Blue Fins Brave the Dover Coaster for Successful Channel Crossing

After ten days of frustrating delays caused by bad weather and heavy swell, the Brockwell Blue Fins finally launched their Channel relay swim at 1am on Wednesday 30th July. Originally scheduled for Sunday 20th July, the swim became another victim of what seasoned swimmers call the “Dover Coaster”, a bumpy ride of shifting forecasts, standby bags, and last-minute updates. But persistence paid off and, six and a half hours later, the team reached France exhausted but elated.

The five-strong team, Tong, Sarah Brimelow, Chris Hill, Sarah Hackney and Mark Roworth, took turns swimming an hour at a time through changing tides and choppy waters. Aboard the Connemara, skippered by the ever-reliable Kevin Sherman, they kept spirits high as the sun rose over the Channel and the French coast inched closer. This relay marks not just a personal achievement for each swimmer, but another triumph for the club as a whole.

This was the second successful Channel relay swim of 2025 organised by Brockwell Swimmers, and the eighth since the club began its Channel adventures in 2022. Remarkably, every swim so far has made it to France. With two more teams preparing to make their crossings in September, the club’s growing Channel legacy continues to inspire both seasoned swimmers and new recruits alike.