We are very happy to be supporting local paddler Paul Rutherford and a few other South West paddlers in their support for this new Channel Swimming challenge!
Paul gave us the heads up on what's happening:
"have become involved in assisting with kayak safety support for a relay sea swim from Guernsey to Dartmouth on the 21st to 23rd September 2012. I will be paddling a Perception Essence kayak kindly supplied by AS Watersports in Exeter.
This swim has never been attempted before and is
approx 70 nautical miles and will take over two days and nights with 5
swimmers taking 45 minute sessions each. Kayakers will paddle for 2 to 3 hours
before changing over and will be crucial in setting accurate courses for
swimmers to follow. Swimming at between 1 and 1.5 nautical miles per hour means
the swim will take around 60 hours.
3 kayakers, Peter Thorn - Chairman of Bideford
Canoe Club, Glyn Brackenbury from Skern Lodge in North Devon and myself, Paul
Rutherford from Totnes Canoe Club will paddle in a rota with the swimmers to
guide them and ensure their safety during the long crossing. We are also
responsible for leading the navigation side of the trip and have a crucial role
in geting the swimmers safely to land at the finish (which is 'planned' to be at
Slapton Sands on Sunday morning.
There is a large support vessel which will be the
'mother ship' for the entire journey and will provide somewhere to sleep, eat
and recover between sessions for swimmers and kayakers alike. This is a
fantastic team effort with 2 skippers for 'Enigma' a fully qualified doctor (who
can also provide some daytime kayak cover) as well as ensuring the wellbeing of
the swimmers and other crew, 3 kayakers and of course the 5
swimmers!
We will leave Southampton on Friday morning, travel
at high speed to Guernsey and the swimmers will start their marathon swim at
approx 9am.
The weather will play a crucial part in the whole
attempt and at this stage it looks as though we may be good to go - things may
of course change during the early part of next week."
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