The ‘Channel Swimmers Association’ dinner was the icing on the cake to end what has been a very long journey for me.

On Saturday 05 November 2011 was the Channel Swimmers Association annual dinner.  It was held at the Town Hall in Dover and was attended by all the swimmers who had successfully completed the Channel crossing in 2011, along with their guests and other guests invited by the Channel Swimmers Association.  At the dinner, all successful swimmers were presented with their well earned certificates.

Signing The Wall

Before the dinner, my friend Steve and I had visited the White Horse pub in Dover to sign the wall, as it was something I hadn’t managed to do in August after my swim. The White Horse pub is a notorious haunt for successful channel swimmers, as the Landlord and Landlady allow all successful swimmers to sign their name, date and time on the wall of the pub.  As you enter the pub, you are instantly hit with the wall of names and it really is an amasing sight to see the names of so many  people who have swam the channel from countries throughout the world. I found a great spot on the wall, and began to sign!

Signing the wall was something that I had wanted to do since my swim and it was an honour to be able to place my name among the many others that had swam the Channel.

 

 

 

The Presentation

The Town Hall was a great venue for the dinner and to be sat amongst so many elite long distance swimmers (past and present) was great.

The presentation began and my name was called out.  A crazy feeling to actually be walking on to the stage to collect my certificate.  All that preperation and the 15 hours and 34 minutes in the water had been recognised.  Having my mum there to share the experience was a an added bonus, as she has been a great support throughout my campaign.  Also at the dinner were my boat crew and people that had also helped me with my preperation.

A Quick Dip For Old Times Sake

Yes, it had to be done!  The following morning we had to have a swim in Dover harbour to commemorate the past couple of years. If you are thinking we must be mad, as someone once said when asked:

“Mountaineers do it because mountains are there, long distance swimmers do it because they’re not all there!”