Noirmoutier > Pornic swiming

On Thursday, August 19th we left Noirmoutier at 10 a.m. and headed for Pornic, which I reached in 4 hours and 55 minutes instead of the 6 hours we had planned for.

After turning round, I was joined by a fleet of boats, including the Lifeboat Association’s cruiser, with the Mayor and MP for Pornic on board, come to encourage me.

I had a great welcoming committee, and to make quite sure the event would be really unforgettable, I was kissed on the side of my mouth by a jellyfish, and I was still stinging from it several hours later!

On the way back, I had a spell of windy weather and a very choppy sea : it was like being in a washing machine and spinner for two hours.

In the last hour and a half, I swam against the tide to finish the programme.

I finished at 10 p.m., with my trainer Valérie, my partner Suzana, my parents, and a whole crowd of other people who had come in their boats, to encourage me.

When we came into l’Herbaudière harbour, there was an incredible crowd gathered to welcome me, thanks to the radio programmes which had reported on the event all day.

There were about 500 people there to meet us, and it was all like a big, emotional party, with all the boats letting off their sirens like mad.

I had swum 27 kilometres non stop, but I had energy enough to have kept going after that. Amazing, just amazing.

So, a first exploit before the Channel swim ! This twelve-hour training session was like the cherry on top for me : now I have to find the cake to put under it….

I would like to thank everyone very warmly for their encouragement and their support throughout these two years of intense training.

And now, I put myself in the hands of Neptune…