Emma Kirkman English Channel Reflection 2026

After being blown out of my tide and anxiously waiting I got the call from my pilot on Wednesday evening to let me know that Thursday 23 July was my time to attempt the English Channel solo. I was due to meet the boat at 3:15am with an intended start time of 5:00am. I let Jonny my crew know and I started prepping my feeds. We decided to try and get some kip and then head down to Folkestone to meet Kevin and Graham on Connemara. I was so wired though there was no chance I could sleep.

At 4:52am I began my swim, the first couple of hours I settled in, I knew what I needed to do. I had to keep focused I just couldn’t let France slip away from me again but at around 2.5 hours the negative thoughts started to slip in, but what if I didn’t make it, what if the same thing happened again, it went round and round in my head, why, why, why was I putting myself through this again.

Thankfully I snapped out of it, I was there because I wanted to be, I was there because I had to land in France, becoming a successful Channel Swimmer meant everything. Something I quickly realised when I was pulled out of the water last year.

And then the nausea came, my pace slowed, more drugs were given, it eased off. But I just couldn’t pee, this was the next obstacle to overcome, Jonny and Mark tried everything to help, black tea, water, stopping the feeds for a little bit. The discomfort grew and it was starting to become quite painful.

Unbeknown to me there were conversations on the boat that they may have to pull the swim it had been 6 hours of no peeing and my Pilot had called Coach Karen Quartermain. Fortunately after a 270° projectile vomit which came out of nowhere I finally managed to pee. The relief, hallelujah!!!

Now I knew I had time to make up, I had to get my head down and get the focus back. I couldn’t let this slip away from me. Every stroke needed power, every stroke had to make a difference to get me that little bit closer to France.

At one point Jonny let me know that I had to really push now, and if I didn’t I was at risk of the same thing happening as last year. That was when the true fight began. I battled and I battled. I couldn’t let the tide beat me.

When the boat turned into the beach which would be my eventual landing point I thought I’ve got this now, but that beach never seemed to get any closer, I found out after my swim that Jonny had exactly the same thoughts .

Then finally Graham got the inflatable dingy out, I knew now it wouldn’t be long!

A few more strokes and Graham shouted check to see if you can stand, and yes I could!! I slipped over multiple times it wasn’t sand I was standing on but very slippery algae, I fell into a couple of random deep holes, the waves were fierce, they knocked me off of my feet a couple of times, they were so bad it flipped the dingy, Graham was as soggy as me .

So needless to say it wasn’t the glamorous ending I had in mind, but who cares, I certainly didn’t at this point, all that mattered was that I had made it!

As I walked up the beach looking for where the water stopped and where the land was dry I put my arm up signalling that I had made it and the horn sounded, that was it, I was a Channel Swimmer!!

The relief, I could finally get my pebble!! Back on the boat there were hugs all round, Kevin and Graham were with me last year when I didn’t make it and they knew how much it meant to me.

I feel extremely privileged to have such wonderful people around me, the support from my friends, family, the swimming community who have become great friends over the last few years, thank you all.

And of course never forgetting Karen and Dave at Qswim Adventure, they want you to succeed as much as you do. Karen’s training plans and advice every step of the way have been invaluable and even though she couldn’t be with me for my second attempt I knew that she would be on the phone checking in and helping Jonny to make sure I reached my final destination and she did. Her input was invaluable even the Pilot was liasing with her.

What a day it was, it will certainly be one I will never forget, when you surround yourself with incredible people you sometimes forget that what you’re doing is actually quite special.

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