10 hours done. Last hour of sun. Pushing on to make the most of it.

Thanks to Donal Buckley for giving me the real facts, rather than my guesses:

“Regardless of Dover tide times (it’s dropping there now), Bernard’s track is that of a flood tide swim.

He is currently in the North East shipping lane, for all marine traffic in the Channel, and he is travelling north being pushed by the tide. He has also crossed the Ferry Lane between Dover & Calais.

He looks to be on target, and should enter the Separation Zone at about 6 hours. The Separation Zone divides the two north-south shipping lanes. The Separation Zone has a higher concentration of jellyfish and rubbish. 

Then he will be pulled back South East toward the Cap. His speed will increase even as he tires, getting the benefit of the flow. How far he travels SE will determine where he turns into the Cap Griz Nez. He will have a second turn into France somewhere off the Cap. 

The current off the Cap on a Spring tide flows at up to 7 knots, where a world class elite swimmer can swim about 3 knots.

Which side the C2V buoy he passes will give an indicator if he will land on the Cap or on the beach.”

This is today’s tide table for Dover.  Big, BIG, Spring tides.  

Bernard set off at 08.52, so had under two hours of incoming tide before it turned at 10.44.  It’s now headed out – hard – and taking him with it: parallel to France  and NE in the shipping channel rather than SE towards France (thanks Donal Buckley for that info).

The track will look lovely on his channel swim chart when he swings back – but it must be hard going now!!   The tide won’t turn fully back into his favour until 6pm but he should start to get some benefit by about 4pm and we should see his turn beginning on the tracker. Hopefully the tide will ease his path and pull him SE into France from then on!  

“Ease” is a relative term – there’s nothing easy about this day out.

Last seen in the Channel for the successful Myrtle Turtles relay.  Now flying on the Louise Jane.  

Here’s hoping Bernard has the same luck today. Same time would be nice too!!

Thanks to everyone who brought pressure to bear on Carol “Miss Mean” Cashell.  Our man has had his pie at the four-hour mark.  

Bernard can actually come home now, as he only went so he could get one of those iconic “man and channel ferry” pictures for his wall.  He’s got that now.  Still, might as well keep going as he’s there.  

Got The Pic now.  Everything else is a bonus.

Word on the street / boat is that Bernard wants Pecan Pie for his next feed and Carol – “keeping the good stuff for me and Rob” – Cashell won’t give it to him.  

Immediate online campaign, please – give the man his pie!!

OK, he’s got the flag up – now we want to see him in a Myrtleville hat.

Skilled tradesman brought in for the most important task.