April, its nothing like Sea swimming.. So do is as much and as often as you possible can.. .!
Never forget channel swimming is not meant to be easy..!!

Rob needed a moment on his own to reflect and
to tell  Mrs cash he was not coming home till Sunday..oops  

Big Ricks team are swimming the channel in aid of Cancer Research UK and The British Heart Foundation . If you wish to Support us in anyway ,then just click  link below and Please give what you can. Every penny you give  will go to help save Lives..!! 

                         Big Ricks Channel Fundraiser Page

Please feel free to contact Big Ricks Swim team ..our email is.. bigrickswimteam@gmail.com  It  would great to hear your thoughts on our channel swim, or perhaps you wish to have a go at open water swimming..i am sure we could help get you started..;-))...