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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To tell want to tell a load of strangers...

121 replies

edwinbear · 03/09/2017 22:52

About the fact I swam the English Channel as part of a relay yesterday!! Lifetime goal, which my Dad (who died in 2008) always encouraged me to do. And I did it!

OP posts:
blankface · 03/09/2017 23:16

Brilliant achievement, well done Star

Violetparis · 03/09/2017 23:16

Well done, what an achievement and what a lovely post.

EatSleepTidy · 03/09/2017 23:17

Brilliant, well done, you'll never forget it and nor should you, what a feat!

bevelino · 03/09/2017 23:19

Well done Edwin!

keepondreaming · 03/09/2017 23:19

Bloody amazing. Well done you!

jollyjester · 03/09/2017 23:20

That's bloody amazing!

I hope you have pictures to look back on!

Was it freezing?

Original poster
edwinbear · 03/09/2017 23:20

Which one of mine too. And as a relay it's very achievable.

OP posts:
BigcatLittlecat · 03/09/2017 23:20

Well done, you must feel amazing! Did you touch land in France? I have visions of having to show your passport on the beach. Enjoy the aftermath.

BakedBeans47 · 03/09/2017 23:20

Amazing! Well done

AlternativeTentacle · 03/09/2017 23:21

wow, that is wonderful. well done.

thecatfromjapan · 03/09/2017 23:23

Fantastic!

(And it has been so lovely to open and read such a wonderful, uplifting thread. Thank you for sharing.)

Flowers
GreatFuckability · 03/09/2017 23:24

thats an amazing achievement!

Pancakeflipper · 03/09/2017 23:25

Wow. That's amazing.
Did you just have to cope with the jellyfish stings and ignore them as you swam?

skopu · 03/09/2017 23:27

That's fantastic, congrats to you and the team! I did about 16 lengths today and thought I'd done pretty well!
(And jellyfish stings, wtf Shock ouch!!)

Original poster
edwinbear · 03/09/2017 23:27

jolly yes, it is bloody freezing, but it's all comparative. We make a point of swimming when it's 5 degrees colder than we actually swim in. Part of the rules are that you have to complete and submit evidence, that you have completed a 2 hour swim in water below 16 degrees. When the reality is that you do 2 or 3 x 1 hour in 18 degrees. Because the coastguard has to be sure they don't have randoms jumping in having a go.

I sadly overhead the detail of the coastguard recovering bodies from a jet ski accident yesterday afternoon 😢

OP posts:
MadisonAvenue · 03/09/2017 23:28

What an amazing achievement- very well done!

notgivingin789 · 03/09/2017 23:28

Yes ! 👏👏👏

Beautiful OP. Well done you !

thathappened · 03/09/2017 23:29

WOW! Congratulations OP!

beelover · 03/09/2017 23:30

How fantastic! What a great achievement Flowers

Original poster
edwinbear · 03/09/2017 23:31

Well done, you must feel amazing! Did you touch land in France? I have visions of having to show your passport on the beach. Enjoy the aftermath

We have to take passports, yes. But the coastguard knows what swimmers are in the water and we have to just stand on the beach/rocks, enough to clear the water, then we swim back to the boat and head bsck to Dover. There is always the chance the coastguard will board the boat which is why we take passports but we don't fo through passport control.

OP posts:
arethereanyleftatall · 03/09/2017 23:33

Amazing! Well done.
Do the jellyfish get you through your wetsuit or only on exposed areas? How much do they hurt?
And one more question please - what about sharks?

Original poster
edwinbear · 03/09/2017 23:33

Pancake I didn't get stung, but one of my tram mates got stung about 5 times in 10 mins including one to his face. And you just swear a bit and carry on.

OP posts:
Original poster
edwinbear · 03/09/2017 23:37

Amazing! Well done.
Do the jellyfish get you through your wetsuit or only on exposed areas? How much do they hurt?
And one more question please - what about sharks?

No wetsuits are allowed, normal swimsuits only. Jellyfish feel like a nettle sting and (fortunately) the Channel is way too cold for sharks. Although I've dived with hundreds of sharks as a keen scuba diver. Sharks are way more scared of us.

OP posts:
MapMyMum · 03/09/2017 23:37

Wow!! What an amazing thing to have done, and an amazing story to tell! Makes me want to do something amazing

MummaTwinkleToes · 03/09/2017 23:38

Congratulations that's amazing!!! How did you get into this? Have you always been a swimmer?