Neil Brinkworth and Amanda Holland - River Tamar - 3 Bridges

Calstock to Saltash

14.9 km (9.3 miles)

4 hours, 0 minutes on 8 August 2024

Observed and documented by Lindsey Walke

Contents

Swimmers

Name Gender Nationality Age Hometown
Neil Brinkworth male British 52 Plymouth, Devon, England
Amanda Holland female British 54 Plymouth, Devon, England

Support Personnel

  • Denise Ward - support crew
  • Ben Kellet - pilot

Observer

Lindsey Walke

First time observing but have swum the following swims: Solo Eddystone Lighthouse 2024, North Channel Replay, IOS Relay, solo Lake Bala, BLDSA Torbay. ASA swim coach.

Escort Vessel

Name Type Port
Panther 30ft catamaran dive boat Plymouth

Swim Parameters

  • Category: Tandem/Solo, nonstop, unassisted.
  • Rules: MSF Rules of Marathon Swimming, without exception or modification.
  • Equipment used: Textile swimsuit (Neil- jammers, Amanda- one-piece ladies), cap, goggles.

Route Definition

  • Body of Water: River Tamar
  • Route Type: one-way
  • Start Location: Slipway @ Calstock, Cornwall, England (50.495547, -4.206827)
  • Finish Location: Old Ferry Slipway, Saltash, Cornwall, England (50.407668, -4.205790)
  • Minimum Route Distance: 14.9 km (9.3 miles) (map)

History

Not aware of any recorded swims, only anecdotally noted that the swim might have been done during the pandemic as a unsupported / assisted swim.


Swim Data

  • Start: 8 August 2024, 08:39:00 (British Summer Time, Europe/London, UTC1).
  • Finish: 8 August 2024, 12:39:06
  • Elapsed: 4 hours, 0 minutes, 6 seconds.

Summary of Conditions

Feature Min Max
Water Temp (C) 15 16.1
Air Temp (C) 17 19
Wind (knots) 11 SW 15 SW

GPS Track

Trackpoint frequency: 5 minutes. Download raw data (CSV).

Click to expand map.

Speed Plot


Observer Log

By Lindsey Walke

Swim:  Tamar 3 Bridges Swim

Distance: 16.1 KM

Start: Calstock – slipway Start time: 08:39

Finish: Saltash old ferry slipway. Finish time: 12:39:06

Swim time: 04 Hours 00mins 06sec

0530 - We all met at the Mountbatten Marina and piled into Neil’s Van as it was a cold wet and windy morning, not what you would expect for early August.

We sat there talking about the weather, what the plan and approach for the swim was going to be. The weather forecast didn’t look good for the entire day with south westerly winds, rain and drizzle.

Neil had been planning this swim with Ben their boat pilot for a few weeks now and they both came to the same conclusion that they would be sheltered from the wind pretty much throughout the entire swim due to the river Tamar running through the Tamar Valley. It would only be the last leg of the swim where the river opens that they might catch the wind head on as they headed towards the finish.

A after several days of rain the only real concern on their minds was the water quality from any discharge and runoff.

0542 – Neil gets a call from Ben to say that he’s at the boat and for us to make our way onboard. We grab our bags and make our way to meet Ben.

0551 – We’re onboard with Ben our boat pilot for the day, myself and Neil have both swum from the Eddystone Lighthouse back to Plymouth Hoe with Ben as our pilot. Neil has also observed and crewed several times with other swimmers on Ben’s Boats.

Amanda and Denise were my crew on my Eddystone swim, Ben makes us all welcome.

After a short safety brief, Ben suggests that we “cast off” and make our way upriver, he said its going to take a couple of hours due to speed restrictions, we’re also going to be governed by the tide and depth of water in places.

0647 - We pass under the first two bridges, the Brunel railway bridge and Tamar Road bridge, it makes a change seeing these from a different angle rather than crossing them.

Ben, Neil and Amanda discuss where the swim is going to finish, Ben also discusses with them the route that he wants them to take through the moored boats in the river.

0755 – We get our first sight of the 3^rd^ bridge, the railway viaduct at Calstock as we pass some fantastic waterside properties.

The water has got browner and darker the further we travel up the river.

0807 – We moor up alongside the pontoon at Calstock, the tide is still on flood, Ben suggested that we wait for slack water in another 30 or so minutes.

0828 – Neil and Amanda start getting themselves ready for their swim, they look very smart with their matching Infinity costumes and POWS swim caps.

0836 – Neil and Amanda leave the boat and walk along the quayside to start the swim from the boat park slipway.

0839 – As the rain continues to come down, Neil and Amanda raise their arms in the air and we give them the signal to start their swim. They enter the water and swim towards the boat.

Time 08:49

Wind Speed / 11 Knots / SW Direction

Water Temperature 15°C

Air Temperature 17°C

Stroke Rate Neil 61 / Amanda 57

0851 – Neil and Amanda have passed under the railway viaduct at Calstock and are opposite the boat yard, booth looking consistent and smooth.

There are a few people about walking dogs that look a bit bemused at what’s going on and call out to ask us what happening. They wish them all the best as they carry on with their day

0916 – We’re at Cotehele Quay, Neil stops to adjust his goggles, they have both settled into their pace really quickly, Neil is on the outside and Amanda is between Neil and the boat on the starboard side.

Ben is happy where they are swimming in relationship to boat.

0934 – Denise gives Neil and Amanda the 5 minute signal for their first feed

0939 – Feed number one is thrown to Amanda, whilst Amanda is taking having her feed Neil is thrown his feed, they both discard their empty drinks bottles and continue swimming, whilst Denise is left to retrieve the two feeds and sort out the lines.

Time 09:49

Wind Speed / 11 Knots / SW Direction

Water Temperature 15°C

Air Temperature 17°C

Stroke Rate Neil 59 / Amanda 57

0949 – Before looking strong

1016 – Just heading past Halton Quay / St Indract Chapel

1031 – There’s a film crew at Pentilie Castle filming Beyond Death in Paradise who stop what they are doing to cheer, wave and clap. They call out and ask about the swim and are impressed when we tell them where they started and how far they are swimming.

I don’t think Neil and Amanda are aware of what’s going on and just keep swimming.

1034 – Denise lowers the buoy over the side to signal 5 mins to their feed, they both acknowledge with a thumbs up

1039 – Feed number two is thrown to Amanda, Amanda asks for a banana with and some ibuprofen also, whilst Amanda is having her drink Neil is thrown his feed, he only has a drink. Denise is busy in the background sorting out the banana with and some ibuprofen. She quickly retrieves Amanda’s feed line and attaches a pack lunch box with a banana in. They both discard their empties and continue swimming. Again, Denise is left to retrieve the tangled mess of swim lines.

Time 10:49

Wind Speed / 11 Knots / SW Direction

Water Temperature 16°C

Air Temperature 17°C

Stroke Rate Neil 60 / Amanda 57

1116 – As we round the corner to Weir Quay the wind picks up and so does the chop, they are both swimming head on into it. Ben is now having to navigate the boat and swimmers through the all the moored boats on the river, whilst keeping his eye on the depth of water below the boat.

1134 – Its that time again, Denise gives them that 5 minute signal for next feed, this could possibly be their final feed, depending on what the conditions are like around the headland.

1139 – Feed number 3, Amanda asks for a gel and Neil asks for a banana. Denise seems to have the feeds and co-ordination of feeding two at once under control now.

1141 – They had about 30 mins of relentless wind and chop, it eases as we get towards Cargreen, although we are expecting it to pick up once we round the headland for the final leg of the swim to the finish.

Time 11:49

Wind Speed / 15 Knots / SW Direction

Water Temperature 16.1°C

Air Temperature 19°C

Stroke Rate Neil 59 / Amanda 58

1156 – As we round the headland at Landulph the wind picks as does the chop, white tops are forming, they are now swimming wind against tide. But hold a strong consistent pace, approximate 3 miles from the finish.

The Tamar Bridge and Brunel Bridges come into full view and looks spectacular in the distance.

The last river Tamar long distance swim was held in 1938, swimmers would race from Neil Point at Landulph and finish at Saltash Pier. Neil and Amanda will be following this route to the finish of their swim, nice bit of swimming history.

1206 – Just passing Kingsmill Lake

1231 – Ben steers the boat and guides Neil and Amanda through the moored boats towards the finish.

1237 – The finish is well and truly insight, it was momentarily obscured by one of the big support columns/legs of the bridge. Both Neil and Amanda swim under both the bridges in quick succession, the tide is moving really fast here and wants to push them past the finishing point. As they get closer the flow of water eddies around the big support columns/legs of the bridge and wants to take them the other way. They both swim hard to get across the current to get to the slipway.

1239 - They both stand up together, clear the water and rise their arms, followed by a big congratulatory hug.

Swim: Tamar 3 Bridges Swim

Distance: 16.1KM

Start: Calstock – slipway Start time: 08:39

Finish: Saltash old ferry slipway. Finish time: 12:39:06

Swim time: 04 Hours 00mins 06sec


Swimmer Statement

by Neil Brinkworth

Back in July, Amanda Holland and myself were walking our dogs along the River Tamar between Cotehele and Calstock one sunny afternoon.

Amanda mentioned that she had paddled boarded most of the River Tamar and its tributaries, which turned into a conversation about swimming in the River Tamar. My initial thoughts were it looks absolutely disgusting why would you want to swim in that?

We carried on with our walk and I never thought any more about it, but the seed had been planted.

Having trained throughout the winter only for my NC swim to be blown out earlier in the month I wanted to do something. My curiosity was sparked later that evening, what about swimming from the viaduct at Calstock to the Tamar Bridges (Brunel and Tamar Road bridge). I then set about plotting the route out on Google maps.

I contact Ben Kellet from InDeep Diving who helped me with my Eddystone Lighthouse swim in 2020 to see if he would be available and willing to provide boat support for the 3 Bridges Tamar swim. To my surprise Ben was up for it, we both agreed that the swim would be less susceptible to the weather being in the shelter of the Tamar valley, the only real concern would be to getting the tide times correct as the river does get very shallow / dry in places. We pencilled in a date for early August.

I contacted Amanda to see if she was interested in doing the swim as a tandem swim, as we are both a similar speed and regular train together. She didn’t need to think about it, she give me a firm “Yes”!


Photos

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Video