The Channel – Swimming The English Channel // Short Film

It’s 2.30 in the morning when I arrive at Dover Harbour. The orange lights of the docks guide me down onto the harbour walkway. The Viking Princess stands out boldly against the rest of the boats with its floodlights bathing it in white light. It is a 9.8 meter steel commercial fishing vessel with a blue hull and a white cabin located towards the back of the boat. Up close you can see and feel the uneven surfaces showing the pitted scars of a long and hard life in The English Channel, freshly painted and cared for to maintain its function for many years to come. The long deck of the boat is black and not designed for passengers, with only a few posts designated for perching while pulling in fish. This is my home for the next 15 hours…