North Channel - 22 July 2015
The 21-mile stretch of water between Northern Ireland and Scotland. My last Big Swim, the one that demanded the most, but, strangely, gave me the most.
Facts & Background
Distance: 21 miles (34 kilometres)
Route: Northern Ireland to Scotland
Governing body: Irish Long Distance Swimming Association
Cost (as at 2015): £2,700 pilot fee, plus £400 governing body fee
The North Channel is similar in length to the English Channel but is regarded as the most difficult of the major Channel swims. Swims typically start from the County Down coast near Donaghadee in Northern Ireland and finish on the southwest coast of Scotland, most often at Portpatrick.
The first successful crossing was made by Tom Blower in 1947. For decades afterwards, completions were extremely rare.
Water temperatures are between 11 and 14 degrees, even in summer, and the channel is known for strong tides, cold air, and large numbers of jellyfish.
By 2015, fewer than 30 swimmers had completed it. Since then, the number of crossings has significantly increased, partly due to its inclusion in the Oceans Seven challenge.
Photographs from the Day
Similar in length to the English Channel, the North Channel presents a very different challenge: colder water, powerful tides and large numbers of jellyfish.
When I swam it in 2015, fewer than thirty swimmers had completed the crossing.
Original Film of the Swim
I've kept some of the documents from the swim, including the plan I prepared beforehand and the write-up I made immediately afterwards.