"Nightswimming deserves a quiet night..." or so the song goes (with apologies to REM). With the annual Dover Rowing Regatta taking place during the day in the harbour, Saturday's training had been switched to a start in the early hours. With so many swimmers taking the opportunity to train for something that may be part of their swim, would we be 'Dancing in the Dark' or would it be more a case of 'things that go bump in the night?'

Saturday 13th June 2020

1am - oof! Emma had briefed us that this session would be an excellent chance to practice getting up and preparing for a swim in the middle of the night, just as we may well do on the big day. It still didn't make getting up, eating breakfast and taking anti-sea sickness medication in the very small hours any easier! At the least the pyjama-party theme made getting dressed a doddle.

Arriving at the beach at 2.30am in my pale blue pjs, there were dressing gown and onesie-clad swimmers in every direction. This session was going to be popular! Pavel had rolled out his Wookie dressing gown again, Northey was claiming that his crocs were slippers, and Paddington had chosen a natty nightcap this week. Frédéric had posted photos of Stéphanie asleep on the night ferry from Calais so we knew that they were on their way. Number 1, Kinky Storm Boots, JET and Craggy Edge were discussing the trends on start times of swims, with Number 1 producing his latest statistics. The rest looked blearily on.

Harriet, Henrietta and Donatella were talking to a nervous-looking New Sue Pugh who'd never swum in the dark before:

"It's so dark! I'm new to all this. How do you see where you're going?"

"Everyone will have their two lights - one on the back of their goggles and one on the back of their costume/trunks, and see the big buoys in the harbour? Paul and Mandi have attached lights to them. Emma will brief us on where we're to swim and how we have to report in. Why don't you swim with us for a bit to start with?"

At the mention of lights, Stéphanie looked panicked:

"Frédéric, did you take the lights off the dogs' collars after our walk on the beach the other morning?"

"Non! I thought you did? Can't we buy some more?"

"Not today, the beach crew are focussing on getting everyone in the water safely."

Luckily the ever-organised Harriet (or was that Henrietta?) had a stash in her bag and soon had Stéphanie lit up like a Christmas tree.

Whilst fumbling in my own bag for my lights and cursing having forgotten my head torch, I spotted someone that I hadn't seen for ages:

"Rosario! Good to see you, it's been a while. What are you training for?"

"Well, nothing at the moment, but after Loch Ness, I fancy another cold, long swim. One with some interesting wildlife."

Wildlife, now there was something that I hadn't considered meeting in the dark...

Signing in I was expecting a seven-hour swim after last week's back-to-back sixes:

"So how long have you done recently, Joanna?" asked Emma.

"Back-to-back sixes last weekend and back-to-back fives the weekend before that"

"And you're training during the week too? When's your tide again?"

"Yes, I'm doing lake and pool swims. My tide is the first week of September"

"Four hours today then."

"Four? Not seven?"

"You're training with us almost every weekend, then during the week too, as well as being on a tide later in the season, so we mix up your sessions so you don't overtrain. And don't worry, you've got plenty of time for seven and sixes. We'll make sure you get them in!" explained Emma.

Andrea walked away looking chuffed too, having also expected a seven and been given four hours.

"Right, listen CAREFULLY as the briefing is going to be different today," said Emma above the hubbub. "Make sure you've got both your lights attached securely and that you've had grease if you need it. The swim area for at least the first couple of hours until dawn will be different: swim out to the yellow ducks, then up to the red and green apples which have lights on them, then along the buoys until you see Paul in the kayak. Swim over to Paul, shout your number in, then come back round past the beach and back to the ducks. Keep swimming this loop until the hour, when everyone can come in for a feed. You must come and give your number in at the one hour mark and every hour thereafter, even if you don't want the feed. Keep your feeds quick, swim in anti-clockwise direction, and absolutely no bobbing!"

As we make our way tentatively into the water, suddenly Bob shouts "everything's pitch black"

Cue laughter from us all. "Bob, it's 3am, that's why it's dark!"

"No, seriously, I can't see a thing!"

"Look at the buoys - they are all lit up. Head right towards the yellow ducks and the lights."

"What lights?"

Bob suddenly turns and tries to race back up the beach, goggles in hand.

"Sorry everyone, wrong goggles - these are my tinted pair!"

At first the effect of everyone's lights in the water was a little eerie, like a glow-worm convention, with a mass of tiny green glows heading in a pack towards the ducks. We soon spread out though, finding our rhythm and pace. Paul was easy to spot in the harbour, sitting in his kayak decked out in lights. At the first feed New Sue looked much happier, having swum in the company of the twins, Donatella and Caterina.

In the second hour, I swam over to the ducks, and headed on past the now flashing red and green apples. There was a glimmer of dawn on the horizon as I made my way towards Paul. Suddenly, bang! A fist had hit me in the jaw! Slightly dazed, I stopped to see Rosario ploughing away in the opposite direction oblivious. In the dark I'd drifted further away from my course than intended, right into Rosario's path who was swimming away from reporting in to Paul. "You alright Jemima? You look confused!" shouted Kev and Bob, who were also just reaching Paul. "Yes, but watch out for Rosario's left hook - it's vicious!"

Luckily hours three and four past uneventfully, well for me at least. Seeing the dawn rise in hours two and three was lovely, with the last hour an opportunity to stretch out around the whole swim area down to the wall now that the sun was fully up. I was almost sad to get out at 7am, but very appreciative of the delicious hot chocolate being doled out on the beach.

Finishing early gave me the chance to help Northey, Mandi and Emma with the five-hour feed. With so many swimmers in the water, I fully appreciated how challenging it can be for the Beach Crew to deal with multiple feed requests, numbers being shouted in, working out who is getting out, who is carrying on to the next feed, which relay swimmers are getting back in, and which shoes belong to which swimmer!

With the start of the regatta approaching, at 08:55 we went down to form the guard of honour arch for today's six-hour swimmers, including a beaming New Sue who had battled her demons in the dark and won. Once we were all back on the beach, changed and recovered, Craggy Edge then led a large group (a shoal, a pod, a school?) to the Illy café for breakfasts and war stories all round!

Sunday 14th June 2020

I certainly slept well after yesterday's early start. How about you?

Today the green lights of yesterday were replaced by the green hats of the Aspire teams who had joined us for a training day. Keith, the CSA Liaison Officer, had joined us for the first time in a while too. The beach thronged with swimmers, many of whom were still swapping stories of yesterday's nighttime adventure. JET had joined us for a dip last night, thinking he was following Kevin, but found he was actually swimming next to a buoy in the dark. Others had demonstrated their very best swim strokes, thinking that they were being photographed in the dark, only to find on later laps that it was just the flashing lights of the buoys that they'd seen.

Eduardo was standing holding a red carnation in wait for a swimmer he'd been communicating with on Facebook but had yet to meet in person. Could this be the mystery swimmer I hadn't yet identified? Apparently not, as this swimmer was to do her first swim with us today. The mystery continues...

Having been given four hours yesterday, I was nervous that my swim time today might suddenly go up. True to her word though, Emma gave me three hours. Three hours?! What would I do with myself? With the sun shining and the breeze having dropped, it was shaping up to be a beautiful day.

"Are you joining us today Emma? After all, you couldn't come in with us yesterday." queried Number 1.

"As you know I love swimming in the dark, so was sad to miss it, but I also went to have a lesson with Uncle Ray yesterday afternoon, so it was a long day. I might come in today..." came the response.

Even getting in this morning seemed more straightforward than usual. Something about the sunshine, the community of swimmers, and the knowledge that I'd be done by midday helped me relax and just enjoy the swim. The two hours seemed to pass in a flash, and the peaches at the first feed seemed to be appreciated by everyone, even Adrienne seemed mollified ("at least it's not banana!"). Christina Broccoli is doing better this week, and even Charles completes his two hours without looking quite so cold.

By three hours I was almost tempted to stay in, but mindful of a busy week ahead, as well as Emma's promise of plenty of big swims ahead, I gratefully got out and turned beach crew for the remaining hours, helping Mandi, Northey, Paul, Lady Marmalade, Keith and others with the feeds.

Lady Marmalade confessed that having got a Dryrobe for the first time, she felt she should earn the right to use it by having her first ever swim in the Harbour. Mandi, Northey and I seized the opportunity to grab our spare kit and join her for a quick dip, Keith have politely declined our invitation and offering to look after our shoes. On our tour to the ducks and the 'apples' and back, I felt sure I'd seen the flick of a familiar hand swim past, but I blinked and they'd gone again. Who is that swimmer?!

Heading back up the beach to change after our dip before the next feed, who should be there but the legendary Channel General herself, Freda, along with Barry and Irene! Freda and Craggy Edge were busy swapping stories, whilst Barry, fresh from winning his bowls tournament, couldn't wait to come and help with the next feed.

"I'm not sure I can do another hour..." starts Kevin.

"Neither am I..." joins in Bob.

"Alright Kevin, alright, Bob! I've been hearing about you two" says Barry.

"Barry! How are you?" they chorus.