Irish Flag
For my family and friends and supporters.
It started so well. For so long, I was fighting the tide. However after conditions got really bad, the boat rolled on top of me, and I was sucked and held under the boat. It was difficult to extract myself and I wasn’t recoverd at the following feed some few minutes later. This caused me to lose 10 minutes and get caught by the tide. You know some of rest, but not the details of the end.
I will write it up soon.
I’m fairly injured today but my phone died this morning with 50+ unread text messages on it so I wanted to update.
My left shoulder and arm is currently useless and I can’t move them, I have bruised ribs (boat bottom), swollen right hand, banged knee and, I kid you not, a cut and bruises on my back from the propellor.
I would never have imagined the nightmare, and had I done the time I was shooting for, yes, I would have felt great.
But I would never have learned what I learned yesterday. The Channel eats plans and aspirations. It tests aand tasks us.
But to be spat out a Channel Swimmer at the end? Well, I found some form of redemption in the heart of the sea.
I feel fantastic.
(But prone to crying a bit today.)
LoneSwimmer 
Well done donal, what a trip for you talk to you when you get home
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Quick question ? 69 /70 strokes per what ? Minute/hour what ?
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per minute
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Sincerest congratulations Donal. Myself and a group of my friends have been following your site ever since coming across your plastic box one day out in the Guillamine. You have provided us with much useful insight into open-water swimming, and inspiration for us not only to head out for a swim (at least 5 days a week at this stage for us!) but also to keep fit!
We’re all delighted to see that you made it, all be it slightly worse for wear by the sounds of your experience, but none the less a feat non-tarnished, and one to keep your head held high about!
Congrats again,
Rowan and ‘the lads’.
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Donal, well done on finishing.
From the snippets I’ve been able to gather,
it must have been a pretty horrendous swim.
I look forward to reading about it in the fullness of time.
Again, well done. Let’s hope the rest of the Cork crew
have an easier time of it.
Colm.
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Congrats on great news, Brilliant!!!!!
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Donal
what can i say,, flippin great swim
Congrats
Enda
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It sounds like you may have taken your knack for “making life difficult for yourself” a little too far this time. I await the gory details of your triumph over adversity. Congratulations again a great achievement
Justin
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