JUNE 2010 UPDATE
Hello all,
This is the fundraising page of Team Barracuda - a group of 7 swimmers who have a love of outdoor swimming who will be attempting to swim the English Channel as a relay team.
For those of you who don't know, it has been a LONG journey so far......
We first tried to make the crossing in August 2009. We spent the week in Dover, trained like mad and hoped for good weather so we could actually get out of the harbor. However the weather was just not on our side and within the 3 day window we were given to make the attempt, the winds were far too high for us to even try. We tried desperately to find ways to make the swim happen, but being due back at work, flights home booked and other swimmers booked in after us mean that just wasn't possible.
So we licked our wounds and decided we would have to postpone the swim to 2010. We have given ourselves a larger time window for the attempt and set the team up so we have reserves so that the swim will definitely take place this year.
Our window for making the attempt with our lovely pilot, Chris Osmond, is now set at 24th-31st August 2010. If the weather is bad during this time, Chris will do his best to fit us in on another slot until the season ends (in October!).
We will swim the 21 miles (32 km) from Dover in England to Cap Griz Nez in France, taking it in turns to swim for one hour each until we have completed the crossing, with the help of our Escort Boat. We will of course be following all Channel Swimming rules and regs, which includes no wearing of wetuits in the 15/16 degree water and no assistance whilst in the water (i.e. touching the boat!). And as with all channel swims, it is very likely we will swim much more than 21 miles due to the currents and tides. The exact start time/date for our attempt will depend on weather and conditions.
We have been collected money since the first attempt for our chosen charity, Rainbow's Children's Hospice, who do fantastic work supporting terminally ill children and their families. This choice of charity is also as a memorial to James Perry, Nancy's brother who passed away in 2008 aged 11, who Rainbow's did so much for throughout his life.
Of course any monies donated so far will still go to that cause and stand for the new attempt. We want to thank-everyone again for the support, kind wishes and donations. If anyone didn't get the chance to sponsor us last year and would like to do so now, that would be wonderful.
Please keep your fingers crossed for the weather for this year and we will update you with progress through this and our facebook page.
Thanks
Team Barracuda
