Gaurvi Singhvi

English Channel

On 23rd August 2019, I remember I could feel my heart in my mouth as we pulled up on the Dover Marina. I spotted my crew - Nick, Kevin and Deirdre waiting for us. Kevin, like always, gave me a big hug and congratulated me as he feels that coming so far is a big achievement in itself. Nick told me the dos and don'ts as everyone unloaded my kit from the car and onto the boat optimist. On the boat, the pilot gave me a briefing and my mother greased me with loads of vaseline. Before I knew it I was jumping into the cold waters of the channel. A few hours in and I could see the magnificent sunrise. I constantly tried to race and swim ahead of the boat just to get a good look at the sun. I could look up and see the deck now, with each breath, and saw my crew members covered in layers and layers of sweaters, jackets and caps.

With each feed, the sky became brighter and I saw the most magnificent sunrise that morning.I soon started to see giant ferries, and with each one passing by, they churned the sea and brought the freezing water back to the surface. I still get Goosebumps when I think of the chilly water! For the next few hours I kept swimming, non stop, feeling hungry, feeling nervous, feeling confused, feeling tired, feeling sleepy, sometimes even angry but at the same time, unstoppable. Read More...

47 Kms. Swimming

Finishing my 37kms swim in the Indian Ocean, I had fallen in love with the Open waters. I knew this was just the beginning of a long journey as my dream of swimming the channel was taking its shape. But to my dismay, the English Channel could only be crossed by a swimmer above the age of 16.

On February 6, 2018, I swam in the salty waters of the Indian Ocean to swim 47 kms. This was the first time I was going to start my swim at night, enveloped by the darkness at 1 in the night, I moved forward with high spirits and ebullience only to realize a few minutes later that this swim was not going to be as rosy as the ones before.

The light attached to my swimming costume so I could be seen and tracked while I was swimming in the water, attracted all kinds of fish, including prawns. Because of this, my feet had swelled up with jellyfish and prawn stings, making me feel like I had Hot Feet Syndrome. My thighs burned with scratches as I rubbed against the fishnets covered with anesthetics meant for fish. To make matters worse, I had to swim through the sewage water near the "Rajiv Gandhi Setu". Nevertheless, I finished the swim in 9 hrs and 22 min. The longest distance to be covered by anyone in the open Indian Ocean from the Juhu Khardanda to the Gateway of India.

37 Kms. Swimming

"Dream so big you get uncomfortable telling small minded people."

After an unbroken swim of 6 hours 35 minutes, I finished my second swim covering a distance of 37kms from the Bandra Sea Link to Gateway of India in 6 hours, 35 mins. In the process a new record was set, as I became the youngest and first girl to swim the distance in the open Arabian Sea.

This swim has been one of the most fun ones that I have experienced so far. The clear skies, abundant waves, and the tides pushing me forward made me enjoy every part of it. Unlike the 17 kms swim, I was now more used to the saline water of the sea and the fish swimming below me. This swim paved my way for long distance swimming and I challenged myself with bigger goals and dreams. I became the little girl with big plans.

17 Kms. Swimming

I swam a distance of 17km, crossing the open sea route from the Governor house to Gateway of India in 3 hrs 58 mins. This swim was only supposed to be like a trial before the 37km swim but it meant so much more to me.

I liked the fact that I was the first person to accomplish this feat, but what was actually special about this swim was discovering my love for the Open Waters.

From that day forward, it became my favorite place to be and made me want to go back to the sea, to the waves, to the excitement and the thrill. To break my own barriers, for the sense of adventure in swimming without the lane lines or the walls of the pool.