Tessa McLean from Phocle Green is spending this week in Dover waiting for the tides to turn in her favour as she prepares to swim to France.

Tessa is swimming as part of a relay team for Aspire Charity. Every eight hours someone in the UK is paralysed by a spinal injury and Aspire is a national charity providing practical help for those who have been paralysed by a Spinal Cord Injury.

Tessa is especially keen to complete this marathon swim because she was unable to complete the swim when she first planned to do it, two years ago. She was involved in a car crash in which a van hit her stationary car at 50+ mph and sustained neck, spine and shoulder injuries.

It has taken more than two years of rehab and determination to recover and raising funds for this charity is much more meaningful for Tessa, since she was so close to needing their services herself.

Tessa, and Team Aspire Piranhas, will be taking it in turns swimming one hour at a time from Dover Harbour, where she spent several weekends training through the spring. She did her winter training mostly at the National Diving and Activity Centre near Chepstow. Fast relay teams have managed to complete the swim in around 12 hours and slow teams have taken over 20 hours.

The same rules apply today as for Captain Webb, the first man to swim the English Channel 24th August 1875. This means no wetsuit or fancy costumes, just one normal swimsuit, one hat (not neoprene) and goggles. No watches, music or other gadgets are allowed, just a little bit of Vaseline to stop the chaffing.

Most swimming pools are around 28-30 degrees, the channel will be about 15ºC. Tessa is used to spending more time in warm blue water since she has a Diving and Dolphin Swimming business in Egypt. This is why Tessa trained throughout the winter in water down to about 3.5 degrees (still no wetsuit) so that spending hours in the water at 15 degrees should not cause significant problems.

Tessa told the Ross Gazette that the main challenge is the sea sickness, the pilot boat moves at the speed of the swimmer. However ferries, jellyfish, and Tessa really hates jellyfish, and tankers will all be crossing her path. And of course the swimmers have to deal with the sea itself, with its complex tides, wind and weather conditions. Only about 50% of attempts make it to France, no matter how robust their training. More people have climbed Mount Everest than have swum the English Channel so this is no small undertaking.

So far Tessa has raised over £5000 for Aspire Charity, and every £1 she raises is matched by her UK employer. If you’d like to support Tessa please go to her Just Giving Page where she is running a sweepstake to guess how long it will take to complete the swim or you can just make a donation. Visit justgiving.com/fundraising/Tessa-McLean6