Cynthia Aguilar
Penarth to Clevedon 25/7/2023
Swim time: 5hrs 9minutes 51seconds
Start: Penarth Slipway
Finish: Clevedon Slipway
Observer: Tom Chapman
Swim Crew: Marcela Varela
Pilot: Meuryn Hughes
Ratified by the BCSA. COURSE RECORD and first Mexican to swim the Bristol Channel!
Swimmers report:
For me, the Bristol Channel swim was magical since the weather looked unfavorable and life gave me the opportunity. Both the observer and the captain were very open and transparent throughout the entire process. Swimming is fun with its various challenges, for me the most difficult part was the part where the sea is brown and opening your eyes and not seeing anything was a unique experience, a highly recommended swim.
Observers report:
We met at Penarth Marina very early on Tuesday 25th July 2023. Cynthia the swimmer was already greasing up on the dock. We loaded the boat, locked out and made our way round out of the marina. Barely 100 yards into the passage the boat stalled, the prop having collected a black bag, hidden in the dark water! With the prop cleared, we were soon on our way, locking out and making our way towards Penarth Slipway. Wearing a standard swimsuit, hat and goggles, Cynthia entered the water, swam to shore and picked her way clear of the water line as on the falling tide, the water was already below the bottom of the slip.
Cynthia started her swim at 4.59AM, gingerly picking her way through the rocks and swimming back towards the boat and away into the breaking dawn. The water was fairly flat with a light northerly breeze. For the next hour we made good progress away from shore, getting pushing down channel on the last of the tide. Between 1 hour and 1hour 30 we passed close behind Flatholm Island, the water chopping up slightly in the wake of the island.
At 5.59 she took her first feed, a water bottle and plastic clip tub on a line were thrown. Swimmer ate peaches and drank hammer nutrition and reported all was well with her. Subsequent feeds started on a 45 minute interval and comprosed mixed solids and various flavours of energy drink to mix things up. All were reasonably quick.
Two hours into the swim we were starting to get pushed quite hard by the incomming tide up channel towards Clevedon. The sun broke out to reveal a lovely morning! Cynthia swam strongly feed to feed, making very good time.
For the next few hours we moved quickly with the push of the tide up the English coast, clearing Sand point and entering the muddy inshore waters. In no time at all, we raced into Clevedon, getting pushing slightly past the slipway towards the pier but the swimmers crew pointed to the people stood standing on the slipway waiting for her to arrive. She swam in and cleared the water to a round of applause, stopping the clock at 5 hours, 9 minutes and 51 seconds.
She made her way back to the boat, was helped abord and dressed by her crew and we made best speed back to Penarth, arriving back in Cardiff before Lunch! An impressive swim, executed calmly and professionally throughout, completing in an impressive time! Congratulations.
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