The Wales Swim

On September 24th, the awe inspiring sandy beach of Tenby laid host to the first ever Wales Swim. The wind pressed the backs of spectators and chilled their faces, whilst the vision of 300 strong swimmers descending on to the beach, sprung the heart into gear. Men and women of all ages were about to face bracing winds and an incredibly strong tide in 1500m and 3000m races. Our hero John, pulled out of the 3000m due to a recent shoulder injury and instead took part in the 1500m, which was his first competitive swim in open sea.

To be honest, we all arrived a little unprepared, none of us really knew what to expect from Tenby, but I can assure you we were pleasantly surprised. Tenby is beautiful, with stunning views and the friendliest people one could hope to meet. We were in awe of the place for the entire 3 days we stayed there.

Back to the swim… John was unsure about a number of things prior to the race. He was unclear about the course, unsure where the start and finish would be and didn't know whether to wear a wet suit. In a snap decision, John had seconds to put his suit on and to clarify his navigation before the race began. Communication was an issue, like it is on so many occasions for Deaf people, but after the course was explained to the swimmers for a second time, John managed to work it out just in time . As he descended the beach steps, you could sense that John was tense. With the set back of his injured shoulder and being in the presence of many fine athletes, one could not blame John for feeling slightly apprehensive. We were all nervous.

The countdown began and before John could ask more questions, the feet of 300 swimmers pounded into the cold seawater. The swimmers soon became a mass of arms and heads splashing and crashing against the waves, uncannily resembling seagulls flapping and flying ontop of the water. John was off. There was no going back now. Life boats, TV crew and photographers surrounded the swimmers as they swam away towards the horizon.

It was time for us to relocate towards the finishing area of the race. After nearly being consumed by an (enormous!) wave as we moved our cameras across the beach (oh how I was thankful for my recently purchased wellies!) we positioned ourselves at the ramp where the swimmers exit the sea and at the finishing line in the harbour.

Not long after we set up, the first swimmers started to emerge from the sea. The lifeboat was also bringing people to shore who had surrendered to the power of the waves. The crowds applauded and cheered each swimmer who rose from the sea and ran, breathless, up the ramp and down towards the finishing line. It's difficult to imagine the physical and mental strength required to complete such a challenge, but the faces of the swimmers as they jogged by, expressed their pain, endurance, determination, courage and will power.

It was not long after the first few swimmers had finished, that one of our fabulous photographers, Becky, indicated that John was approaching the ramp! Karen our producer, phoned ahead to Bim and Bev at the finishing line to inform them of John’s arrival. John was suddenly in front of us, staggering out of the sea, slightly off balance, stepping on to the ramp. His blood-pumped faced grinned into the camera, clearly overjoyed and relieved to be leaving the defeated sea behind him.

John jogged up the ramp and down the path towards the finishing line with the crowds applauding and shouting encouragement. He crossed the finishing line in 28 minutes 4 seconds and was presented with his medal. John was over the moon and we were still running on adrenaline, so proud of his achievement! The worries and fears he had experienced before the race had vanished and he projected a wonderful air of accomplishment.

All we needed to know now was his ranking. We were estimating a respectful 30 – 40 out of 300, but once we got the results we were all gobsmacked... John came 15th out of the 1500m, 22nd out of the whole race (22nd out of 300 people competing in the 1500m & 3000m) and was the 19th ranking male in the competition - and this was his first ever competition in open sea!

It goes to show that by being focused and determined, you can put your mind to anything... even swimming to France!

We left Tenby with a happy swimmer, itching to swim in more open water events, a happy film crew with great footage in the can and two happy photographers in Becky and Zoe who captured everything so beautifully and elegantly.

Bring on the next chapter.

Day 1 - An eye opener indeed!

On a very wet, misty Sunday in August 2010, I filmed John Docker in Dover taking his swimming to the next level, braving the unpredictable waves in the open sea for the first time.

Ironically, next year he will be swimming from a beach nearby and hopefully won't stop until he reaches France - at least that’s the optimistic plan! 

I better introduce myself... I'm Ted Evans. I'm a filmmaker. I'll be following John on his quest to swim the Channel, capturing his adventure and recounting his story to the end - whatever that end may be. I’ll reveal all John’s highs and low in the documentary I’m making entitled, Channel of Dreams.

Anyway back to Day 1 in Dover... The weather was bloody awful and posed many difficulties for me filming in such conditions. As for John, I don't think it bothered him at all. In fact, when he emerged out of the water, he commented how the rain pelting down on him actually felt warm!

Weather aside, we were both in for a bit of an eye opener. For John it was the harshness of the merciless sea. Irrespective of how frequently you swim in pools or lidos, how many cold showers you endure, nothing prepares you for swimming in the sea. The relentless crashing waves, the choking salt water and the cold, freezing, bone chilling temperature of the water! 

For me it was trying to capture everything! I was filming on my Sony Z7 with no zoom or telephoto lens. When John swam in front of me, I was able to focus in on the intensity of the waves and the strength John needed to swim against them. However, when he had gone only a few hundred meters, he just became a bobbing head, floating off into the horizon, a startling contrast next to the gigantic ferries setting off to France, but only worth capturing a number of times. 

In the end, we both felt better for having come down to Dover's Harbour Beach. We now know what’s in store for us and what we have to do to prepare for the challenges we witnessed. 

Next chapter is the Wales Swim in Tenby, which takes place in September!

For now here is a teaser!

Channel of Dreams Teaser from Ted Evans on Vimeo.