Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: How far is it?

18.2 nautical miles, 21 land miles or 34 kilometres as the crow flies. Unfortunately the tidal conditions make it impossible to swim in a straight line, often adding significantly to the total distance that must be covered.

Q: Why Cancer Research?

1 in 3 people are affected by cancer at some point in their life. One of my friends in currently receiving care for Breast Cancer in Western Park hospital Sheffield. There are many types of cancer and the need for further research is acute. Cancer research yields real results in respect of the prevention and dignified treatment of cancer sufferers.

Q: Do you wear a wetsuit?

No. Wetsuits help to keep you warm, are an aid to buoyancy and help most people to swim faster. One may wear: 1 pair of Speedos, 1 hat and 1 pair of goggles. When swimming in the dark, light sticks are also permitted*.

Q: What does the training involve?

I have been training at weekends with the 'Channel General', Freda Streeter in Dover harbour. We share the harbour with dullard rowers and large ferries. 29 laps of the harbour is the approximate (straight line) distance to France. The harbour looks quite clean when viewed from a satellite. You can’t see the jelly fish either.



An average week currently involves about 35-40k of swimming, mainly open water. For those who like this quantified in lengths of a 25m pool (and you are the majority), that's 1400 to 1600 lengths per week. I started training properly at the beginning of December 2006.

The most sessions I've done in one week was 10, but this can make activities such as staying awake at work rather difficult. The longest single swim I have done is 6 hours (several times). This will increase until around 2 weeks before the swim when tapering kicks in.

For any interested in having a crack, I have full details in my trusty training diary.

Q: Are there any sharks?

The much asked Spielberg question......there are no sharks. They are presumably sharking somewhere a bit warmer.

Q: Is the water dirty/cold?

Dover harbor is certainly pretty cold and is in no danger of being taken over by Evian. At the start of the season on 1st May, the temperature was approximately 11 degrees and this will hopefully increase to 16 degrees by the end of July. The Dover area is approximately 1 degree warmer than at the same time last year, suggesting that global warming is making channel swimming slightly easier.

Q: Do you have a boat to follow you?

Yes, indeed. Several swimmers have tried without troubling themselves with the inconvenience of arranging a support boat, but they are now dead so I thought this a reasonable precaution.

My pilot is Lance Oram and this is one of his boats, Sea Satin. Lance has done in excess of 150 solo crossings and is one of the more experienced pilots. The small rib towed behind the boat is to retrieve swimmers from the beach upon reaching France (the boat itself cannot get into shore as it is too shallow).



Q: How long will it take?

This is very hard to predict as it is entirely contingent upon the weather, particularly the wind direction and tides. The average time is approximately 13 hours. The tides near the French coast are notoriously tricky and it is not unknown to spend 3 or more hours within a mile of the coast.

A word on David Walliams - last July, David Walliams completed the Channel in 10 hours 30 mins and in doing so raised over a millions pounds for charity (a very small percentage of which came from me). This is world class effort - significantly quicker than the 14 hours that he had estimated. He is well regarded by the General who gave him several 7 hour swims in the harbour and treated him like everyone else. When asked by the media to arrange a guard of honour for Walliams after a long training swim, she sent them packing.

More recently Walliams has focused on using his fame and wit to chase totty on the London scene. All told: a good lad.

Q: How many?

Captain Matthew Webb made the first observed and unassisted swim across the Strait of Dover swimming from England to France on 24 August–25 August 1875 in 21 hours and 45 minutes. He allegedly drank brandy and beer to keep him warm.

According to the Channel Swimming & Pilot’s Federation website, up to the end of 2006 there have been:

- 916 solo crossings from England to France
- 255 solo crossings from France to England
- This including 33 2-way swims & 3 3-way swims

These were completed by completed by 544 male swimmers & 262 Female swimmers – 806 individuals in total.

By comparison, as of the end of the 2006 climbing season, there have been 3,050 ascents to the summit of Everest, by 2,062 individuals (source: Wikipedia).

The world record number of channel swims is held by Alison Streeter MBE, the General’s daughter. She has completed:

43 Crossings in total
1 x 3-way swim
3 x 2-way swims
34 x 1-way swims

Q: Grease, Goose fat, et al

‘Greasing’ is allowed although this is concerned with preventing friction burns rather than keeping warm. Checklist of areas to grease:

- Chin
- Under arms
- Triceps
- Back of the neck
- Knackers

There are several grease products available, although my current favourite is Vaseline petroleum jelly.

Q: What do you think about?

This is not actually as much of a problem as you might assume. Swimming outside is far more interesting than in a pool - you never know when you are next going to get stung by a jelly fish, for example. Here's some activities that pass the time:

1. The A to Z game - think of a subject such as 'Ways to Kill Celine Dion' and then come up with 26 ways of doing so. Asphyxiation, Boil in Oil, etc.
2. Singing - Generally, I stick to Bob Dylan and Neil Young as they tend to have pretty long songs and the lyrics are good.
3. 'What am I going to eat when I get out?' game - this tends to occupy at least the last hour of most swims. Most weekends now involve 10+ hours of swimming which burns 8000 calories or more. Channel swimmers are helping to sustain the Italian economy and sausage factories throughout the land
4. 'Please can I have some more Maxim'- carbohydrate drink that Barry provides at one or two hour intervals. The answer, in between times, is no
5. 1,2,3 breath, 1,2,3 breath, 1,2,3 breath. Continues until night fall.......

* Extract from the Channel Swimming and Pilot’s Federation rule book:

"No person in a Standard attempt to swim the Channel shall use or be assisted by an artificial aid of any kind, but is permitted to grease the body before a swim, use goggles, wear one cap and one costume. The word "costume and cap" shall mean a garment, not made of neoprene or rubber or any other material considered by the Federation to give a similar type of advantage, and not in any way designed to contain body heat, and/or aid buoyany.

THE OBSERVER WILL HAVE TO APPROVE THE "COSTUME AND CAP". THE SWIMMER MUST MAKE SURE THEIR "COSTUME & CAP" ARE OF AN APPROVED TYPE BEFORE THE SWIM STARTS AS THE SWIM WILL NOT BE RECOGNISED IF THEY ARE LATER FOUND TO NOT CONFORM.

During a swim no physical contact with the swimmer shall be made by any person other than to pass food and drink or secure such items as light sticks for safety reasons"