Success as I face my challenge to swim the river

I did it! I swam across the River Fal in a bid to raise funds for the RNLI's South West lifeguard appeal. I ache from my neck down but I'm wearing my shiny new medal with pride. What an adventure!

I actually cried as I waded into the sea - I suppose it was an emotion created out of nervous energy and fear - but along with 229 other swimmers, I waited for the signal from former Olypic Swimmer Sharon Davies, who started the event, and then launched into what would become a marathon event.

There was alot more tide that I was expecting and a wind going with it, which ultimately blew me a long way off the course. In fact I headed down toward Black Rock, but kept calm thanks to the knowledge that drifting alongside me was the Falmouth RNLI all weather lifeboat. Quite some rescue boat for a swimmer! I could even heard the Coxswain making his usual funny remarks at one stage - and actually smiled despite the effort to swim through the swell that had also developed.

I actually drifted so far that I had to be picked up by RNLI lifeguards in an inshore rescue boat and taken back across the course to where the other swimmers were. They lifted me out as if I weighed 8 stone (I wish) and put me gently back in just as cramp bit my calf muscles! I swam through that and carried on - but again I lost out to the tide.

Next ride came on a sled at the back of an RNLI lifeguard rescue water craft (jet ski)taking me back across the course to the main channel for the swimmers. I must emphasise that I gained nothing from these lifts - and in fact today the RNLI Lifeguard Inspector has calculated that I probably swam about a mile and a half because of the tide.

The worst bit came at the end when I really struggled against a short swell that literally slapped my face time after time. I drank gallons of sea water - not that good a vintage - and frankly, lost the will to go on. But next to me on a board was a young RNLI lifeguard who just wouldn't let me stop and well done to him because I would have kicked myself if I had.

The beach never seemed to arrive and then just as suddenly I was there and hanging on to the arm of several other swimmers and the young lifeguard as my land legs had left me. And what a reception, including my two lovely daughters, Elen and Bronwen, my partner Bob, the dogs and my wonderful friend, Caroline who works at our RNLI base and came down especially to greet me back.

So a big thank you to everyone who helped me over the training period and on the day and to my family who have given me every support possible. I'm sure it will all sink in over the next couple of days and then I shall be able to write more. So until then, thank you one and all.