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When I was last based in HMS Sultan I used to utilise the Solent as an open water training ground when I was first dabbling in triathlons. I was always struck by the beauty of the Isle of Wight from my viewing point at Lee-on-Solent and a curiosity soon grew about the distance and challenge of swimming to another body of land.  Before long however my draft ended and I moved on from the area and that opportunity passed me by.   

But now I’m back again and although in relatively less time to prepare specifically for it i’m certainly in better shape overall to attempt it. 

Navigating the Solent isn’t an easy evolution, it certainly comes with its own complexities to deal with, for example, it’s considered to be one of the busiest shipping lanes in Europe, if not the world with a variety of craft from jet skis upto enormous freight vessels.  If traffic wasn’t enough to deal with the Solent is also an almost unpredictable zone in terms of currents due to the unique geography and hydrography of the area making a 2.5 mile crossing upwards of 3miles in certain conditions at its shortest.  I’m sure someone warned me of jellyfish once before too!

So how do I achieve this safely then? 

Well, fortunately for me the event is being organised by the charity Aspire who will support me and 11 other swimmers on the day with kayakers and a safety boat to spot and guide our crossing safely, leaving me to concentrate on the physical aspect. 

Without Aspire this wouldn’t be possible, so who are they? well Aspire are a charity who provide practical help to people who have been paralysed by Spinal Cord Injury and support them from injury to independence.

Through your charitable donations and support you’re enabling me to take on a personal challenge and hopefully not allow another missed opportunity to pass me by, but more importantly you’re playing a vital role in ensuring that people with spinal cord injuries are supported through their frankly much tougher challenges in life compared to what I’m about to do. 

£750 is a big ask to achieve (at time of writing) with only 3 weeks to go. But if I achieve that, the money will go a long way in improving the lives and welfare of those most deserving of it. 

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Thank you!