The English Channel FAQ

The following is provided for your assistance - it should not be considered as gospel - apply the information as you see fit.

The distance of the English Channel is 23.69 land miles across from the White Cliffs of Dover at Shakespeare Beach in England to Cap Gris-Nez in France. You will most likely wind up swimming between 30 and 40 miles because the tides will push you from side to side a little. Your path will probably look like the letter 'S'.

The range is from 7 hours, 17 minutes to 26 hours, 50 minutes. You should finish between 10 and 14 hours but weather and tide conditions plus your swimming ability are always a consideration.

The water temperature will be about 60 degrees. Since you are only allowed to wear one bathing suit, one bathing cap, goggles and grease, you will need to add your own "wetsuit" under your skin by gaining weight. Lots of eating! Another way you learn to combat the cold is by swimming in cold water. Get used to swimming in water in the low to mid-50s wearing only wearing a bathing suit and latex bathing cap, and with little shivering afterwards.

Matthew Webb first swam the English Channel in 1875. His crossing took 21 hours and 45 minutes. He sipped warm brandy while swimming breaststroke the whole way. In 1926, American Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim the Channel, in a then-world record time of 14 hours, 39 minutes.

Through 1997, there have been 819 successful crossings by 511 individuals. (353 men and 173 women) from 44 different countries - 764 solos, 23 two-ways, and 3 three-ways.

The number of attempts per year varies but approximately 20 to 30 of these are successful.

The Channel Swimming Association application fee is about $150. Your escort boat costs about $2000.

Most start from Shakespeare Beach in Dover, England. Most escort boats hired are docked in England. When your captain says "Let's Go," it is best for first-time Channel swimmers to not use up 3 hours of good weather motoring over to France.

You will most likely finish somewhere on the coast of France between Cap Gris-Nez (or slightly further west) and Calais.

Yes. What you are doing is called a "Solo". There may be other swimmers making attempts on the same day but you won't intentionally swim together. They'll each have their own boat.

There will be an escort boat right next to you from which your crew will give you hot liquids and encouragement. The boat pilot will plot the course during the swim.

Usually you will swim no more than 10 to 20 yards away from the boat.

A coach, training partner, spouse/parent, an official observer of the Channel Swimming Association and the boat pilot.

Ideally, yes but many swimmers have been successful implementing their own well-thought out plans.

The crew will monitor your condition for fatigue and hypothermia, feed you periodically, watch for boats, alert you of debris, and keep you as informed and entertained as you need to be. They will also keep a log of the swim and promise to take lots of pictures. You should have worked together for a few years so they know what your normal condition should be at various points of a long swim.

The observer is the official monitor of the swim, randomly designated by the Channel Swimming Association. The observer makes sure that all Channel rules are adhered to and keeps the "official" log. He or she leaves the feeding, informing, and entertaining of the swimmer up to the crew.

Yes. You can stop whenever you want. You will probably be stopped every 30 minutes for about 30 seconds to get a "feeding" of hot liquids administered from the boat by a "feeding pole" (supplied by you; usually a long pole with a cup holder at the end). You can't touch anything or anybody except this pole. The more you stop, the slower your overall time will be, but worse, you could miss catching a tide that might push you towards France.

Hot liquids that are quickly consumed. High carbohydrate sources like Exceed and Carbo Concentrate, plain chicken broth, liquidified bananas, watery oatmeal, and tea with honey. You don't have all of these things at each feeding. Occassionally, you will have solid foods like a Fig Newton.

Yes. The Channel Swimming Association, based in Folkestone, England. Send inquiries to the Honorable .Secretary :Duncan Taylor, Bolden's Wood, Fiddling Lane' Stowting, Nr. Ashford, Kent. England TN25 6AP Tel/Fax: +44 (0)1303 814788 [Dialed from the USA: 011-44-1303-814788].

Yes. A 10-hour swim in 60 degree water.

There will be neap tides then. The amount of water being pushed through any body of water is affected by the tides - spring or neap - which in turn are affected by the phase of the moon. During a spring tide when it is either a full, half or new moon, the difference between high and low water is often 18 to 20 feet, approximately 3 to 6 feet more than during the neap tides, when the moon is at quarters. Consequentially, more water flows through the English Channel during a spring tide than during a neap, thus creating a greater amount of water to push the swimmer around. Because of this, the neap tides are the more favorable tides on which swimmers make their attempts. However, weather is the most important factor. Regardless of whether it's a spring or neap tide, the tides shift every six hours so a swimmer's usual course resembles a sine wave or the letter "S".

To keep the rules the same throughout history. Having the same equipment as Matthew Webb had keeps the challenge intact.

The grease is a mixture of Lanolin and Vaseline. You should have a couple of pounds applied to you right before you start. This grease is available at Boots Chemist in downtown Dover. You can get it off afterwards with a grease-cutting detergent in the shower.

No. The Channel Swimming Association takes care of the paperwork so that you don't have to show anything on the French beach when you are finished. Anyway, you are only allowed 10 minutes in France after you finish before you have to return to your boat.

About 45,000 yards which is just over 25 miles. You should also lift weights at least once a week. You may need to stop running because you may burn off too many calories. On several occasions the winter before, you need to do multiple hour straight swims, with your longest being five or six hours. You should work out with a team if you can several times a week, mainly doing interval work. You also should swim on your own, doing either interval work or long, straight swims. You should try to swim enough from Monday through Saturday that you can take Sunday off.

Their is no requirement but it sure helps to have a good solid base.

For U.S. swimmers other marathon swims: Swim around Manhattan, 28 1/2 miles; Catalina Channel; and lots of local open water races.

Maine, Northern California, Cape Cod, the Great Lakes, etc. On daily basis it is best to deal with cold salt water, darkness, jellyfish, sudden shifts in weather, wind, waves, and fog. You should have an escort boat with you for these swims. The most important thing is acclimating to cold (sub-60 degree) water. You will probably need to do this through a series of 1, 2, 3, and 4 hour swims each week in the open water plus one 7 to 8 hour swim. You may do fast interval work in a local pool.

Mainly the crawl but occassionally other strokes to stretch out.

Most marathon swimmers take about 60 to 70 strokes a minute. A 10-hour swim would be 42,000 strokes, a 14-hour swim would be 58,800 strokes.

There are no self-respecting sharks in the English Channel. It's too far north and too cold.

The English Channel is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. Every day about 500 boats pass through and across it, including super tankers. All boats are frequently alerted over the radio whenever there are swimmers in the water. It is the responsibility of your boat pilot to steer you away from boats.

Anything and everything. You try to focus on swimming efficiently. Sometimes your crew will hold up informational and/or entertaining signs. Sometimes you sing songs. If you have to ask a question, you try to think about the most concise way to phrase it so that your crew understands what you are saying in the least amount of words. You try not to think about "How much longer?"