Webb's Wonders - Channel Swim 2008

Result: 304th fastest relay crossing of 614 to date!

2008-09-10T15:42:00.001-07:00

Check dis out! We have made the 304th fastest relay crossing of 614 to date. And check it - our boy Barend was the fastest this year. We're just above the middle, where we belong. Our names are there, we need to nominate a few photos.
Well done team , Mike and Andy
http://www.dover.uk.com/channelswimming/swims/2008/

Charitable causes

2008-09-02T02:30:00.000-07:00

Someone asked me this morning how much we had raised, so I've had a quick look on our just giving pages, and we five have already raised over 7 thousand pounds for our chosen cancer charities. Well done! Worth getting up early for..
The team will all be contributing to Music for Alice too.

12:51:48

2008-08-30T02:21:00.000-07:00

We did it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A stunning crossing with a lovely boat and fantastic support team: the best day of the season - overcast with almost no wind.
As our attempt was delayed by the weather, we were subject to a strong tide, which pushed us past Cap Gris Nez and onto 'Restaurant Beach' - France all the same. Swimmer Number One, Andy C, landed with brother Mike in support at 23.02 BST, the culmination of an epic swim by all six of the team members - all of whom literally swam out of their skins. It's an amazing feeling to swim when there is nothing to stop you, if quite scary when you can't see land.
Total swim time from England to France: 12 hours, 51 minutes and 48 seconds: 12:51:48. More to follow...
Well done Andy, Mike, Ede, Ellie, Tash and (team) Captain Webb!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Follow the cross channel action live

2008-08-29T09:01:00.000-07:00

Karuna

follow the cross channel action on

http://www.shipais.com/currentmap.php?map=folkstone

Webb's Wonder's pilot boat is called Gallivant and is about half way across at the moment.

Amalavajra / Matthew Webb (thankfully unneeded team reserve)

If you haven't and want to:

2008-08-28T08:26:00.000-07:00

The Justgiving pages stay up and running for another couple of months. It's all for a good cause. You can contribute here:
http://www.justgiving.com/mike_londonchannelswimclub
http://www.justgiving.com/natashaputninsisswimmingtofrance
http://www.justgiving.com/nickwebb3
http://www.justgiving.com/el_swims_the_channel
http://www.justgiving.com/andrew_collinson_swimsthechannel
come on you lot - it's all for Charity!!

Good to go???

2008-08-28T08:20:00.000-07:00

The team have completed a final training swim in Dover harbour, been well looked after at Varne Ridge, and are on standby to leave Shakespeare beach tomorrow on the 10.01 tide. Yay!!
Our new Irish friends made it there overnight in 12hours or so, and are now swimming back, but sadly Barend's return was called off, so he has to make do with his third one way solo. Nutter - respec'! We're racing against his mate in the morning. Here we go - pray we make it!!
Nothing great is easy - Capt. M. Webb.

Weather update - 26Aug2008

2008-08-26T02:43:00.000-07:00

Team have assembled in Dover for the attempt, but are so far thwarted by the weather. No teams have gone Sunday, Monday or Tuesday, but Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are looking favourable. There is a world record attempt in the queue ahead of us, so we're not sure when we'll go, but we're confident that we'll get out this week. We might even get a tan! Final team photos to follow....

Five go to the seaside! 16Aug08

2008-08-21T03:09:00.000-07:00

Bournemouth 16Aug08

Last weekend of sea training, and we were treated to far calmer seas than last week. Nick, Tash and Mike had a Friday night swim between the piers, repeated the next morning. Andy joined after the Usain Bolt show, and we did another long one, followed by celebratory drink and Thai curry - thanks again Ben and Vic. Who the next day allowed us to use the beach hut for a sunny morning swim - luxury of the highest order. We missed Ede, but Ellie came along - well done!

We covered up to seven miles, and got some T-Shirt posing in (in the style of the great man Webb).

The only thing that might stop us now is the weather - which looks perfect just now, calm and slightly cloudy. Bring it on!

Our route across the channel and the support boat

2008-08-11T11:26:00.000-07:00

The Gallivant (Support Boat)

The Boys go to Brighton

2008-08-11T04:08:00.000-07:00

Nick, Mike and Andy set off early on Saturday morning for some challenging sea swimming in Brighton. The conditions were tough, including gale force winds and 3m waves. It took over an hour to swim 800m against the tide and current and about 7 minutes to swim back :)

Sunday morning we enjoyed a rather calmer (though colder) swim in the Tooting Bec Lido, the largest outdoor pool in the UK (90m long). With just over two weeks to go, the team are feeling good and the t-shirts have arrived...

Mike Solos Bournemouth 03Aug08

2008-08-10T10:03:00.000-07:00

I went down to Bournemouth this weekend to stay with my dearest Ben Vic and family. Did four swims, seven miles in total, despite some fairly severe surf on Friday night. Highlight was the pier to pier to pier - three miles, good temperature, nice scenery: two hours! Thanks for picking me up!

Three go to Dover - 26Jul08

2008-08-10T10:00:00.000-07:00

Nick Tash and Ede - our newest team member - do some sea training in Dover. Very exciting to come down the hill and see the starting point of the big swim! We did a lot of lengths of the harbour wall over the weekend, and spent plenty of time learing things from the experienced swimmers who do seven hours a day in there! And we've got lightsticks! And we've found the pub where people write their times on the wall - in a few weeks we'll be adding ours.

Two go to Bournemouth

2008-08-10T09:42:00.000-07:00

Bournemouth 29Jul08 Nick and Tash take a two mile swim in the sea at sunny Bournemouth. Restored by fresh pineapple, but weary on the way home.

Charity pages in effect!

2008-08-10T09:14:00.000-07:00

Five of us now have our Justgiving pages up and running. You can contribute here:
http://www.justgiving.com/mike_londonchannelswimclub

http://www.justgiving.com/natashaputninsisswimmingtofrance

http://www.justgiving.com/nickwebb3

http://www.justgiving.com/el_swims_the_channel

http://www.justgiving.com/andrew_collinson_swimsthechannel
come on you lot - it's all for Charity!!

New Team Member!!!

2008-08-10T09:09:00.000-07:00

17Jul08. New member on board! Webb's Wonders are terribly pleased to welcome a new team member, Ede MacGill. Bringing us to six, Ede balances us out to three boys and three girls, and is a very strong swimmer: we're all delighted! Five of us are swimming for Cancer Research, but Ede has set up her own charity - Ede - tell us all about it when you can!

Hi All! I set up Music for Alice in memory of my sister Alice and Mum Sally who died in the Asian Tsunami on Boxing Day 2004. My sister was a musician and the charity gives financial awards and bursaries to musicians in her memory. Our website is www.musicforalice.org.uk

Essex training session 11July08

2008-08-10T09:05:00.000-07:00

July 11 2008 - Four go in the sea in Essex -

Nick Ellie Andy and Mike fancied a little sea training while Tash holidayed in Ibiza. So we charged down to Southend on Sea, only to find there is no darn sea. At low tide. However, we did get a good 2.7km swim near Clacton pier! Strangely, we all fell over when we got out.

Everyone loved the team training together, and we hope to get Tash back in one piece!

Nothing great is easy

2008-08-10T09:01:00.001-07:00

'Nothing great is easy' are the words on the memorial to Captain Matthew Webb, whose 1875 23 hour plus crossing of the channel has inspired not only us, but every single one of the nearly 1000 lunatics who have made solo crossings. Good 'tashe! We have this on the back of the new team T shirts - with the chart of the route on the front.

2008-08-10T08:57:00.001-07:00

June 10 2008 - Collinsons training in Devon. During a family holiday in Salcombe, Andy and Mike try to get used to the cold nice and early. Swimming every day, at temperatures possibly only 14 degrees the brothers did a couple of good crossings of the estuary appearing on the beach from no-where, then swimming off. Thanks to the guys at the Winking Prawn. Happy birthday Maureen!

The route to France

2008-07-08T14:28:00.000-07:00

28 Mile swim to Cap Griz Nez