The 'Spirit of Seaton Challenge' for July 2018.
Raising money for Jack, who was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy late last year. He is only 7 and already struggling to walk up stairs, so his parents have had to move into a bungalow and are currently having it converted. We decided to do a challenge to raise much needed funds to make him as happy and comfortable as possible for the time that he has. We are hoping to raise enough money to buy him a specialist wheelchair, which will mean he can still get onto the beach to make sandcastles with his brother, as well as a specially adapted bath, so he won't have to struggle in the shower as his muscles get progressively weaker.
We considered swimming/kayaking the channel but after some investigation realised we were 1) too late for this year, 2) it would cost a lot to do, money that was better spent on Jack and 3) lets face it quite a few have done it. Fay came up with the bright idea of swimming from where we live, near Weymouth, to Seaton where Jack lives, almost doubling the distance of a English Channel swim! The original plan was to go around Portland Bill but this presented too much of a challenge with tides/safety/currents. As we wanted to keep the 75km distance, we will be going from Lulworth Cove instead.
Fay will be swimming, Roy will be kayaking alonside and Fay's eldest daughter Beth will be walking the Jurassic coast path.
We are anticipating it taking 3 days with 2 nights camping on beaches on the way. We will be carrying everything we need with us in the kayak. At her current swim pace, Fay is anticipating swimming for 8-9 hours each day or until the tides turn against us and she's battling the currents too much.
This is a huge personal challenge for Fay as she has only been sea swimming for 2 1/2 years and the furthest she has swum is at the OSS Hurly Burly 10k last year.
We are hoping people will join us along the way but particularly on the last bit from Lyme Regis where Jack and his family will be walking too. We hope to set off on 25th July but it is very much weather dependent.
Latest dates are on the home page.
The Spirit of Seaton!
Raising money for Jack, who was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy late last year. He is only 7 and already struggling to walk up stairs, so his parents have had to move into a bungalow and are currently having it converted. We decided to do a challenge to raise much needed funds to make him as happy and comfortable as possible for the time that he has. We are hoping to raise enough money to buy him a specialist wheelchair, which will mean he can still get onto the beach to make sandcastles with his brother, as well as a specially adapted bath, so he won't have to struggle in the shower as his muscles get progressively weaker.
We considered swimming/kayaking the channel but after some investigation realised we were 1) too late for this year, 2) it would cost a lot to do, money that was better spent on Jack and 3) lets face it quite a few have done it. Fay came up with the bright idea of swimming from where we live, near Weymouth, to Seaton where Jack lives, almost doubling the distance of a English Channel swim! The original plan was to go around Portland Bill but this presented too much of a challenge with tides/safety/currents. As we wanted to keep the 75km distance, we will be going from Lulworth Cove instead.
Fay will be swimming, Roy will be kayaking alonside and Fay's eldest daughter Beth will be walking the Jurassic coast path.
We are anticipating it taking 3 days with 2 nights camping on beaches on the way. We will be carrying everything we need with us in the kayak. At her current swim pace, Fay is anticipating swimming for 8-9 hours each day or until the tides turn against us and she's battling the currents too much.
This is a huge personal challenge for Fay as she has only been sea swimming for 2 1/2 years and the furthest she has swum is at the OSS Hurly Burly 10k last year.
We are hoping people will join us along the way but particularly on the last bit from Lyme Regis where Jack and his family will be walking too. We hope to set off on 25th July but it is very much weather dependent.
Latest dates are on the home page.
The Spirit of Seaton!
(2016 Challenge)
After the success of my 2013 challenge from Seaton to Land's End, the time has come for a new, and bigger, challenge. Twice the distance and more charities, it's going to be big, especially with your help!
Setting off from Tower Bridge on July 29th 2016, the trip will begin by paddling down The Thames and heading out into the Thames Estuary. From there, a nice jaunt past the Isle Of Sheppey and then following the coast back to my home town of Seaton in East Devon.
The total distance is about 360 miles. With a few friends joining me for some, maybe even all, of the journey, we are hoping to complete this in under three weeks. Confirmed are Graham and Jonathan and we also have land support by way of a man in a van called Roy.
Sleeping arrangements will vary from the wilds of beach camping, to campsites and maybe an occasional bed and breakfast. We'll be passing ports such as Dover and Portsmouth, tidal races such as Beachy Head and Portland Bill, tourist areas like Eastbourne and Brighton and quiet areas where we'll hopefully be camping. We will get to see the entire beautiful coast of Southern England. Unless it gets foggy, or worse...
All in the name of Cancer Research UK and the RNLI and St Peter's Hospice.
Please donate to these rather excellent charities by following the links dotted all over this website.
Keep an eye out for the GPS tracker once we start the trip and follow our progress in real time!
You can also follow us on Facebook.
Thank you, Roy.