Channeling Positivity – the journey not the destination! (Just's take)

Masterpiece left Folkestone harbour around 4.30am. The sun was rising slowly and I was ready to embark on the challenge of a lifetime. In fact I’ve never been so prepared for anything in my life; Kate and I had spent the last 18 months dreaming of this moment and now it was here and we just wanted to swim. Kate slowly entered the water around 5.00am and swam to the shore of Samphire Hoe west beach. Our loyal friends and family bellowed from the cliff tops. Then our official observer blew her whistle, which signaled the start of our English Channel two-person relay crossing.

The first hour went by slowly giving me the opportunity to focus and lay demons to rest. The change over happened quickly, I used the ladder to enter the water and remained behind Kate until she was helped out. This would be the last time I would enter the channel in this way and resorted to a good old-fashioned jump into the sea which made us all laugh, distracting me from the cold sea, which was generously pumping out 16 degrees celcius of heat!

The swell was bigger than expected and I had to work hard to maintain a good stroke rate. It was like being on a fairground ride, just one that restricts your oxygen! The 10 minutes sign was held aloft and I was ready for my hot chocolate and fruit bread. I thought I caught sight of Kate vomiting over the side of the boat, which placed some unexpected doubt in my mind. The 10 minutes dragged on but finally I saw Kate standing by the ladder in her trusted pink cap and smothered in sudocream. She must be OK I thought?

When I got out, the crew attended to my every need and then I quickly learned that Kate wasn’t feeling so good. I then heard a burp, which echoed across the sea; it was Kate being sick in the water. This wasn’t good as I was witnessing something that I have never seen before, Kate struggling in the water. Emma, one of our crew, turned to me and said “Wales, I know you’ve got more in your locker” I nodded and agreed that from that moment on I would swim like a welsh woman possessed; I wasn’t going to let my buddy down.

The hours passed and the super tankers and ferries cruised by, in fact one a little bit too close for comfort, causing me to tread water for 10 minutes until it eventually acknowledged our presence. Despite all my bravado I was extremely scared and cold! Kate commendably swam through her sickness and gradually started to feel better by her third hour. The “rocket girl” was back!

The atmosphere on Masterpiece oozed positivity and we laughed and joked constantly. It slowly dawned on me that I was relishing every second and the thought of jumping into cold salt water and swimming for an hour was exactly what I was born to do. We read the motivational comments that all of our friends and family had written.

France seemed to be getting closer but we ignored the temptation to get excited. I was told to swim my fifth hour like it would be my last. Strangely I didn’t question this; I just nodded and jumped in. Suddenly I was drifting further away from our boat, wondering why they weren’t following me. I then heard the shouts “head for that white house” I stopped, looked up and there was France. I very quickly reached the rocky shore and clambered on. I held my arms aloft, blood dripping from my legs. We’d made in it in 9 hours 58 minutes, in fact we’d smashed it. Kate joined me further down the shore and the two gendarmes made sure we didn’t outstay our welcome. Our journey finally over and our destination truly overwhelming.