A South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb)
paramedic from Farnborough has successfully swum the English
Channel from Dover to Cap Blanc Nez, as part of team of four for
charity.

Operational Manager, Nigel Stock and his team, completed
the challenge in 15 hours and 37 minutes, swimming in hourly
rotations. The team included cardiac arrest survivor Steve Fish
from Folkestone, who was resuscitated by medics on the beach at
Dover only last year after he suffered a cardiac arrest while
training to swim the channel.

The team, ‘Wingin’ It to France’, also included Steve Lodge a
physiotherapist from High Wycombe and former police detective,
Diane Murphy Weaver from Buckinghamshire.

The quartet started their journey to France in the dark at
3.10am on Friday 30 June. They worked relentlessly through the day
and into the evening to reach the shore through the waves. Although
they were lucky with weather conditions and a relatively calm sea,
the team were plagued by jelly fish.

“Swimming across the mid-Channel shipping lanes was an awesome
experience,” said Nigel. “There were some good sized waves created
by the ferries and cargo ships, and there were also dolphins and
seals who made an appearance along the way.”

Once the team reached French inshore waters in the late
afternoon, they needed to work even harder as the tide was sweeping
them along the coast instead of towards the shore. Swimming against
the current, Steve Fish led them onto the beach to finish as a
team.

Steve, who lives in Folkestone and works for the Home Office
said: “I’m so happy to have recovered my full health and achieved
this crossing. I was also very lucky to receive such excellent
medical attention which included the care of experienced paramedic
Robert Lambert. He accompanied me in the ambulance from Dover to
the William Harvey Hospital at Ashford, and started my heart
beating for a second time en route, when I suffered another cardiac
arrest.”

As a result of Steve’s experience, it has now been mandated that
all coastal boats should carry a defibrillator.

In swimming the Channel, wetsuits are not allowed if the
crossing is to count as a Channel swim. Preparations involve a year
of training, including braving ice-cold open waters during the
winter months.

“Thank you to everyone who’s supported and sponsored us,” said
Nigel. “We had an amazing time.”

There’s still time to donate to Nigel’s chosen charity
Sebastian’s Action Trust via the following link www.justgiving.com/Nigel-Stock