Kamil Resa
Porthcawl to Monk Nash 10-9-2020
Swim time: 13 hours 8 mins
Start: Glenthorne Bay, Devon
Finish: Monk Nash Beach, Cardiff and the Vale
Observer: Tom Chapman
Swim Crew: Yasemin Bagana
Pilot: Ceri Davies
Ratified by the MSF.
Swimmers report:
Bristol Channel swim is one the 3 swims of Original Triple Crown .
As I did ECand North channel , I wanted to swim the Bristol Channel to become theOriginal Triple Crowner after 45 years.
I searched from internet and contacted Captain Ceri Devis .
Than everything realised very quickly .
I came to Bristol with 2 of my friends.
We decided to swim tandem with Emre , as our speeds were similar.
We started in the morning ... from Glenthorne .
The conditions were very good, sea temperature was around 17 C and calm.
My other friend Yasemin supported us and give us the feedings.
The first feeding made me bad.
Than she changed it and it was okey .
Until dark we swam together with Emre , but than the sea become chopy and we couldnt see each other.
Emre couldnt catch up as he was tired.
As the captain couldnt keep us together he decided to take Emre from the water .
It was sad , but nothing can be done.
I continued to swim and finished approximately 1 hour later in portcrowl .
I was very happy when I finished there.
This swim was not done 45 years .
Observers report:
Emre Deliveli and Kamil Resa Alsaran, Glenthorne to Porthcawl Bristol Channel Swim 10/9/2020
Observers report: Tom Chapman.
The swim was a tandem attempt at the historic Glenthorne to Porthcawl route, a swim not attempted for a long time. Both swimmers intended to swim at the same time off the same boat so were briefed they must not swim in front of each other at any point.
We met the boat at Swansea on the morning of the swim, on board were Ceri the pilot and Elliot crewing the boat. As well as the two swimmers there was myself as observer and Yasemin as swimmers crew. The wind was very light and the weather was great. We loaded the boat “cougar” a small rib and headed over to the North Devon Coast.
Once on the other side the swimmers prepared, entered the water and swam ashore where there was a person waiting to see them off. They started at 9.13 from Glenthorne bay, on the beach just under Glenthorne house. Conditions were excellent. Sea temperature was 16.9, air slightly chilly at 13.9C. Both swimmers settled into a pace very quickly, they were both swimming at the same pace side by side as instructed.
As we came away from the Devon coast there were a few rafts of seaweed but perfect conditions, dead flat sea state and very slight wind. On the feeds Emre fed on CNP, Kamil on Ucan.
The swim continued in this manner for several hours, the swimmers swam remarkably well together, matching their pace and swimming side by side but never close to each other or the boat. The main body of the swim was quite uneventful apart from one or two rounds of vomiting on the feeds.
Around six to seven PM, we were around 4-5 miles due south of Porthcawl and the tide began to turn. It sweep back down towards nash point so the track began to flatten off and we started moving to the East towards Nash Sand bank. The pilot asked the swimmers to start pushing and at this point, Kamil was able to swim faster than Emre so we had to keep asking him to slow. We reached the sandbank in the dark and the pilot asked both swimmers to push as the wind had got up slightly and the shallow water was creating waves. Emre did not have the extra gear Kamil had and eventually he was asked to get out so Kamil could push on (20:49 Emres swim ended). He was disappointed and tired but ok.
Kamil pushed on hard swimming superbly and landed at approximately Monk Nash at 22:21 after 13 hours 8 minutes.
Swimmer back on the boat we motored back to Swansea. On the trip back the boat took on water and the engine stopped just outside the harbor, we had to get towed in by the Port pilot boat!
Pictures:
