Why do I swim ? Firstly for health reason’s to keep me fit and active. I’ve been swimming 2500 m at the pool consistently for the last 30years or so. So I guess I was never a sprinter more a distance swimmer and didn’t compete really. In 2011 I injured my right knee so my running / football days were over. Swimming provided rehabilitation and much needed outlet for pent up caged tiger syndrome.
My first forays into open water swimming began in 2019 with our local Sunday swim group at Port Erin. This was continued with a group of kayakers who wanted to have some adventure wild swims in various locations around the Isle of Man .I found the sea to be a peaceful place to connect to after my son died by Suicide in 2018. The sea has wrapped her arms around me ever since and continues to draw me closer to her healing waves and tides.
In September 2020 I completed a swim challenge from Port St Mary to Castletown a distance of approximately 7km. Raising £2500 for ASSIST training.
I continued swimming in various locations and then in June 2021,3 friends started training to swim around the Calf of Man. We didn’t get to swim the calf. Shortly after this my friend Marc Purcell asked me if I fancied swimming around the Isle of Man. In stages with tides and good weather yes of course I said. We started in May 2022 and finished in August 2023. 25 swim stages,Raising £9k for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention charities.
My next challenge is to swim the Isle of Man unsupported in 4-5 days towing a raft with all my equipment in it. Since I decided I was going to complete this challenge I have swam 300km in training swims over the winter and spring of 2023-24. I hope to raise £5k for a Suicide prevention charity Isle Stand upto Suicide a helpline for people in suicidal crisis on the Isle of Man. Hopefully during August or September 2024.
I have met some amazing people on this swim journey, fellow swimmers, kayak swim supporters, paddle boarders ,sponsor’s, cheerleaders, spotters, feeders ,Thank you to you all.
I must say that swimming has been a massive part of my dealing with grief. I cannot imagine how worse off I would be without swimming in my life. cold water and open water swimming has taken off massively since covid there are many reasons why.
You don’t have to grieve alone 