Big Ricks Swim Team: Touch Both Sides (England To France And Back..!!)

Thursday, 1 September 2016

Touch Both Sides (England To France And Back..!!)

Ricks Double English Channel Special

Welcome To Big Rick`s Blog...
for any 1st timers , these blogs are our light hearted view to all the joys and adventures that Big Ricks Swim Team enjoy through open water swimming.
these stories take place in beautiful lakes, fabulous seas
and amazing rivers all over the UK..!!

Okay..so where do we start...

The plan was to swim to France and back ..our channel window was from Wednesday 27^th July to Sunday 31^st July..which means we had to get it done

Between those dates or we would miss our channel slot and have to rearrange for another time , most likely in 2017 .!!..so when we drove down to Dover on Tuesday morning (26^th july) we were like

Every other channel swimmer that does this trip .. excited, nervous and off course expecting to swim the following Day..!!!!

Shakespeare beach,Dover..

the Start of Many English Channel swims..

Well had a small hope that we may get to start the swim late Tuesday early Wednesday morning ...However as is normal with the English channel ,

Things changes fast.. and as you can see in the video above ,no one was swimming from Shakespeare beach today...;-(..

Once Rob found out there was no swim ,
he went to the Varne Ridge Magic cupboard
to get a Jigsaw to start and Finish before we go...

so the 1st day of our channel window...Was a no swim...(27th July)...

we speak to our channel Pilot Lance Oram or his Dad Micheal every night at 7.30 to check what our chances of swimming are...Thursday was still not looking great, but lets see what tomorrow brings us...fingers crossed...

Samphire Hoe Dover .

Another Starting Point for many a channel swim,

Thursday 28th July , once again even though the weather was brighter , there was still no chance of swimming today..
the sea is just just to rough mid channel and towards France , high winds & Fog expected for later in the day, having spoken to Micheal ..Saturday morning is looking better, and there maybe a chance to goo... ..lets hope soo...

Day 2 of our wait to swim ,
day 2 of Rob challenge to finish the jigsaw
can you tell we are getting bored yet..!!!!!!!!!!

Thursday Night , around 8pm, we have just spoken to our Pilot Micheal ..things are starting to look positive for Saturday morning..GREAT we scream , we need to phone again at 9am tomorrow to see if its go or Not. ..!!
its hard to believe that there could be any chance at the moment , because if we look out over the sea from where we are stopping at Varne Ridge ...its 100% no visibility FOG..!! has arrived big time..

View from Varne Ridge on a normal clear day..
your can see Folkestone in the distance.
home of many of the Channel Boats

Now Check the view Tonight from

the same spot..

28th July

Friday 29th July...now on our 4th waiting day in Dover ..!! its 9.30am..we have spoken to our channel pilot..and our two way swim is a Goooo....we were given the option
of going Sunday , but we had a chat between the team ..and even though conditions tomorrow could mean a tougher swim to France,the weather should improve over Saturday and so we could have better conditions for the swim back to England on Saturday evening ...well that is the hope.

Finally Good News..

its Friday 29th July..

and we have finally be given the green light

to swim early Saturday morning

2nd bit of Good News today..
Rob Finished the Jigsaw ..At last...

Time To Swim The Channel...

just Remember ..this is a Two way swim...

Sooooo

Its Not Over Until Dover....!

7.00am 30th July Saturday Morning..
finally after 12 months of Training..
our Two Way Channel Swim of The English Channel
Is finally about to happen

Leaving Dover Marina

aboard Sea Satin heading to Shakespeare beach

to get the swim under way..

Finally underway
making our way out of Dover Harbour
towards Shakespeare beach
our starting point

Our First Channel Tanker snap
and we haven`t even started yet

in the distance
The Grand Burstin hotel
in Folkestone

a bit of channel traffic today.
all 12 Channel Boats are out today....
one swim`s leaves as we approach Shakespeare`s beach
to start

almost ready to start..

Claire gets channel underway

Mrs T...
all smiles after her 1st of what would be 4 Hr swims
over the day,,

The King..

Big Rob looking smooth and Fast.!!!

on the 2nd hr ..

Rob looking good...
the big man had a rough trip after his 1st hr..
channel sea sickness is just the worst thing ..
but its didn`t stop rob swimming .!!
the man is a god

Prince Charles takes to the water..

hr 3..

Charlie...aka "Jelly Queen"
looking cool...after having a little drama`s with the local
wildlife .as his scream of "" Jelliesssssssssssss ""
half way through hour