How I became the first woman to swim from Red Sands Forts
By Rebekah Kefford, swimmer and Aspire volunteer
How it started
My journey and introduction to outdoor swimming started in 2018 after I had a harebrained idea: I wanted to swim the Channel! I had no previous open water experience. My pool swimming was self-taught, with no history of club swimming or any coaching. I Googled Channel swimming and found Aspire, a spinal cord injury charity that organises various open water swims as a way to raise funds, including Channel Relay swimming. I got accepted into a team of six and after months of sea and pool training with guidance and advice from Aspire and organised training weekends in Dover, I swam the Channel with my team, the Aspire Panthers in July 2019. Bonds were formed, friends were made, and from that moment, I was hooked!
I much prefer open water swimming to the pool. The ocean is my favourite; the peace, the space, the feeling of being connected to something. I can ‘lose’ myself and think about nothing else except swimming. Cold water swimming in the colder months has a positive impact on my state of mind. I feel invigorated, alive and challenged.
Why I swim with Aspire
Aspire is very experienced in open water events. They deal with the admin and formalities such as pilots, authorities, planning routes etc. They’re an incredible charity and within their swimming community, there are many wonderful people who have a wealth of knowledge in long distance swimming. There’s always someone you can ask for help and advice and there’s always a friendly face on the beach. Many of their Channel relay swimmers and boat leaders have gone on to do bigger challenges such as Channel solos.
Since 2020 I have volunteered for Aspire as a Channel Relay Boat leader, helping prepare, mentor and support Channel relay teams every year. My passion for the English Channel started in 2019 after my own relay. To pass my passion and enthusiasm to others and give them help and guidance to achieve their dreams is something I’ve grown to love. When you see your teams land in France after months of hard work and fundraising, it can be quite emotional.
Why Red Sands Forts (and what even are they?)
I signed up to do the Red Forts swim because I knew I wanted to do more, go further and swim longer than a relay, but having a family to care for and a job, I didn’t have the time to give up for training for bigger challenges such as a Channel solo. When Aspire told me about the Red Sands Forts swim off the North Kent Coast, which is close to where I live, I jumped at the chance.
I liked the idea of being the first woman and only the second person in history to do the swim. My sons were older, 11 and 14, which allowed me the opportunity to train for an 8-mile solo swim. The decommissioned WW2 forts are iconic in the area and a well-known visual on the horizon, which also made me think I could fundraise well for it. I also chose to follow Channel swim rules: no wetsuit and no touching the boat.
Intense training
In January, I invested in 1:1 coaching from a masters swim coach who helped me perfect my ‘self-taught’ front crawl. The winter months were then about intense interval training sessions in the pool (at least 3 times a week). I had help, guidance and set training sessions from a retired swim coach who very kindly took me under his wing. January through to August, he planned and monitored everything I did, building up my strength, speed and swim stroke. The sea acclimatisation started in March when the sea was around 7 degrees. I built up my time in the sea as the water warmed. I had many days when I didn’t want to swim in either the sea or a pool. A lot of self-doubt crept in as to whether, at 53, I could do this and if I was good enough, but with the wealth of knowledge from many Aspire swimmers, and from Neptune Channel Training on Dover Beach, I built up to 4.5 hours in the sea.
Pre-swim nerves
A few days before the swim, I had a ‘wobble’. I couldn’t get my head around the fact I’d tapered off, as advised, in the couple of weeks leading up to the date. I suddenly felt unfit, rubbish and couldn’t swim for toffee! Again, Aspire people helped my ‘head’ and talked me through it. The day of the swim, I was anxious, but also excited. The weather and conditions were perfect. We arrived out at the Red Sands Forts around 7.30am, just before high water, and as soon as I jumped in, I felt better. All the help, training and advice kicked in, and quite soon, I got into a good steady pace and was really enjoying it. I was plagued with cramp for the first few hours, and dodged many jellyfish (fortunately no stings), but my crew were incredible.
I was lucky to have Dan Brown, the first person to complete the swim last year, as one of my crew. With his knowledge and navigational skills alongside Aspire’s Fundraising and Marketing Director, Paul Parrish, who has countless open water swims under his belt, they ‘fed’ me, motivated me and made me laugh. The skipper of the boat did a superb job navigating me from the forts back to the Kent coast. We were estimating the swim would take me around 6 hours, but I landed just off the Whitstable coast in 5 hours 34 mins to a landing party of friends and family. The elation when I walked ashore, knowing I was the first woman, and had completed the swim in a good time, is indescribable. Days later, I am still floating on a cloud.
The generosity of strangers
I am delighted to have raised £10,700 for Aspire. I have a motto: “you don’t get unless you ask.” I used local social media groups to document my story. I ran a big quiz night and had posters made, which were displayed in shops, businesses and my local leisure centre. Local press also covered my story. I simply asked and promoted it where I could. I’ve often heard from people who are fundraising say, “I don’t have rich friends who’ll sponsor me.” My answer to that is you really don’t need it. I would say that of the 290 people who sponsored me, around 70% of those were complete strangers. It was humbling to see how many sponsored me. Every penny counts, and if you get the word out enough, it works! Be proud of what you’re doing. Share your story. I’m proud to have been able to raise that much for an amazing charity and to help make a difference to those living with a spinal cord injury.
My next swim
This September, I’m doing another Channel Relay with five of my Aspire Boat Leader friends to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Captain Webb, who was the first person to swim the English Channel. We’ve affectionately named ourselves the Webb 150s. The Gibraltar Strait is on my list, as is the Channel Solo I’m hoping to aim for in a couple of years.
I realise I probably have more years behind me than ahead of me. I think it’s important we set ourselves challenges throughout our lives. No matter how big or small, or whatever age. Don’t think “I can’t”, just think “I can!”
Please support Aspire
Donations to support Rebekah’s swim and contribute to Aspire’s services can be made through his fundraising page at https://www.justgiving.com/page/rebekah-kefford-1736158103676
About Aspire
Aspire is a UK-based charity that provides practical support to people who have been paralysed by Spinal Cord Injury. Every two hours in the UK someone is paralysed by a spinal cord injury; it can happen to anyone at any time and no one is prepared for how it will change their life. Aspire exists because there is currently no cure. They provide practical help to people who have been paralysed by spinal cord injuries, helping them move from injury to independence.
Outdoor Swimmer
Outdoor Swimmer is the magazine for outdoor swimmers by outdoor swimmers. We write about fabulous wild swimming locations, amazing swim challenges, swim training advice and swimming gear reviews.
