Liam's English Channel Solo Swim

Well we arrived in Dover yesterday around lunch time and found Varne Ridge Caravan park our base for the next few days. I spent some time looking at the placks on the wall of all the Channel swimmers who have stayed here over the last couple of decades. Lots of Irish I must say!
Dave and Evelyn our hosts here take a very keen interest in the swimmer and they go out of their way to make us as comfortable as possible.

We meet some other Channel aspirants in the Mobile Home Park (Eddie from Brazil, Thomas from Wexford/London and Luke from the UK, Steven Black and Finbarr due here tonight)
I was anxious to get in the water and have a stretch out so down to the port with the lot of us where we met allot of the gang who came over for the Sandycove Swim Camp along with Freda Streeter who was training some 50 swimmers who are either soloist's or team members.

The waves were crashing in over the harbour wall and it was quite rough inside as well. getting into the water is quite a challenge on the steep stoney beach and when in the water it was strange not being able to see your hand as it glided through its very cloudy and extra salty too.

My crew who are here with me in Dover are Kaye (wife and emotional support) Eddie (support swimmer and the reason i'm here) Imelda (invaluable knowledge and motivator) Jimmy (communications and photographer) and of course Ozzi (Kaiser & physio and massage) .

The weather has improved overnight and it was lovely on the cliffs at 6am this morning, its not quite right for a solo crossing yet but i think 1 or 2 relays are heading out. I will get a better idea from mike my pilot at Lunch time today but i may not get final confirmation of the swim till 2 hrs before....it all down to weather conditions at this stage.

We called in to the White Horse a pub where most successful swimmers go to put their name on the ceiling, the photo attached is of Eddie writing his name up and me looking on.