Swimmer Carina Crawford was part of a team that successfully swam the English Channel – at their second attempt.
The team were determined to touch land in France after their first attempt, which because of the strong receding tidal current saw them unable to reach the shore despite swimming more than the Channel’s 21 nautical mile width.
Carina, aged 31, who grew up in Ramsey but now lives in London, said: ‘We were determined to give it another go as soon as possible after training very hard for this challenge.
‘Although exhausted we are ecstatic to have reached France this time.’
The team landed at Cap Gris Nez in France after swimming a total of 14 hours and 6 minutes.
The sleep-deprived team had set off from Dover in the dark at 3.20am.
She said: ‘We encountered expansive shoals of jellyfish, although I was luckier than others to not get stung, and I even got tangled in masses of seaweed at one point.’
Carina added: ‘We were very fortunate with the calm weather and a glassy sea most of the way.
‘We were also very excited when we spotted dolphins’.
As the team neared France it was Carina’s turn to swim hard against the tide, fighting the currents that would keep them at sea.
‘We steadily made progress towards the headland,’ she said.
‘There was a nail-biting moment as we were swept along the rocky French coast, just past the cape.
‘Because of the strength of the current there it seemed that we were never going to hit land.
‘It was a huge team effort.’
The team raised more than £7,000 for the charity Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust (HART), which will be used to educate children affected by conflict in Sudan and South Sudan, and fight child malnutrition on the isolated Atauro Island, just off the coast of Timor Leste.
Carina said: ‘I am proud that the Isle of Man International Development Committee is supporting HART’s other projects in both these regions.’