The Long Crawl To France

Every year, more and more people try to swim the English Channel. Just over half succeed. What drives people to brave jellyfish, vomiting and hypothermia? According to Mike Oram, who spends his summers piloting an escort boat between Dover and Calais, "they're all deluded. They live in a world of dreams, and dreams aren't reality." Both this year and last, swimmers have died making the attempt, both in sight of France. More people have climbed Everest than have swum the channel. 

Presenter Jolyon Jenkins joins the dreamers at Dover Harbour, where veteran coach Freda Streeter has run a swimming school since 1982. And he is on board Mike Oram's boat as one woman, Caroline Sims, makes her attempt. 

Presenter/producer: Jolyon Jenkins 

Every year more people try to swim the English Channel. Jolyon Jenkins joins the dreamers\u00a0