It’s day twelve, and once again I find myself standing bare footed on the smooth pebbles of Shakespeare Beach in Dover, England. The view is the same; the distant French horizon, tempting me with the comfortable illusion of a shore to shore swim that should be so achievable. I have been in England for 11 days, but have been training for this swim for the last 4 years of my life. My support team and I are still positive, however as my reserved week marches on, our hope of attempting this swimming challenge is shaky at best, beginning to feel elusive. We have had three false starts due to the uncooperative weather; it is known to be meteorologically moody in Dover. The time spent crossing between England and France allows the complexion of the Channel to change more than once.
I’ve read that accomplishing this feat is twice as hard as summiting Mt. Everest. The challenge is fraught with grim statistics. Only 1 out of every 10 who are bold enough to try to match their swimming prowess with this endeavor succeed, and underestimation has resulted in 7 fatalities. Since the Channel’s first successful swim crossing by Mathew Webb in 1875, swimming aficionados know it as the greatest open-water swimming challenge in the world. Success is linked to an individual that is skilled mentally, physically, and who is beyond just well prepared.
In order to understand swimming the English Channel, one must become a student of the Channel; learn its intricacies. In addition to the distance of 24 miles, the territory is hostile. The north-and-south travel of some 600 supertankers each day make this the busiest shipping lane in the world. The currents, winds, weather, frigid water, wave height, seasickness, throat/tongue/body swelling and burning due to salt water, jellyfish, sharks and hypothermia all test your will power. The Channel has the reputation of giving you the early rounds, knowing that you’ll tire later in the match, when you are most vulnerable.
Ever since I first began my study of philosophy, my understanding of growth in any great expedition was that ‘it is the journey, rather than the destination’. As I stand on Shakespeare Beach, having visualized countless times the twelve to fifteen hour voyage to the French shore, I am surprisingly calm, unwavered. In fact, my commitment to a childhood dream is stronger than ever. Fear, doubt and insecurity are silenced by my will to succeed.
Commitment and preparation have been great. The daily ice cold showers in the dark New England winters, the nutritional monitoring and excess calorie intake, the body mass readings, and the grueling 6-hour qualifying swim in the 58-degree water of the Connecticut River were all sobering reminders of what laid ahead. Nothing replaces preparation. Even the most highly skilled and qualified swimmer will fail if they underestimate the discipline and planning required of a Channel swim. The English Channel is a fickle lady. She is always searching for that weak spot in your preparation. Exhausted, nine hours out swimming in the middle of the ocean, beginning to feel the effects of hypothermia. You are literally defying death at this point. You best hope that the will within you can outlast your body’s attempt to resign.
The only thing constant is change. This is true when taking on a grand challenge, but especially true in life. The art of adapting to a situation by having a flexible attitude is critical to success. Simply stated, you can only control the things you have control over. In this case, it was what I could prepare for and my mindset. As much as I wish I could at times, I couldn’t change the conditions. But, I could have a positive outlook and make the conscious choice to focus on the reasons why, rather than why not. In all of life’s challenges, it will be the person who has the ability above the shoulder that will persevere and get the job done.
Twelve hours and fifty-five minutes later, as I stand on Wissiant Beach, France and look back at my family, coach and crew on the boat, and the White Cliffs of Dover in the background, my journey has come full circle. The anticipation, preparation and perseverance have been rewarded. Entering life’s next challenges, this journey will determine my success — the journey my Smith experience prepared me to embark on.
Photo © Paige Christie. All rights reserved.
A self-proclaimed “thinker,” Paige Christie is passionate about her study of philosophy, specifically in the realm of ethics. She is a limit-pusher and takes pride in setting goals and surpassing them. She hopes to get involved in the study of law, where she will be an advocate for women’s empowerment throughout the world.
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