It's on - Sunday 27 September

After two days of yes-no-yes-no nonsense, we're on. Finally.
After two separate successful solo efforts on weds and thurs this week, it had looked like we would be going on the early tide today, saturday 26 september. Instead, our captain chose to slide in someone on this afternoon's tide instead and we were suddenly put back to sunday at best.
Going through our minds, as Heath, Chris and I caught up this afternoon was the following: 'if the weather turns and sunday doesn't turn out to be a go-day, how is that even considered fair or honorable to have slotted someone into an odd tide?'. While our thoughts were rolling around our heads like the very channel waves themselves, we finally got the call we were waiting for, we are expected to leave Dover Harbour at 3am on Sunday 27 September. Yes!
Details are still to come later this evening when captain Andy decides it's late enough to call us. There's nothing like getting final details with only a couple of hours to spare. So, the game plan (we think) is to eat early, snatch some sleep between maybe 8 and 11 and then hit the road around midnight to drive to Dover. We're all piling into Heath's van and going together, safest way to ensure we all arrive and there's as little disjointedness as possible.
My kit bags are packed, having separated out four different swim bags, each with socks, thermals, t-shirt and jumper - one for each stint. Food is cooked and prepped ready to be eaten. Water is stowed, some 48 litres, kindly supplied by Volvic (and there's still heaps left in my shed!) By the sounds of it though, we may be over-doing it on the ginger-crunch biscuits; seems like we all took the advice about ginger being a remedy for sea-sickness. One question, champagne or not? Someone's got to drive back! I'm sure we'll manage!

Next stop, Cap Gris Nez. I'll be updating you next after the swim. Wish us luck.
Happy trails!