Our goal is the English Channel, so let’s swim, march on

Özlem Yücelener – Hillsider Magazine 82 – Spring 2016

Now, close your eyes immediately. Imagine that it’s 16 degrees outside in the environment you are in. What could you be wearing? A coat, a jacket, a scarf, a hat, gloves? Yes, probably! Open your eyes and look around. Then close them again. Now, envision the sea; you are swimming as much as you can in the crystal-clear sea like a sheet… The sea, the sand, the sun, and the weather are as warm as possible, meaning you are having an enjoyable swim… Now, think about these two scenes together: The water temperature is 16 degrees… And you are swimming as much as you can in the sea… How possible do you think this is? To understand, ask yourself the following questions and measure the possibilities.

• Can I swim in water that is 16 degrees or colder with only a swimsuit, cap, and goggles without any other protection?
• Can I swim without panicking in a sea where jellyfish are abundant?
• Do I want to swim in the dark at night?

For the 4ForBlue team, four women swimmers who successfully crossed the English Channel, covering the known distance of 34 km in a total of 17 hours and 52 minutes, these questions became the starting points. Once they internalized the answers to these questions, they already found themselves swimming in the sea.

Let me start by introducing who the 4ForBlue women are before delving into the narration of this challenging success.

The English Channel in Turkey is known as “Manş,” similar to the French, while the English prefer “English Channel,” and the French use “La Manche.” Dover, a port city in southeastern England, faces France and holds strategic importance as the narrowest point of the Channel, only about 34 km between Dover and Calais, a crucial gateway between England and the mainland for centuries.

Statistics about the English Channel:

According to 2014 statistics, 1,426 individuals have completed 1,903 solo crossings, and 5,873 individuals have completed 1,183 relay team crossings. Women constitute 37.2% of all swimmers. Comparatively, the difficulty of the English Channel can be illustrated by the fact that Everest has more than twice the number of summit attempts (3086) than Channel crossings.

The first person to attempt swimming across the Channel was B. Johnson, an unsuccessful English attempt. The first recorded successful swimmer was the Italian military man Giovan Maria Salati, who used the Channel to escape from captivity in England. However, the first officially recognized swimmer was Matthew Webb, who solo swam from Dover to Calais in less than 22 hours on August 25, 1875.

The first Turkish individual to swim the Channel was Murat Güler in 1954, and the first Turkish woman was Nesrin Olgun in 1979.

Formation of 4ForBlue:

Seda Kansuk, who wished to remind Turkish society of what Turkish women are capable of, brought together the women in the 4ForBlue team. Her goal was to form a Turkish Women’s Team and swim the English Channel in the summer of 2015. Starting as a project, this dream took shape when Seda met Sadiye Kuş during the Bosphorus Intercontinental Swim Race in 2014. After recruiting Sinem Tüzer and triathlete Günışığı Ceren Stevens, the 4ForBlue team of four Turkish women was complete.

Origin of the Name 4ForBlue:

The women of 4ForBlue visualize the wind and waves hitting their faces, knowing there’s nowhere to hold on when they get tired, only the act of swimming. Looking at the sunbeams at the bottom of the sea, they feel the salty water on their faces. The sea, for them, means freedom, energy, adrenaline, joy, and, like for many swimmers, the color blue. The name 4ForBlue represents their unity in swimming across various blue waters: the Mediterranean, the English Channel, the Bosphorus, and the Aegean Sea.

Preparation and Formation of 4ForBlue:

Both physically and mentally challenging, the preparation for the Channel crossing included a psychological aspect, a physical preparation, and also a spiritual and financial dimension. After aligning the physical and mental aspects, they sought sponsorship for the Channel crossing, ultimately partnering with Teknosa, a company that values contributing to the community. With sponsorship secured, the intensity of their training increased, and besides pool training, they attended a swimming camp in Malta to obtain the “Channel Swimming Association Solo and Relay Swim Rules” certification, a requirement for Channel swimming.

In addition to the Malta camp, they performed cold water training in winter in Bozcaada and Izmir to prepare for the cold water of the English Channel. In February 2015, Günışığı, Sinem, and Seda participated in the Datça Winter Marathon.

Over the course of a year, they prepared for the Channel crossing, balancing their demanding work schedules and personal responsibilities.

What 4ForBlue Did and How They Achieved It:

4ForBlue strongly believes in the philosophy that “nothing happens by chance.” The four women discovered themselves and each other along the way, realizing both their differences and similarities. Despite the challenges, stress, and physical discomfort, they remained together in exhausting, demanding, and cold environments. Even in tense moments, everyone managed to soothe each other’s tension and handle themselves well. Each woman added value to the group with Sinem’s energy and cheerfulness, Sadiye’s intellect and determination, Seda’s motherly nature and adaptability, and Günışığı’s youth and love for swimming. In addition to individual success in swimming training, they succeeded in being a team and putting their signature on this achievement.

What They Could Have Done Differently or Better:

While recognizing that there is always room for improvement, they believe in the philosophy that “what is, is destiny” and prefer to be content with their efforts.

Impact of Success on Their Lives, Differences During Preparation, and After Success:

The most significant impact was on their overall well-being, enjoying a healthy and regular lifestyle through sports. They became examples for their families and children, and the friendship they developed and nurtured was an added bonus. The experience emphasized the fact that after working and striving toward a goal, anything is possible. A 17-hour and 52-minute adventure may be something many of us have never done for such an extended period, and even sleeping for that long would be challenging. Despite fears, the experience brought happiness, doubts turned into certainty, concerns became excitement, and expectations turned into success, creating a unanimous feeling that the entire journey was worth it.

Expectations vs. Reality:

4ForBlue states that the Channel crossing did not deviate significantly from their expectations. The only unexpected event was one of them experiencing nausea during the crossing. However, looking back at the day, they redefine the expectations and reality during the experience, as it is often different from what one anticipates.

What They Were Particularly Good At:

4ForBlue excelled in navigating both mentally and physically challenging, stressful, and exhausting environments. Even when tense, they knew how to calm each other, and having diverse strengths contributed by each member was their greatest advantage. Besides individual success in swimming training, being a team and achieving success collectively was their triumph.

What They Could Have Done Differently or Better:

While recognizing that there is always room for improvement, they believe in the philosophy that “what is, is destiny” and prefer to be content with their efforts.

Emotions and Thoughts Dominating During Preparation, Crossing, and After Success:

During preparation, they aimed to enjoy the moment, savoring the process as much as the end result. Crossing the Channel felt like being in a dream, with an English observer, two English captains, and an English helper on a small boat for 17 hours, experiencing both day and night in the sea. After success, fears turned into happiness, doubts into certainty, concerns into excitement, and expectations into accomplishment, creating a unanimous feeling that the entire experience was worth it.

In conclusion, the journey of 4ForBlue reflects not only the physical challenges of swimming across the English Channel but also the resilience, camaraderie, and personal growth that come with such an ambitious undertaking.

Remaining Thoughts and Feelings in Their Minds: Adventure, friendship, determination, discipline, belief, unity…

What It Takes to Reach This Point – Mental, Physical, Financial, Spiritual:

Especially during the crossing, mental strength is crucial; you need to fill your mind with positive feelings rather than the darkness of the night, cold, and jellyfish.

Physically, weekly swimming workouts of at least 2 km, 3-4 times a week, and experience in swimming in cold water are important.

As 4ForBlue completed a team crossing, their spiritual connection to each other was crucial. The support they received from their families, as well as the support from their sponsor Teknosa, played a significant role in making the crossing possible, both financially and spiritually.

Next Goals for 4ForBlue:

Seda’s project is to swim four different seas in four consecutive years, experiencing each sea in a different season. While they are not sure if they can achieve this dream in exactly four consecutive years, their strong bond makes them flexible about the timeline. Even though they may not know the exact time frame, they can confidently say that what they know best is that they will continue to make other crossings together.

If you’ve read this article, felt excited, and become curious about the subject, what should you do for this experience?

Starting with a team rather than solo might be a better idea for your first experience.

At the very beginning of the process, essential steps include finding a boat and captain, registering with organizations that approve the crossing, selecting a boat, determining the date and team order, and obtaining a cold-water swimming certificate to swim below 16 degrees Celsius.

Along with these fundamental points, if you want to thoroughly research and learn about such an experience firsthand, you should definitely check out 4ForBlue swimmer Sadiye Kuş’s blog post, where she detailed the entire achievement down to the finest detail: http://alternatifrota.com/2015/07/20/mans-gecisi-icin-nacizane-bir-rehber/

This is a powerful lesson drawn from here for me: To achieve what you want, especially to overcome a challenging path both physically and mentally, being a mother, a spouse, or having a job is not an excuse. It emphasizes that factors like place, age, gender, etc., are not binding, and at the end of the day, everything depends on you. The truth is, everything is possible after the desire is there, and sufficient effort is exerted. This lesson, derived from the successes of 4ForBlue, is not only applicable to my achievements but is also evident in the successes of other athletes, proving that this belief is indeed attainable.

If you’re not as bold and confident as 4ForBlue, you can continue to linger in the familiar waters of your comfort zone, sticking to swimming in pools or along the shores for a while. Alternatively, if the idea of trying this experience has been on your mind for too long, you can embark on a preliminary exploration by traveling from the southern tip of England to France today, either by ferry or through the Eurotunnel. For those who may get excited after reading this and want to take immediate action, here’s a final note from me: Attempting to swim 22 hours, similar to what Captain Matthew Webb initiated in 1875, is something you should never try alone 🙂

Özlem Yücelener