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Cairngorm group cross the English Channel the hard way


By Gavin Musgrove

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And we're not even sure if they brought back any duty free!

A hardy team of daredevils from the strath are celebrating after a never to be forgotten swim across the English Channel.

The five Cairngorm Wild Swimmers members took just 14 hours and 13 minutes to make the famous crossing.

Their gruelling 22-mile journey started at 12.09am on Sunday Samphire Hoe beach in Dover and they made land on the French coast at Tardinhhen.

They were supported on the non-stop swim by the Channel Swimming Association boat the ‘Sea Leopard’.

Plenty to smile about. The Cairngorm Wild Swimmers who successfully swam the English Channel.
Plenty to smile about. The Cairngorm Wild Swimmers who successfully swam the English Channel.

The team was led by Aviemore’s Sarah Wiseman, (33) a pilates and swimming coach with Beyond the Water. She was joined in the crossing by Aviemore Army officer Lieutenant Colonel Steve Wall (56); planning officer Nina Caudrey (44), from Boat of Garten; Highlands and Islands Enterprise senior staff member Zoe Laird (49), from Advie, and Morven Bridges, (45), of Inverness, who is Head of Civil Engineering at Forestry and Land Scotland.

Steve said after getting some rest back home at Aviemore: "I slept a solid eight hours last night which is almost a record for me!!

"We had three days without sleep and over 1000 miles driving on top of the swim.

"It had left us all a little tired! But we are delighted with rising to the challenge.”

“We were prepared for everything including jellyfish blooms, debris, strong winds and the cold – wetsuits are banned under the strict requirements of The Channel Swimming Association.

“We were not disappointed. We swum alongside huge oil tankers and ferries as they crossed on the second largest Spring tide of the year. The water constantly pushed and pulled us in the opposite direction.”

Steve was serving on operations in Afghanistan at the start of the planning.

He is also a lifelong outdoor swimmer, having previously completed other relay swims in The Channel.

He explained his fascination with the challenge dated from childhood: " I grew up in Kent and so often saw swimmers taking on The Channel.

"It came in handy as my family supported the team from Sandwich near Dover during final preparations."

It's behind you. Sarah Wiseman in midstroke with a P&O ferry heading towards the south coast of England.
It's behind you. Sarah Wiseman in midstroke with a P&O ferry heading towards the south coast of England.

The group said there were exhausted but happy after achieving their aim.

Nina said “We drove down by car the 500 miles from Aviemore the night before the swim and drove back immediately after due to work commitments so sleep deprivation very much added to the challenge!

"We didn’t want it to be too easy!”

Morven said that an awful lot of effort had gone into being ready come the big day.

She said: "Preparation went well as we had trained hard since April and we had all have completed our two-hour qualifying swims in swimsuits.

"In fact, folk might have seen us training in Loch Morlich where we often meet and swim the length of the loch in all weathers.

"We are hard to miss with our tow floats and swim caps in bright pinks, yellows and oranges.

"And of course, no wetsuits in sight!

The team originally set off to swim on September 1 but the attempt was aborted by the boat pilot after just 2 hours due to dangerously strong currents.

There was plenty of support and not only for their fellow Cairngorm swimmers. The group made placards to support Thomas in her record-breaking crossings.
There was plenty of support and not only for their fellow Cairngorm swimmers. The group made placards to support Thomas in her record-breaking crossings.

Zoe told the Strathy that one of the highlight of their crossing was swimming right by US endurance swimmer Sarah Thomas for nearly 15 hours as she completed the first ever four-way crossing of the Channel.

She reached dry land in the early hours of Tuesday.

Amongst their motivation to complete the swim was to benefit their chosen charity - British Divers Marine Life Rescue

Donations can still be made at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/nina-turner2

And her is the proof if proof was needed!
And her is the proof if proof was needed!

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