NOT even a year’s delay could prevent the junior relay team “Whale Swim Again” from completing their successful challenge of swimming around Jersey.
In an inspiring display of teamwork, commitment and dedication, six junior sea swimmers – Toby Brydon, Samuel Noel, Eleanor Docherty, Elsa Wanless, Rory Wanless and Emily Neil, aged between 13 and 17 – completed the mammoth task in just 10hrs 48mins.
The individuals have been training hard all year in preparation for the attempt, which included the completion of a training swim with the Jersey Long Distance Swimming Club (JLDSC) in August with club president Jenny Fitzgerald, who had this to say about the swimmers: “Watching and supporting these young swimmers complete their dream has been one of the highlights of the summer for me.
“Their achievement serves as a reminder of the remarkable young sea swimming talent that the Island has.
“Their commitment to training together to achieve this as a team is commendable and they should be very proud of their accomplishment.”
The group of keen sea swimmers, known for their spirit and determination took to the water at 7.08am on Friday 6 September in their “Round Jersey” challenge.
The sextet swam in hourly rotations, showcasing not only their individual talent but remarkable cohesion.
Facing lumpy conditions along the south and east coast, their resilience in the tougher conditions was rewarded as the waters gradually flattened out along the north coast and St Ouen’s Bay.
Throughout the swim the youngsters encountered numerous barrel and compass jellyfish which are all part of the circuit and a familiar sight for the experienced junior sea swimmers.
Additionally, during their swim, they were also treated to dolphin sightings near Corbière.
The swim was a personal goal for many of these intrepid sea swimmers and, with unfavourable conditions last year, it was a feat years in the making.
Fitzgerald was onboard as the observer during the swim, along with Guy Pipon as the pilot, with the duo saying that the atmosphere aboard “was great with all the juniors cheering each other on. They enjoyed all that this once-in-a-lifetime experience had to share.”
This monumental swim around Jersey is more than just a physical challenge, it symbolizes that with hard work, determination and a little patience that you can achieve your goals no matter what obstacles you may face along the way, just like team “Whale Swim Again”.
All the junior swimmers join the JLDSC for their weekly swims, on a Tuesday evening at St Catherine’s and on a Sunday morning at various locations around the Island.
The club’s summer programme will end on Sunday 29 September, returning to the pool in October to commence their winter sessions.
The club extended their heartfelt thanks to their members for a great summer of swimming, as well as sending congratulations to all those who have completed their personal challenges.
