From strong currents and seasickness to hypothermia and huge ships, the dangers of swimming the English Channel cannot be underestimated.
But if there’s someone who is under no illusion of the risks involved with the gruelling 21-mile swim from Dover to France then it’s Methlick dad-of-three Simon Oakley.
“Even though I’m a good swimmer, swimming the Channel is on another level,” says Simon.
“More people have climbed Everest than swum the Channel which just goes to show how tough it is.
“It is dangerous, but there’s risks with everything.”
‘Be comfortable being uncomfortable’…
So how does a busy dad decide to take on one of the world’s most difficult swims?
For Simon, it all began as a child growing up in Manchester.
“I wasn’t especially sporty as a child but I swam a lot right through to my university years, although not seriously,” says Simon.
“But I stopped swimming for about 10 years when I moved up to Aberdeen to work at Fugro in Bridge of Don.
“Life was busy as I was working, and I also got married and had kids, so they were a priority.”
It all started with an open-water swim at Knockburn Loch
It wasn’t until 2017 when Simon took the plunge again, this time discovering a love of open-water swimming.
“I started open-water swimming as an activity to complement my busy work at Fugro and family life at home,” says Simon.
After attending a taster open-water swimming session at Knockburn Loch in Deeside, Simon, who works as a geophysics manager at Fugro, went on to win various events.
“I immediately enjoyed the competitive swims and I entered progressively longer and harder events,” says Simon.
“I remember going along to the Firth of Forth Crossing swim event where you swim under the iconic Forth Rail Bridge.
“I just turned up and thought I’d do my best, then halfway through the swim I remember thinking ‘where has everyone gone’ as I was in the lead.
“So I ended up winning that event in 2018 and 2019, setting the course record, so that gave me quite a lot of confidence.”
‘The Channel is the pinnacle of open-water swimming’
Simon went on to win the Windermere End to End (17 km) race – the longest open-water swim event in England – a few times before deciding to take on the English Channel.
“After winning most of the events I entered in 2022, I decided I needed a harder challenge,” says Simon.
“The obvious answer was the English Channel, the pinnacle of open-water swimming.
“As it’s such a big challenge I also wanted to raise money for charity.”
Raising money in memory of his grandmother
As a tribute to his late grandmother Margaret Oakley, Simon is raising money for the Alzheimer’s Society, which also happens to be his workplace Fugro’s chosen charity of the year.
“It means a lot to me as my grandmother Margaret had severe dementia so she suffered from hallucinations and she didn’t recognise people, so it was really stressful for close family,” says Simon.
“My grandmother was a head teacher at a primary school for many years, so to see her very scared and having hallucinations was pretty heartbreaking for her husband, my grandad, Ken, who is still alive.”
Simon says his grandad Ken is his biggest supporter.
“He’s been in palliative care for the last year or so; I think this Channel swim is keeping him going which is nice,” says Simon.
Two years of tough training
For the past two years, Simon has been training relentlessly for what he knows will be the biggest challenge of his life.
“I’ve focused all my training towards this goal, which meant lots of swimming, including regular 20km swims,” says Simon.
“I swim at Aberdeen Beach and I often swim at Cullykhan Bay near Gardenstown.
“I also enjoy hard swimming sessions at Aberdeen Sports Village with my amazing training partner Eilidh Prise.”
One of the biggest challenges of the swim will be the cold water.
“In addition to the actual swimming of the English Channel, the challenge of the cold water is just as difficult,” says Simon.
“For my swim, the water temperature will likely be around 18°C, which is nice for a short dip, but less comfortable after 10 hours of exposure.
“I’m hoping to complete the swim in around 12 hours, but this is largely dependent on the sea state and weather conditions on the day.
“Sea sickness and jellyfish are also a problem.”
‘I’ll need to avoid the 400 vessels passing daily’
It’s not only the cold water that Simon must contend with though.
“The Strait of Dover (the narrowest part of the English Channel) is considered to be the busiest maritime route in the world, so I’ll need to avoid the 400 vessels passing daily,” says Simon.
“I will be escorted by a dedicated pilot boat, called Pathfinder, for the duration of my swim, so I’ll follow the boat.”
Sporting just a swim cap, goggles, Speedos plus a layer of Vaseline, Simon will set off on his swim around 4.30am/5am.
Eating and drinking while treading water…
Swimming under CSA (Channel Swimming Association) rules, Simon isn’t allowed to touch the support boat but is allowed to pause for drinks and snacks while treading water.
“During the swim I’ll alternate between a warm carbohydrate drink and warm squash, and in terms of food, I won’t eat much, maybe a few sweets, a bit of flapjack,” says Simon.
“They recommend that you don’t waste much time feeding because every time you’re not swimming you’re getting pushed sideways by the tide, so you don’t want to waste any time.”
‘The support from everyone will keep me going’
Asked what will get him through the swim, Simon says it will be thinking about his loved ones.
“I’ll try to take my mind off it by thinking about other things like the jobs I have to do at home or things I’ve got to do at work, and maybe days out we can do with the kids,” says Simon.
“I’ll also probably think about all the comments, feedback and encouragement people have been giving me, which will distract me from the physical pain.”
Simon will be getting the boat back to Dover, having swum to France.
After the swim, Simon, who will have his best friends Sam Crowder and Nick Stevenson plus his dad Chris there for support, is planning to head to the pub afterwards.
“There’s a pub in Dover where all the Channel swimmers go and you can write your name on the wall,” says Simon.
Stellar support from Methlick community
Simon will then head back up to Methlick where he will enjoy an emotional reunion with his wife Michele and their three children, 10-year-old Evelyn, seven-year-old Matthew and four-year-old Eleanor.
“My wife Michele has been so supportive and the kids are proud and inspired by what I’m doing which is really nice,” says Simon.
Simon says the support from the local community in Methlick has also blown him away.
“The village have also got a celebration booked,” says Simon.
“All the dads in the village have organised a pub celebration when I get back which is really nice.
“It’s a really nice community, everyone has been so supportive.”
Weather permitting, Simon hopes to start the swim on Wednesday, September 25 but this could change.
Wellbeing diary with Simon Oakley
What are your top three tips for health and wellbeing?
1: Find a physical activity that you enjoy doing. It doesn’t need to be as challenging as open-water swimming. It could be as simple as walking the dog or gardening.
2: Spend time with friends. It’s healthy to spend time socialising outwith family life. I enjoy spending time with the other local dads playing football followed by the pub every few weeks.
3: Having a good work/life balance. It can be very difficult balancing a busy job and personal life (especially if you have children), so it’s crucial to prioritise the important things both at work and at home.
How do you like to de-stress?
Swimming of course. I find spending time in the water away from technology (emails, phones, etc) refreshing. I also find spending time outdoors (gardening, walking, cycling, etc) with my family a great way to de-stress.
Are there any athletes who inspire you and why?
I can’t help but be inspired by our local Aberdeen legend, extreme triathlete Eilidh Prise, who has won the Celtman Extreme Scottish Triathlon three times and she’s also won the Norseman ultimate triathlon. I’ve spent many hours training with Eilidh, and it’s a genuine privilege to spend time with someone so motivated to achieving their goals. Tadej Pogačar, a professional cyclist and a three-times Tour de France winner, is also a favourite of mine. His love for the sport, his attacking tactics and comradery with his rivals is inspirational.
What is your secret weapon when it comes to eating/snacks during a long swim?
Keep it quick. If you’re eating, you’re not swimming, and therefore adding time to your swim. For my Channel swim, I want to keep my total feeding time (drinks and snacks) to less than 15 minutes for the entire 12 plus hour swim.
How do you like to relax after a long swim/event?
For me, there’s nothing better than getting together with family and friends and going straight to a local pub or cafe for warm food. Especially if there’s an open fire for warmth.
Anyone who would like to sponsor Simon can do so via his Just Giving page:
justgiving.com/page/simon-oakley-channel-swim-fugro
Conversation