I am so proud and priviledged to say that Dave made his solo attempt across the English Channel last week! I had the pleasure (or pain) of being one of his crew, along with Sam (Sambo); and also be his support swimmer. It was a long tough day out there, but he made it 15 hours and 3 mins later. I was with him as he landed on the beach in the dark at gone 10pm. He had been going since 7.05 am that morning! Just awesome!
He won't mind me telling you it wasn't pretty. It got quite swelly and choppy out there early on and this made for quite an early mental wobble for Dave (having experienced this last year, and not quite making it). This surpised Sambo and I, and we had to use all tactics possible to keep him in the water and positively motivated - it wasn't easy! I just resorted to being a meanie and shouting and swearing at him like crazy in the end! This, coupled with him being unable to keep his feeds down at 4 hours, meant he had hit a dark place (we had to rescue feed him black tea and fruit sugar)......but it worked and gradually he moved through it! I had got in at 4 and a half hours, to swim alongside him for an hour, to try and boost him along. Dave recalls this definitely helped.....and in again 2 hours later! It was just good to be by his side, getting eye contact, putting thumbs up and shouting encouraging words. By this time he was feeding better, swimming steadily and mentally a lot more focussed. Phew! (thought Sam and I!). We relayed messages to him and words of encouragement at every feed. We constantly talked and made hand/arm/thumbs up/swimming signals to him as he was swimming. Again he said this was a great help. He was just fantastic, swimming, communicating a little (he even asked how his dog was, who had just had a little op!) and listening to our encouragement/messages/instructions.
The last 3 miles were tough too. The tide had turned, as had happened to him last year, and he was just missing the Cap (the shortest landng point). It took approx an hour to swim each last mile - so you can see how strong the tide was and how tired Dave was! However, he was slowy making forward progress. It was dark by now and Lance (the boat pilot) asked me to get in for a 4th and final time with Dave, to push hin in to land, and also to be there to help him back to the boat through the (now big) waves and swell in the dark! I had just got nice and comfy and warm and dry!! ;-) So of course, I went back in!! Last half mile....."come on Dave.....you can do this....you are doing this.....you are going to make it.......you are there.......come on......come on.......put your feet down (I shouted).....put your F..... feet down"......(I could feel the sand!) He did, and promptly fell over......"crawl" I shouted....he did, then slowly managed to stand up.....walk out of the shallows......turned around and waved his fists in the air....WoooooHoooo!! I shouted to the flashlight in the distance, gave Dave a big hug and then we headed straight back to the waves! He was desperate to get on that boat!
Dave reckons he was so elated he 'sprinted ' back to the boat....I have since had to tell him I was 'breastroking' alongside him......to keep an eye on him in the dark and the waves!! He stil reckons he was sprinting ;-)! What a feeling! Tough and torrid at times......we had to work hard as a crew (you cannot do this without solid support), but no where near as hard as the legend that is Dave, who swam for over 15 hours to achieve his dream!! Great experience once again for me too. I will try my very best to emaulate what he has done in just a few weeks time! Totally inspirational and AMAZING!!
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