I'm swimming the channel!!

I grew up next to the sea, pretty much on the Channel and used to love watching the ships sailing by on their way to France and beyond, usually extra excited when it was a Channel ferry - the thought of croissants probably made me want to be on it! Now it's wine and croissants...no wonder all this is close to my heart. I'm always happiest near/on/in water, so when my nutty rugby teammate suggested swimming the channel with her it was an instant yes! Just so happens it's also a big year and I'll be completing this a few weeks before my 40th birthday.

The English Channel swim is seen as the Mount Everest of all swims - more people have climbed Mount Everest than have swum the English Channel! Our relay team is made up of 6 wonderful people (including fellow rugby players) and we can only swim in cossies & swimcaps - no wetsuits! It could take anywhere between 12 - 18+ hours, depending on the weather conditions, currents and tides.

I love swimming for all of its benefits, but often take this skill for granted. Drowning is a silent epidemic that claims an estimated 360,000 lives every year, many of them children. It is the 3rd leading cause of unintentional injury death worldwide. These are wasted lives and preventable deaths. SwimTayka's mission is to give disadvantaged communities around the world access to swimming teachers who can not only provide the life skills of swimming but create a legacy for today's children, who will grow up to teach the next generation.