Adele Havercroft

Swimmers Report:

After swimming the English Channel in 2022, I was on the hunt for another
challenge. Eventually I found the Bristol Channel and was attracted to it
because of how new it is and how few people have completed it.
Training for the Bristol Channel was tricky because life certainly got in the way
but on the whole I was happy with the volume of training and the big back-to-
back swims that I had managed to complete in the sea, my local lake and the
pool. I knew that whatever happened on the day, I had done my best to be
ready.
I found the swim itself really difficult. I had done night swims in training but
nothing prepared me for starting my swim just before 11pm and swimming
through the entire night. At times it was so dark I could see nothing except the
ever-moving lights on the boat. I quickly became quite disorientated and,
coupled with it being choppier than we expected, I felt unwell for most of my
swim. I couldn’t see them but I’m pretty sure I bopped a few jellyfish on their
heads. They were kind enough not to sting me. Sunrise seemed to take forever
to arrive and if I’m honest, it didn’t provide the relief I was hoping for. The
swim felt like a massive, stubborn slog from start to finish.
Sadly, my swim finished in Somerset so it doesn’t count as an Original Triple
Crown swim but I am so proud of the fact that I didn’t give up and I made it
across in one piece despite all the hurdles I faced in the last few months.
Ceri, John, Stephen and Jean were brilliant, encouraging me all the way and if
they doubted that I would make it, they did a great job of hiding it. I’m very
grateful to them all.

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Observers report:

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After communication with Adele at short notice it was agreed I could cover her swim. We agreed to meet at Swansea Marina at 20:00 to board the SheeAnn with our essentials Leaving the Marina at 21:00. Ceri the Pilot carried out a Boat safety briefing and issued life jackets and we left Swansea for Porthcawl on time.

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We arrived at Porthcawl at around 22.15.and Adele started prepping herself for the swim. Adele was wearing Speedo thin strap costume, goggles, swim hat and lights attached to her goggle strap and costume. She left the boat and swam ashore clearing the water where Tom Chapman was on the beach to give her encouragement. The boat sounded the Horn for her to start her swim. She swam back past the boat, and we made our way out into a flat calm  sea in the Direction of Glenthorne. 

Adeles  nutrition plan was to feed every hour using Water hot & Cold, Tailwind supplements, and jellybeans.This was delivered to her during the swim by her friend Jean Philipson who is also an experienced channel swimmer. She was very knowledgeable and understood and implanted the feeding plan.  

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The weather conditions were good with water temperature at 19.8C with a 5Kts  wind from the southwest. Adele soon got into a good rhythm and a consistent stroke rate of (56). Her feeding plan was consistent, and her support by Jean was very well organised with feeding every hour. Adeles Pace was good averaging just under 3K per hour. 

Adele continued with a consistent stroke rate, and she seemed in very good spirits feeding regularly. The channel was very quiet for the duration of the swim only passing one vessel during the crossing.

The conditions changed approximately 4 hours into the swim with the wind picking up to 12Kts making the water very choppy. Adele worked very hard during the change of the tide and sea conditions and started feeling sick. The next feed Adele was given sea sickness tablets which helped further into the swim. 

At 04;45 Adele and her support agreed to change her feeding to every thirty minutes as she was starting to feel the fatigue from working hard into the turning of tide and choppy conditions. She was still very upbeat and continued to hold her stroke rate. Further into the swim Adele requested some caffeine and paracetamol.  

As we got closer to Glenthorne it was evident that Adele may struggle to land west of Glenthorne due to fatigue and the change of the tide. At her next feed the skipper gave Adele the options of possibly swimming for another hour and half as the tide was turning and try and land west of Glenthorne or to swim ashore at the earliest opportunity. 

Adele  decided she didn’t wat any further feeds and wanted to get ashore as soon as possible as the fatigue was getting the better of her. Adele landed East of Glenthorne after a very tough swim in difficult conditions. 

Great swim Adele you should be very proud of your achievement 

Thanks to the Crew for the support during the swim and keeping everybody safe.

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