1 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:10,840 It's the busiest waterway in the world. 2 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:16,480 Come on, skipper! Get a move on. That way. 3 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:18,520 A gateway to our nation. 4 00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:21,120 Over 90% of the world's trade travels by sea. 5 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:24,840 It's not just TVs and refrigerators, it's everything around us. 6 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:27,800 Protected by a multi-agency task force, 7 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:30,360 it's a unique stretch of water. 8 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:33,000 This is Warship Tyne. Warship Tyne, Channel one-two, over. 9 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:34,040 Got that, over. 10 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:38,880 It's very difficult to police the Channel. 11 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:41,560 To board every vessel's an impossible task. 12 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:44,600 It's a place where swimmers 13 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:48,280 and Sunday sailors fight for space with cruise liners... 14 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:52,480 ..and cargo ships. 15 00:00:52,480 --> 00:00:55,920 It's like trying to get across the M25 during rush hour. 16 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:58,680 For some, the English Channel is their place of work. 17 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:02,480 If my mum came out here and saw what I was doing up here, 18 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:04,280 she'd tell me to get off straightaway. 19 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:09,800 For others, it's a playground. Whoo hoo! 20 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:16,800 But for those who venture onto its unpredictable waters... 21 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:20,040 We're just going to assist the moving of the casualty now. 22 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:21,280 Controlled over lifeboat. 23 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:23,440 ..it can mean life or death. 24 00:01:23,440 --> 00:01:24,960 Just drag him onto the boat. 25 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:31,120 I hope my babies get to see this and see what Daddy does for a living. 26 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:44,640 Today on Channel Patrol, 27 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:46,200 it's a busy day for the team 28 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:49,400 parking up huge cruise liners in Southampton. 29 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:53,000 I will just be given guidance as a ship gets nearer to the quay side. 30 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:54,480 Just coming into position. 31 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:57,520 Time is money for a mammoth cargo freighter. 32 00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:01,440 But thick fog threatens to halt it in its tracks. 33 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:04,440 If the weather closes in, we would then have to abort, 34 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:06,720 turn the ship round and come back. 35 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:09,080 And that's a big problem for us. 36 00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:13,000 And fog also jeopardises a team trying to swim to France 37 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:14,560 and back again. 38 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:16,760 Visibility is very minimal. 39 00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:20,360 We could well have a ship coming towards us at 22 knots. 40 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:28,520 The English Channel is one of the busiest shipping routes 41 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:32,040 in the world, with up to 500 vessels a day in its waters. 42 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:35,080 Huge cargo ships travel through it day and night 43 00:02:35,080 --> 00:02:37,600 and deliver goods to us from all over the world. 44 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:40,400 Britain is an island. 45 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:45,880 The UK handles 510 million tons of goods a year 46 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:49,240 and 95% or more is actually routed through UK ports. 47 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:52,880 But now, as international trade grows every year, 48 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:55,160 these vessels have got bigger. 49 00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:56,840 A whole lot bigger. 50 00:02:56,840 --> 00:03:00,480 The largest ones that we handle can carry 18,000 containers 51 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:03,840 and it's important that we get them in quickly and out quickly. 52 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:08,320 The APL Merlion is one of a new breed of super-ships 53 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:11,360 known as bulk carriers, which traverse the Channel 54 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:14,920 en route between the Far East and some of Europe's greatest ports. 55 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:18,280 At 368 metres long, 56 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:21,960 she is 62 metres bigger than London's tallest building, 57 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:27,200 The Shard, and can carry up to 14,000 20-foot containers. 58 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:31,640 Everything from televisions to cars, chemicals to meat and vegetables, 59 00:03:31,640 --> 00:03:35,800 can be transported cheaply from the Far East to Europe. 60 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:37,360 Captain Wong and his crew 61 00:03:37,360 --> 00:03:39,920 are in charge of navigating this mammoth ship. 62 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:44,040 We are really doing a very good service 63 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:45,480 to society, basically. 64 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:49,640 Because we shift goods around the world at a cheaper cost. 65 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:55,080 Without us seamen, everything would be expensive. 66 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:58,840 With vast distances to cover and tight deadlines to be met, 67 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:02,000 ships like the Merlion have to run on time, 68 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:04,120 or costs can quickly escalate. 69 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:07,720 Today, the Merlion is loading up in Hamburg, Germany. 70 00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:11,160 The freighter is nearing the end of a two-and-a-half-month trade loop, 71 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:15,120 which started in Shanghai and will end in Southampton. 72 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:18,520 But first, she needs to get through the Channel, 73 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:22,040 which poses its own challenges for a ship her size. 74 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:24,840 And she can't afford any delays. 75 00:04:24,840 --> 00:04:28,600 'Time is very precious. Container ships, such a big ship,' 76 00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:32,960 we cannot get delay on this departure time and time delays. 77 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:37,440 So mainly, it's to get in on time and then get out in time. 78 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:41,480 The Merlion has just a few hours left to load 79 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:43,680 and unload before setting sail again. 80 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:46,400 Otherwise, she will miss the critical tide window 81 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:47,440 to leave the port. 82 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:55,560 At exactly 6pm, the ship casts off, 83 00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:59,360 and, with over 79,000 metric tons of goods on board, 84 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:01,920 is ready to make her way through the English Channel 85 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:03,240 and on to Southampton. 86 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:08,200 Hamburg poses special problems for a ship like this, 87 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:10,080 which could be catastrophic... 88 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:14,920 Being able to pass under the two-and-a-half-mile 89 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:16,160 Kohlbrand bridge. 90 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:20,840 If the tide is too high, the ship will hit the bridge. 91 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:25,200 Too low, and it will run aground, blocking the harbour 92 00:05:25,200 --> 00:05:26,920 and closing the port to other shipping. 93 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:32,840 With around 20 ships docking in Hamburg each day, 94 00:05:32,840 --> 00:05:34,800 the cost would run into millions. 95 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:39,360 There is only a 30-minute window 96 00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:41,560 where the water level is just right, 97 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:45,120 and even then, the Merlion will only just clear the bridge. 98 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:52,080 Normally, we get something like one metre below the bridge. 99 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:58,520 So... And the tidal streams do come up very fast. Very fast. 100 00:05:59,920 --> 00:06:02,480 The height of the sea water in relation to this bridge 101 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:04,920 is so critical to this type of shipping 102 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:08,360 that it carries a digital readout that is constantly updated. 103 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:13,040 We cannot afford error. 104 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:16,040 Because if you have an error, you knock down the bridge 105 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:18,200 or the ship mast will fall off. 106 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:20,200 Or the other way round, the ship will ground 107 00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:22,800 and you will just block up the whole Channel. 108 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:24,840 And cost incurs, 109 00:06:24,840 --> 00:06:28,320 and the other traffic coming into port will be all delayed. 110 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:40,320 The Merlion makes it under the bridge 111 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:42,280 with just six metres to spare. 112 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:48,400 Having left Hamburg, the freighter travels through the night. 113 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:52,160 Early the next morning, she's about to enter the Dover Straits. 114 00:06:52,160 --> 00:06:54,120 VOICE OVER RADIO: 'Take care, Merlion.' 115 00:06:54,120 --> 00:06:56,720 But thick fog is settling in over the Channel. 116 00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:59,440 Yeah, good evening to you, sir. Erm, we've just come... 117 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:03,040 To help navigate the Merlion through the Channel's tricky waters, 118 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:05,760 a specialist UK pilot has been brought on board 119 00:07:05,760 --> 00:07:07,160 to advise the captain. 120 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:11,880 Tony Tibbot has been sailing through these waters for 35 years. 121 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:16,080 'What is your present visibility?' 122 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:17,720 Yeah, about ten minutes ago, 123 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:20,200 we had one and a half miles at the foxtrot three. 124 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:23,520 Hundreds of vessels a day squeeze through the Dover Straits, 125 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:27,960 which at their narrowest point are just 18.8 miles across. 126 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:30,240 We have the Coastguard listening, one-six... 127 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:34,560 In the 1960s, roughly half of all shipping collisions in the world 128 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:36,440 occurred in the Channel, 129 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:40,560 so since 1971, a compulsory traffic separation scheme 130 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:44,200 has been in place here, dividing it into two lanes. 131 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:46,160 The Coastguard keeps a watchful eye 132 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:48,200 to make sure no-one breaks the rules. 133 00:07:53,960 --> 00:07:55,840 Tony has first-hand experience 134 00:07:55,840 --> 00:07:58,680 of the many potential hazards of this stretch. 135 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:00,640 The weather can change very quickly. 136 00:08:00,640 --> 00:08:02,800 You only have to look out of the window at the moment 137 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:05,480 to see we've gone into dense fog. 138 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:08,840 You've got fishing boats, you have swimmers, 139 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:13,680 you have ferries, you have rowing boats, you've got recreation vessels. 140 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:14,880 It's busy. 141 00:08:14,880 --> 00:08:16,560 Very much like a highway. 142 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:20,840 Except it's a highway where you have tides and currents. 143 00:08:20,840 --> 00:08:23,000 To help negotiate the busy traffic, 144 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:27,760 the Merlion is equipped with AIS or Automatic Identification System, 145 00:08:27,760 --> 00:08:30,160 which identifies other craft in the area, 146 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:33,160 and tracks their course, position and speed. 147 00:08:33,160 --> 00:08:38,240 It's compulsory for all passenger ships and any vessels over 300 tons. 148 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:43,440 But many smaller boats don't have AIS - a major problem in thick fog. 149 00:08:44,680 --> 00:08:48,880 I'm monitoring to see if I can pick up anything that may be 150 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:54,200 a small target, a recreational craft which may not have an AIS. 151 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:58,960 And that's the concern. Even in weather like this, people will sail. 152 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:01,000 You've got to remember it's a computer. 153 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:02,960 Sometimes the computer says no. 154 00:09:02,960 --> 00:09:05,720 But on a day like today, it's invaluable. 155 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:12,680 It's all to do with safety and keeping the ship well-afloat. 156 00:09:12,680 --> 00:09:17,800 Heavily loaded cargo ships like the Merlion sit low in the water. 157 00:09:17,800 --> 00:09:20,200 The Dover Straits has a number of sand banks 158 00:09:20,200 --> 00:09:22,960 which Tony must avoid or risk the ship running aground. 159 00:09:24,400 --> 00:09:27,080 You can get a build-up of ships here. 160 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:30,400 And you can end up going quite close to the falls, 161 00:09:30,400 --> 00:09:33,480 and you can see that the depths are clearly shown. 162 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:37,960 Anything less than 15 metres shows in white, bold if you like, 163 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:40,880 and the safety contour is the 20-metre contour. 164 00:09:42,560 --> 00:09:45,200 While Tony must carefully navigate the Merlion 165 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:46,800 through the Channel's hazards, 166 00:09:46,800 --> 00:09:51,000 she's also on a strict deadline to reach her final destination - 167 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:53,240 the port of Southampton. 168 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:55,280 One of the UK's busiest ports, 169 00:09:55,280 --> 00:09:59,120 it not only handles almost 40 million tons of freight, 170 00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:03,800 but 1.7 million cruise passengers also pass through here every year. 171 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:08,280 And every time one of these floating palaces docks, 172 00:10:08,280 --> 00:10:11,440 it's worth 1.25 million to the local economy. 173 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:15,760 MSC Opera. VTS, one cable. 174 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:19,160 Keeping all of these giant vessels flowing smoothly in and out 175 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:22,560 of the port is Southampton's Vessel Traffic Service. 176 00:10:22,560 --> 00:10:26,200 '0-1-4. Chip in as well.' Yeah, that's no problem at all, Barry. 177 00:10:26,200 --> 00:10:27,760 That's no problem. 178 00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:30,440 The watch tower never sleeps. 179 00:10:30,440 --> 00:10:34,280 We're here 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days of the year. 180 00:10:34,280 --> 00:10:35,760 Not personally myself, 181 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:39,440 but the whole team of us. There's about 20 of us in total. 182 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:42,560 We keep the port safe, bring them in, get them out. 183 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:47,000 It's 5am and duty watch manager Nathan Rowsell 184 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:50,120 is preparing for a hectic day ahead. 185 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:55,360 We have four cruise ships. The MSC Opera - first one leading in. 186 00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:57,960 She should be up here for about six o'clock at dock head. 187 00:10:57,960 --> 00:11:02,040 Followed by the Arcadia, followed by the Oriana then the Adonia. 188 00:11:02,040 --> 00:11:03,960 And that is in turn followed by a car carrier 189 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:05,840 and then a very large container vessel. 190 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:07,280 So it's pretty busy this morning. 191 00:11:09,000 --> 00:11:13,200 You can't float a ship that weighs 39,000 tons up the Channel 192 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:14,600 and park it in the dock. 193 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:18,320 With a unique tidal regime, 194 00:11:18,320 --> 00:11:21,320 sandbanks and hundreds of pleasure boats to contend with, 195 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:22,720 it's a tricky business. 196 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:28,440 Southampton Vessel Traffic Service provides its own pilots 197 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:31,600 to help captains get their ships parked up. 198 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:34,320 Jim Russell has over 15 years' experience 199 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:36,960 navigating this stretch of the Channel. 200 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:39,240 A pilot knows the waters. 201 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:44,400 It's a little bit unfair for a captain to come into foreign waters 202 00:11:44,400 --> 00:11:46,560 with lots of hazards 203 00:11:46,560 --> 00:11:48,520 and lots of other shipping 204 00:11:48,520 --> 00:11:51,800 and to take his ship to the docks. 205 00:11:51,800 --> 00:11:53,840 We all know where the hazards are. 206 00:11:53,840 --> 00:11:56,320 We're here for a safety element, to reduce that risk. 207 00:11:59,840 --> 00:12:03,840 Jim is heading our to get on board the MSC Opera cruise ship, 208 00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:06,000 ten miles out to sea. 209 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:07,520 She is carrying passengers 210 00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:10,680 travelling from Spain, Portugal, France and Guernsey. 211 00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:14,040 Back at base, a regimented approach 212 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:16,600 is required to park these gigantic vessels. 213 00:12:18,400 --> 00:12:21,280 At countdown, and for yourself on 14, please. 214 00:12:21,280 --> 00:12:24,200 They're brought up in the order they're coming up to the berths. 215 00:12:24,200 --> 00:12:27,600 So the MSC Opera, for example, she's going furthest up into the docks, 216 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:30,040 so she'll be boat number one and come up head of the convoy. 217 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:32,800 They're all on time this morning, 218 00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:37,320 but it only takes one ship to have a delay of five, ten minutes 219 00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:40,800 and that can throw the whole plan adrift by an hour or two hours. 220 00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:43,760 It really is a... It's a juggling act, really. 221 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:46,360 It's not just, "There it is. That's set in stone." 222 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:48,160 It's constantly changing. 223 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:50,640 '14.' I thank you. 224 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:53,600 It has to work. 225 00:12:53,600 --> 00:12:56,440 We are running one of Britain's largest ports, 226 00:12:56,440 --> 00:12:59,880 with some pretty premier ships coming in. 227 00:12:59,880 --> 00:13:03,320 You know, it's not just a walk in the park, it's... 228 00:13:03,320 --> 00:13:05,200 It's good fun, but it's hard work. 229 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:07,920 Arcadia, VTS, five cables. 230 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:13,200 Just beyond Southampton's harbour, 231 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:17,800 the massive, 2,400-capacity cruise ship MSC Opera 232 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:19,720 awaits expert pilot, Jim. 233 00:13:21,160 --> 00:13:23,360 You're there giving advice to the captain. 234 00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:26,400 We've both got a vested interest to get the ship into port 235 00:13:26,400 --> 00:13:28,280 in a safe manner. 236 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:31,280 Some jobs are more routine than others, so there's always pressure. 237 00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:32,760 But that's part of the job. 238 00:13:35,240 --> 00:13:36,800 What could potentially go wrong? 239 00:13:36,800 --> 00:13:39,840 Well, it's probably best not to think about what can go wrong. 240 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:41,000 Hello. Morning. Hello. 241 00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:48,640 I'm not expecting any untoward issues today. 242 00:13:48,640 --> 00:13:51,120 Hopefully a nice routine passage in through the Solent. 243 00:13:53,800 --> 00:13:57,200 Jim enters the bridge to help bring this giant into dock. 244 00:13:59,880 --> 00:14:01,920 Getting a ship like this in smoothly 245 00:14:01,920 --> 00:14:05,240 requires many different skilled staff working together. 246 00:14:06,760 --> 00:14:10,440 While the on-board crew get the MSC Opera ready to tie on, 247 00:14:10,440 --> 00:14:14,080 the dockside team are in position to help bring her in safely. 248 00:14:15,080 --> 00:14:18,840 Berthing officer Brian Butcher has been dockside for 12 years, 249 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:21,560 parking up almost 3,000 cruise liners. 250 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:25,920 I will just be giving guidance as the ship gets into position 251 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:30,160 as we have to insure that the air bridges are in the right positions, 252 00:14:30,160 --> 00:14:32,960 and also store doors and baggage doors are clear of any 253 00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:34,720 of the bollards and obstructions. 254 00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:39,040 Manoeuvring such a large amount of metal takes time 255 00:14:39,040 --> 00:14:42,120 and a lot of communication. Opera 100. 256 00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:45,440 Possibly 40 metres to come ahead now. Four zero. 257 00:14:45,440 --> 00:14:47,240 'Coming ahead. Thank you.' 258 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:49,280 The final metres are critical. 259 00:14:49,280 --> 00:14:50,600 Crashing into the quayside 260 00:14:50,600 --> 00:14:54,880 could cause untold damage to the multi-million-pound ship. 261 00:14:54,880 --> 00:14:57,040 And that's 30 to go. Three zero metres now. 262 00:14:58,120 --> 00:14:59,520 '30, thank you.' 263 00:14:59,520 --> 00:15:02,800 The pilot will we giving the master advice all the way in. 264 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:06,960 And ten to come ahead. Ten metres now. 265 00:15:06,960 --> 00:15:08,200 'Ten.' 266 00:15:09,920 --> 00:15:12,920 Creep in the stern slowly now. Just under a metre to go. 267 00:15:14,280 --> 00:15:18,400 'Stern under a metre.' And just coming into position. 268 00:15:18,400 --> 00:15:19,720 'Position. Thank you.' 269 00:15:22,200 --> 00:15:24,720 All right. That's a successful positioning. 270 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:29,320 All that remains now is for the ship-to-shore walkway 271 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:33,200 to be put in place so its 1,700 passengers can disembark. 272 00:15:35,640 --> 00:15:39,720 It'll be bustling within the city. Good trade for the locals. 273 00:15:39,720 --> 00:15:42,160 When we get lots of cruise ships in, it's very good. 274 00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:50,680 But it's not just colossal cargo ships and cruise liners 275 00:15:50,680 --> 00:15:54,080 who must carefully navigate their way round the Channel's hazards. 276 00:15:55,080 --> 00:15:57,040 During the summer and early autumn, 277 00:15:57,040 --> 00:16:01,040 there is also human traffic crossing through its waters. 278 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:04,600 Tiny lone swimmers, battling to make their way to France. 279 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:08,680 Fewer people have successfully swum the Channel 280 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:13,000 than have conquered Everest, and eight have died trying. 281 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:15,360 This can truly be classed as an extreme sport, 282 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:16,760 and it's one of man's greatest 283 00:16:16,760 --> 00:16:19,000 physical and mental challenges. 284 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:23,720 But this team, who are training in a lake near London, 285 00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:27,160 are not just attempting to swim from Dover to France, 286 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:30,080 they're also planning on swimming back. 287 00:16:30,080 --> 00:16:33,360 We've swum the Channel, all of us. It was hard. 288 00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:35,560 This is going to be twice that. 289 00:16:35,560 --> 00:16:38,720 The round trip is a minimum of 52 nautical miles 290 00:16:38,720 --> 00:16:41,640 and will take up to 30 hours to complete. 291 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:44,880 Endurance, dealing with hypothermia, the cold, 292 00:16:44,880 --> 00:16:47,800 mental exhaustion and physical exhaustion and, of course, 293 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:49,240 the fact that we can't sleep. 294 00:16:49,240 --> 00:16:52,120 Those are the things that are going to get us. 295 00:16:52,120 --> 00:16:56,080 Whether we've bitten something bigger than we can chew, I don't know. 296 00:16:56,080 --> 00:17:00,160 But you have one single thing in your mind, focused, and that is France. 297 00:17:00,160 --> 00:17:02,120 To get there. 298 00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:03,720 The team is raising money 299 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:06,760 for a charity that's close to Dr Habibi's heart. 300 00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:11,800 The Children Of St Mary's Intensive Care, or COSMIC for short. 301 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:14,760 Intensive care is very expensive so COSMIC supports the unit, 302 00:17:14,760 --> 00:17:16,720 provides funding for research and education 303 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:19,800 and supports the families of critically ill children. 304 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:23,880 The team, called the Cosmic Rays, hopes to raise £50,000. 305 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:28,560 And with them on the day, spreading news of their progress 306 00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:33,080 via social media, will be 17-year-old Patrick Kane, 307 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:35,320 a former patient of Dr Habibi's unit. 308 00:17:36,760 --> 00:17:38,240 Parviz said, "What about this? 309 00:17:38,240 --> 00:17:40,800 "I'm swimming the Channel there and back this summer. 310 00:17:40,800 --> 00:17:42,320 "We need someone to be on the boat, 311 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:45,720 to be a media rep." And he said, "Would you want to do it?" So... 312 00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:47,440 The answer was, of course, yes. 313 00:17:47,440 --> 00:17:51,640 As a nine-month-old baby, Patrick had suffered multi-organ failure 314 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:54,040 and spent three months in St Mary's. 315 00:17:54,040 --> 00:17:56,360 I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for COSMIC. 316 00:17:56,360 --> 00:18:00,040 So it means a huge amount to me and I feel very indebted to it 317 00:18:00,040 --> 00:18:03,000 and anything I can do to help, I always will. 318 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:05,720 Because of persistent bad weather on the Channel, 319 00:18:05,720 --> 00:18:09,080 the team's attempt has been delayed by five weeks. 320 00:18:09,080 --> 00:18:12,720 But today, despite the heavy fog, the challenge is going ahead. 321 00:18:14,240 --> 00:18:17,160 Is the tide coming in or out at the moment? Don't you worry about that. 322 00:18:17,160 --> 00:18:19,240 That's my job. Your job's swimming, all right? 323 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:20,760 THEY LAUGH 324 00:18:20,760 --> 00:18:24,760 Lisa, Paul and Rob will join Dr Habibi to make up a team of four, 325 00:18:24,760 --> 00:18:28,320 and the Cosmic Rays will swim the Channel as a relay, 326 00:18:28,320 --> 00:18:31,800 each swimming for an hour before changing over. 327 00:18:31,800 --> 00:18:35,160 Well, I said I wouldn't believe it until we start. And we've started. 328 00:18:38,280 --> 00:18:40,760 Lisa is the first to swim from the start beach 329 00:18:40,760 --> 00:18:42,280 along from Dover Harbour. 330 00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:44,760 My first fear is 331 00:18:44,760 --> 00:18:46,240 actually how cold it is. 332 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:48,920 But it's never as cold as you think it is. 333 00:18:48,920 --> 00:18:52,640 Nevertheless, the sea temperature today is just 15 degrees, 334 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:55,480 half that of an average swimming pool. 335 00:18:55,480 --> 00:18:57,520 It's a new hat. 336 00:18:57,520 --> 00:19:01,760 Quite nervous, but... Once I get in, I know that I'll be fine. 337 00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:06,600 KLAXON 338 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:09,880 Hooray! The Cosmic Rays are coming! 339 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:14,360 Well, the long wait is over. Finally. This is amazing. I now believe it. 340 00:19:14,360 --> 00:19:16,040 It's happening. 341 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:19,960 As the team's strongest swimmer, Lisa is selected to go first, 342 00:19:19,960 --> 00:19:23,200 to push out against the strong tidal currents that exist 343 00:19:23,200 --> 00:19:28,040 around the Dover beach and get the team out into the English Channel. 344 00:19:28,040 --> 00:19:30,000 She's swum well over 200 metres already. 345 00:19:32,560 --> 00:19:36,360 But as Lisa gets further out to sea, the fog starts to thicken. 346 00:19:37,400 --> 00:19:41,320 Dover Coastguard, Dover Coastguard, this is Sea Satin. Sea Satin. Over. 347 00:19:41,320 --> 00:19:42,840 'Sea Satin. Dover.' 348 00:19:42,840 --> 00:19:45,800 The success of this swim depends on expert knowledge 349 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:47,840 of the Channel's complex tidal currents. 350 00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:51,480 'Roger. What's your present visibility like there?' 351 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:53,880 It was around about a mile when we started, 352 00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:56,040 but it seems to have closed in a little bit now. 353 00:19:57,520 --> 00:20:02,720 Pilot Lance Oram has spent 20 years guiding swimmers safely to France. 354 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:06,240 We're just keeping an eye out, mainly on the radar, to make sure that 355 00:20:06,240 --> 00:20:10,840 obviously there's no vessels around us that are going to be a problem. 356 00:20:10,840 --> 00:20:14,120 It's normally the small yachts and smaller motor cruisers 357 00:20:14,120 --> 00:20:17,440 and things like that that are a little bit more difficult to see. 358 00:20:17,440 --> 00:20:21,200 But hopefully, the sun will come out and it will burn all the mist off 359 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:24,640 and it will be a lovely day and it will make everything wonderful. 360 00:20:24,640 --> 00:20:27,080 But as Paul prepares to take over from Lisa, 361 00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:29,880 the fog shows no sign of lifting. 362 00:20:29,880 --> 00:20:31,600 Yeah, second swimmer in today. 363 00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:34,560 Feel a little nervous as it's the first swim of the day. 364 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:37,520 Lisa's been chucking along quite speedily. 365 00:20:37,520 --> 00:20:40,200 She's a good swimmer. I'm slightly slower than her, 366 00:20:40,200 --> 00:20:42,160 so hopefully I can just keep up the same pace, 367 00:20:42,160 --> 00:20:44,880 but, yeah, just looking forward to getting on with it, really. 368 00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:48,320 Best of luck, Paul. Good luck, Paul. 369 00:20:48,320 --> 00:20:51,600 For the swim to qualify as being recognised by one of the official 370 00:20:51,600 --> 00:20:55,400 Channel swimming organisations, strict rules have to be met. 371 00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:57,280 KLAXON Go, go, go, go, go! 372 00:20:58,720 --> 00:21:02,240 The swimmer entering the water must swim behind the previous swimmer. 373 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:06,760 He's gone round the back of you. He's gone round the back, don't worry. 374 00:21:06,760 --> 00:21:11,120 Then the signal is given to start the next leg. OK, swimmer aboard! 375 00:21:11,120 --> 00:21:15,200 Did you enjoy that? Yeah. Refreshing! Well done. 376 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:17,640 It's so misty, you can't see how far you've come. 377 00:21:17,640 --> 00:21:21,120 Whereas normally, you're like, "I've gone nowhere." 378 00:21:21,120 --> 00:21:23,280 Channel swimming observer Mike Ball 379 00:21:23,280 --> 00:21:26,120 is also on hand to make sure the swim goes safely. 380 00:21:27,840 --> 00:21:32,280 I think the visibility at the moment is probably...half a mile? 381 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:34,600 It's OK at the moment. 382 00:21:34,600 --> 00:21:38,760 We are still within the inshore waters of the United Kingdom, 383 00:21:38,760 --> 00:21:42,120 but when we start going into the shipping lane, 384 00:21:42,120 --> 00:21:44,360 that's when we have to be very, very cautious. 385 00:21:45,480 --> 00:21:48,920 The shipping lanes are like a two-way tanker super-highway. 386 00:21:48,920 --> 00:21:50,560 And in order to reach France, 387 00:21:50,560 --> 00:21:53,560 the swimmers will have to cut straight across the middle of them. 388 00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:59,800 It's like escorting a pram across the motorway. Er... 389 00:21:59,800 --> 00:22:02,920 We're going across at something like 1.8 knots, 390 00:22:02,920 --> 00:22:05,400 and once we get into the shipping lane, 391 00:22:05,400 --> 00:22:09,000 we could well have a ship coming towards us at 22 knots. 392 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:12,880 So it's imperative that when you've got situations like this 393 00:22:12,880 --> 00:22:17,640 and visibility is very minimal, that's when we have to be relying 394 00:22:17,640 --> 00:22:22,440 on our radar and what the Coastguard is seeing for us. 395 00:22:22,440 --> 00:22:25,440 As well as restricting the visibility for other shipping, 396 00:22:25,440 --> 00:22:27,680 the fog is causing problems for the swimmers. 397 00:22:29,400 --> 00:22:31,960 Weird with the fog, because you can't actually see land, 398 00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:34,680 whereas normally, you're used to seeing...land still there. 399 00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:37,560 I did your track. You've done about two miles. OK. 400 00:22:37,560 --> 00:22:42,080 The tide is still coming in, so that was not a bad effort at all. 401 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:43,680 We've made good progress. 402 00:22:43,680 --> 00:22:45,920 Rob is a last-minute addition to the team 403 00:22:45,920 --> 00:22:48,560 after another swimmer had to pull out. 404 00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:51,760 I wasn't intending to be doing this, this time last week. 405 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:53,200 And I received the call, 406 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:54,880 to which I thought, "No." 407 00:22:56,120 --> 00:22:59,440 And as the week grew on, I sort of considered it more and more. 408 00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:02,160 And then I knew that these guys really needed someone, so... 409 00:23:02,160 --> 00:23:05,480 I implied I might be available, to which Lisa replied, 410 00:23:05,480 --> 00:23:07,360 "What about Friday?" 411 00:23:07,360 --> 00:23:11,440 OK, Rob. When you're ready, Rob. Cheers. Thank you. Enjoy! 412 00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:14,880 Rob has the most recent experience of swimming the Channel, 413 00:23:14,880 --> 00:23:18,360 having completed a solo swim two weeks previously. 414 00:23:19,880 --> 00:23:21,520 As he changes over with Paul, 415 00:23:21,520 --> 00:23:25,000 he wastes no time in picking up the pace. 416 00:23:25,000 --> 00:23:27,680 Rob came very highly recommended, and as you can see, 417 00:23:27,680 --> 00:23:29,720 he's actually a very strong swimmer. 418 00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:31,680 So I'm very pleased with that. 419 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:34,280 He's the third leg. We're making good progress. 420 00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:36,960 It's a bit rougher now, and it's going to get rougher still. 421 00:23:39,440 --> 00:23:40,720 I'm next! 422 00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:47,040 'Sea Satin. Dover.' 423 00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:49,400 Good morning again to you, sir. It's information. 424 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:52,400 We're about to enter the south-west lane. 'Roger. Many thanks.' 425 00:23:52,400 --> 00:23:53,560 Thank you, Tower. 426 00:23:53,560 --> 00:23:55,360 With visibility still poor 427 00:23:55,360 --> 00:23:58,440 and the prospect of navigating the busy shipping lane, 428 00:23:58,440 --> 00:24:01,560 Dr Habibi gets ready for his leg of the relay. 429 00:24:01,560 --> 00:24:03,440 KLAXON 430 00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:05,440 Rob has made excellent progress 431 00:24:05,440 --> 00:24:08,920 and the team are now over six miles out into the Channel. 432 00:24:08,920 --> 00:24:10,480 That just covered a lot of ground. 433 00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:13,920 You just swam us into the lane, anyway. Did I? Yeah. Good. 434 00:24:15,240 --> 00:24:20,040 As the team gets further out to sea, conditions become choppier. 435 00:24:20,040 --> 00:24:22,320 Bit more rocky now, isn't it? Yeah. 436 00:24:22,320 --> 00:24:27,040 You know, change over you and me - definitely seemed to pick up a bit. 437 00:24:27,040 --> 00:24:30,720 One of the biggest threats to a relay team is seasickness 438 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:34,080 as team members wait the three hours for their turn to swim. 439 00:24:35,080 --> 00:24:36,840 I noticed that just before I got in, 440 00:24:36,840 --> 00:24:38,920 I started to feel more queasy on the boat, 441 00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:40,680 and that's generally a good indicator 442 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:42,880 of what the conditions are. Yeah, definitely. 443 00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:49,120 The biggest risk is actually how well the team cope with being at sea, 444 00:24:49,120 --> 00:24:52,440 because obviously, if people start to feel seasick, 445 00:24:52,440 --> 00:24:55,080 they feel a bit rough around the edges, obviously, 446 00:24:55,080 --> 00:24:56,880 and then they don't eat properly. 447 00:24:56,880 --> 00:24:59,840 They don't get the energy into their system that they would need 448 00:24:59,840 --> 00:25:02,440 for their hour in the water to swim efficiently. 449 00:25:04,000 --> 00:25:06,680 When we're out on a boat at the speed that we're travelling at, 450 00:25:06,680 --> 00:25:09,880 and where we are in the English Channel, there's no set wave pattern. 451 00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:12,240 Because we've got the shipping coming down, 452 00:25:12,240 --> 00:25:13,960 south-westerly in the English lane, 453 00:25:13,960 --> 00:25:16,640 going up the shipping lane north-east in the French side, 454 00:25:16,640 --> 00:25:19,320 and then cross-Channel ferries going back and forwards, 455 00:25:19,320 --> 00:25:20,760 obviously, you get all the wash. 456 00:25:20,760 --> 00:25:22,440 So it's like an oscillating motion 457 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:24,600 that is always different all the time, so... 458 00:25:24,600 --> 00:25:27,720 For some people, yeah, that is not a nice feeling at all. 459 00:25:27,720 --> 00:25:31,160 23 hours more to go. Yeah, something like that. 460 00:25:31,160 --> 00:25:33,280 With the end of Dr Habibi's session, 461 00:25:33,280 --> 00:25:35,560 each team member has completed an hour... 462 00:25:35,560 --> 00:25:36,640 We'll see you in an hour. 463 00:25:37,760 --> 00:25:41,520 Thanks. Go! ..and Lisa takes to the water for her second swim. 464 00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:44,680 Come on, as quick as you can. Come on. 465 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:50,200 How was it? Very rough, actually. Yeah. Rougher and rougher. 466 00:25:50,200 --> 00:25:53,880 I was feeling it as well, let alone in the water. 467 00:25:53,880 --> 00:25:59,400 As the oldest member of the team, Dr Habibi's fitness is tested most. 468 00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:03,400 Well done, Parviz. Good session there, mate. Yeah. I did get cramp. 469 00:26:03,400 --> 00:26:04,600 Yeah. 470 00:26:09,320 --> 00:26:11,240 The fog remains persistent 471 00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:15,000 as the Cosmics gradually make their way towards French waters. 472 00:26:17,240 --> 00:26:19,160 Since completing her second swim, 473 00:26:19,160 --> 00:26:22,560 Lisa has been hit hard by seasickness. 474 00:26:22,560 --> 00:26:23,880 SHE COUGHS 475 00:26:23,880 --> 00:26:26,080 'Just not able to keep any food down. 476 00:26:26,080 --> 00:26:28,720 'Which isn't great when you know you've got to swim.' 477 00:26:28,720 --> 00:26:33,960 It's actually, when I get out, I go below to get changed. 478 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:36,160 It just doesn't work. 479 00:26:37,360 --> 00:26:42,320 We're going to have to swim maybe another four, six swims. 480 00:26:42,320 --> 00:26:45,600 So yeah, going to have to try and get some food in at some point. 481 00:26:47,200 --> 00:26:51,320 But, yeah, we'll stick with water for now. SHE LAUGHS 482 00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:54,560 And if one swimmer has to pull out, the team will fail. 483 00:26:56,560 --> 00:27:00,880 On his next swim, Dr Habibi seems also to be suffering. 484 00:27:00,880 --> 00:27:03,080 I'm trying to ask him if he's got cramp, really. 485 00:27:03,080 --> 00:27:06,440 There's not much I can do about it, but it would just be nice to know. 486 00:27:06,440 --> 00:27:11,800 He's either got cramp, been stung by a jellyfish, or he might've... 487 00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:15,240 I dunno, he might have a muscle injury. We don't know. 488 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:19,800 In fact, as the sea swell increased, Dr Habibi had swallowed sea water. 489 00:27:20,880 --> 00:27:23,960 Now Lisa must press on, despite her seasickness. 490 00:27:25,360 --> 00:27:27,560 And for Rob, who completed a solo Channel swim 491 00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:30,520 just two weeks previously, 492 00:27:30,520 --> 00:27:33,320 the challenges of swimming as part of a relay team 493 00:27:33,320 --> 00:27:34,960 are starting to have their effect. 494 00:27:36,000 --> 00:27:38,600 I do actually find it more difficult to get out 495 00:27:38,600 --> 00:27:42,760 and start again than just to push through. 496 00:27:42,760 --> 00:27:45,960 Getting out all the time and stiffening up 497 00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:49,200 and feeling tired, and then you've got to jump back in the water again 498 00:27:49,200 --> 00:27:51,760 and start off cold and work your way back up. 499 00:27:51,760 --> 00:27:54,720 So it's more easy to pick up injuries. 500 00:27:54,720 --> 00:27:57,360 While the swimmers battle sickness and injury, 501 00:27:57,360 --> 00:28:01,280 experienced pilot Lance must keep a close eye on the radar, 502 00:28:01,280 --> 00:28:05,080 to guide them through one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world 503 00:28:05,080 --> 00:28:06,360 in thick fog. 504 00:28:06,360 --> 00:28:09,720 The tankers are out there, even if the swimmers can't see them. 505 00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:13,600 The Coastguard keeps him updated on the weather ahead. 506 00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:17,400 'Reports of three cables or less in the area of the bank.' 507 00:28:17,400 --> 00:28:19,160 Yeah, that's understood, sir. 508 00:28:19,160 --> 00:28:21,360 Well, we've just noticed on the radar 509 00:28:21,360 --> 00:28:24,600 that we've got a ship that's reasonably close to us. 510 00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:28,160 As you can see, the visibility is pretty limited at the moment, 511 00:28:28,160 --> 00:28:31,920 so we're just seeing what we can see from our natural eyesight. 512 00:28:33,720 --> 00:28:35,160 Can't see a thing at the moment. 513 00:28:35,160 --> 00:28:40,000 FOGHORN You can hear the foghorn in the back, and... 514 00:28:40,000 --> 00:28:43,200 Just giving a warning to other shipping within the area, 515 00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:46,200 and hopefully they will do the same for us. 516 00:28:46,200 --> 00:28:49,640 The Cosmic Rays are making steady progress towards France, 517 00:28:49,640 --> 00:28:53,520 but Lance is continuing to monitor the safety of the attempt. 518 00:28:53,520 --> 00:28:57,120 If the fog worsens, the whole swim could be called off. 519 00:29:00,320 --> 00:29:02,840 The Channel is the maritime super-highway, 520 00:29:02,840 --> 00:29:06,360 bringing us 95% of everything we buy. 521 00:29:06,360 --> 00:29:08,720 But as the cargo freighters who travel through it 522 00:29:08,720 --> 00:29:12,320 become ever larger, it becomes increasingly difficult for them 523 00:29:12,320 --> 00:29:14,160 to avoid other traffic in their path. 524 00:29:15,400 --> 00:29:19,240 The APL Merlion is making her way carefully through the dense fog. 525 00:29:21,360 --> 00:29:23,200 Specialist pilot Tony Tibbot 526 00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:27,000 has been advised of the swimmers' presence by the Coastguard. 527 00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:29,360 We've come across many things and we've just heard 528 00:29:29,360 --> 00:29:33,960 that there are four swimmers in the inshore zone on the French side. 529 00:29:33,960 --> 00:29:35,720 I admire them in many ways, 530 00:29:35,720 --> 00:29:38,040 but it's something else that we have to consider 531 00:29:38,040 --> 00:29:41,800 when we transit the strait with a large, large vessel like this one. 532 00:29:43,120 --> 00:29:46,320 Despite being the size of three Olympic football pitches, 533 00:29:46,320 --> 00:29:49,480 the Merlion has just 25 crew members on board, 534 00:29:49,480 --> 00:29:52,480 who spend up to seven months of the year at sea. 535 00:29:55,760 --> 00:29:58,080 Bad weather continues to follow the Merlion 536 00:29:58,080 --> 00:30:01,680 as she approaches her final destination of Southampton. 537 00:30:01,680 --> 00:30:05,480 Two pilots from the harbour's Vessel Traffic Service come on board 538 00:30:05,480 --> 00:30:09,280 to navigate the ship through the last part of her journey. 539 00:30:09,280 --> 00:30:11,000 Hello there, Captain. 540 00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:14,120 The plan was to take the ship all the way into port, 541 00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:17,160 but the fog which has dogged her journey through the Channel 542 00:30:17,160 --> 00:30:19,760 is still causing major problems. 543 00:30:19,760 --> 00:30:23,320 The problem we've got at the moment is poor visibility. 544 00:30:23,320 --> 00:30:26,080 We're trying to do our best for the captain. 545 00:30:26,080 --> 00:30:28,800 Get the ship as far as we can. 546 00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:31,880 We're in constant communication with VTS up in the docks, 547 00:30:31,880 --> 00:30:35,080 and they're telling us that the visibility's closing in. 548 00:30:35,080 --> 00:30:36,880 That's a big problem for us. 549 00:30:36,880 --> 00:30:40,800 So we've made the decision to go into Charlie anchorage. 550 00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:43,920 That's the designated anchorage for a ship this size, 551 00:30:43,920 --> 00:30:47,080 and we just wait for the visibility to improve. 552 00:30:47,080 --> 00:30:50,440 Any delay in the journey will hold up the delivery of goods 553 00:30:50,440 --> 00:30:52,360 and could cost thousands. 554 00:30:52,360 --> 00:30:56,160 But with safety the priority, the Merlion's crew have no choice 555 00:30:56,160 --> 00:30:59,560 but to weigh anchor here, and wait for the fog to clear. 556 00:31:04,680 --> 00:31:07,280 The Cosmic Rays had almost reached France, 557 00:31:07,280 --> 00:31:11,280 but although they desperately hoped to reach land during daylight, 558 00:31:11,280 --> 00:31:14,920 the strong tidal currents have delayed the run in. 559 00:31:14,920 --> 00:31:17,640 But just over 12 hours from leaving Dover, 560 00:31:17,640 --> 00:31:21,360 team leader Dr Habibi reaches the rocks of the French beach. 561 00:31:21,360 --> 00:31:24,480 Whoo! Whoo! Yeah! 562 00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:28,320 Normally, we can then just chill out, 563 00:31:28,320 --> 00:31:31,080 have a few drinks on the way back while we motorboat back. 564 00:31:31,080 --> 00:31:33,480 But we're not. We're going to be swimming back. 565 00:31:33,480 --> 00:31:36,120 Something that I think is dawning on us all now. 566 00:31:38,320 --> 00:31:40,240 This is where the challenge really begins. 567 00:31:40,240 --> 00:31:42,760 Yeah, I think it is, because it's at night and... It's cold. 568 00:31:42,760 --> 00:31:45,400 I wouldn't say this is an anticlimax, but this is just halfway. 569 00:31:47,400 --> 00:31:52,200 Now the sun has set, the team faces a new challenge - the cold. 570 00:31:52,200 --> 00:31:55,400 And Rob is finding it hard to warm up after his last swim. 571 00:31:57,040 --> 00:31:59,280 Rod's sorting me some soup out. 572 00:31:59,280 --> 00:32:03,080 Get some energy and get some nutrients in me, 573 00:32:03,080 --> 00:32:06,360 and then I'm intending to actually hit the sack because... 574 00:32:08,160 --> 00:32:09,680 ..I need to. 575 00:32:09,680 --> 00:32:11,240 Basically. 576 00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:13,480 As Dr Habibi returns to the boat 577 00:32:13,480 --> 00:32:17,160 from touching down in France, Lisa must now take over. 578 00:32:17,160 --> 00:32:19,240 Good luck. Good luck. Good luck, Lise. 579 00:32:19,240 --> 00:32:23,800 Thanks. Enjoy. Just...day dream. Or night dream. 580 00:32:23,800 --> 00:32:25,720 'I'm really scared of swimming at night, 581 00:32:25,720 --> 00:32:28,280 'and that's the piece that I'm really worried about, 582 00:32:28,280 --> 00:32:30,760 'and I've been working out since yesterday 583 00:32:30,760 --> 00:32:32,480 'what time I'll be swimming till 584 00:32:32,480 --> 00:32:34,680 'and what time I'll be swimming at night.' 585 00:32:34,680 --> 00:32:35,720 On you go. 586 00:32:38,160 --> 00:32:42,240 Yet Lisa manages to combat her fear of swimming in the sea at night. 587 00:32:43,280 --> 00:32:45,760 And despite the exhaustion and cold, 588 00:32:45,760 --> 00:32:49,000 each of the swimmers turns out two one-hour swims 589 00:32:49,000 --> 00:32:51,000 during the hours of darkness. 590 00:32:51,000 --> 00:32:54,720 My first night swim was a bit disorientating. 591 00:32:54,720 --> 00:32:56,040 Came out pretty tired. 592 00:32:56,040 --> 00:32:57,920 Put my head down for a little bit of kip 593 00:32:57,920 --> 00:33:00,680 and the next thing you know, the time's flown by, so... 594 00:33:00,680 --> 00:33:03,720 The second night swim now is not looking that enticing. 595 00:33:03,720 --> 00:33:07,520 It's pretty dark out here and it's only a ferry I can see. 596 00:33:07,520 --> 00:33:09,360 Well done. Welcome aboard. 597 00:33:10,360 --> 00:33:11,840 It's going well. 598 00:33:11,840 --> 00:33:14,160 Nice cossie. There you go. 599 00:33:17,400 --> 00:33:19,120 Yeah. No, I'm fine. 600 00:33:19,120 --> 00:33:23,280 I wasn't feeling up for it when I got in the water, that's for sure! 601 00:33:23,280 --> 00:33:25,560 Relying again on instruments only, 602 00:33:25,560 --> 00:33:29,160 the skipper must steer the swimmers back through the busy shipping lane. 603 00:33:30,200 --> 00:33:33,720 I think we are making good progress. The pilot's pretty happy. 604 00:33:33,720 --> 00:33:37,280 The observers are pretty happy, so... We'll get across there. 605 00:33:37,280 --> 00:33:38,840 We'll definitely make it back, 606 00:33:38,840 --> 00:33:41,160 it just depends how many more swims we've got, I think. 607 00:33:41,160 --> 00:33:43,360 I'll probably have to do one more after this and... 608 00:33:43,360 --> 00:33:44,800 Possibly two more, who knows? 609 00:33:44,800 --> 00:33:46,520 But at least it will be daylight by then, 610 00:33:46,520 --> 00:33:48,800 so it will be a bit more pleasant. The sun will be up. 611 00:33:48,800 --> 00:33:52,240 Channel swimming is as much a mental as a physical challenge, 612 00:33:52,240 --> 00:33:55,760 so remaining positive will be vital to the team's success. 613 00:33:55,760 --> 00:33:57,800 But they still have a long way to go. 614 00:34:01,000 --> 00:34:04,200 Cargo freighter the Merlion is also hoping to soon complete 615 00:34:04,200 --> 00:34:05,840 its journey through the Channel. 616 00:34:07,360 --> 00:34:11,400 The ship's on a tight turnaround to unload and reload its cargo 617 00:34:11,400 --> 00:34:15,000 as she needs to head back out to sea and on to her next destination. 618 00:34:16,440 --> 00:34:19,720 But thick fog has so far made it too hazardous for the ship 619 00:34:19,720 --> 00:34:21,520 to come into harbour at Southampton. 620 00:34:24,400 --> 00:34:27,040 We want to get it up as quick as possible. She's lost 12 hours, 621 00:34:27,040 --> 00:34:28,520 best part of, because of the fog. 622 00:34:28,520 --> 00:34:30,720 But the terminal want to get it turned round, 623 00:34:30,720 --> 00:34:34,160 the shipping line want it to get in, get out and get back on schedule. 624 00:34:34,160 --> 00:34:36,640 So we're trying to move it as fast as we can. 625 00:34:38,000 --> 00:34:40,560 The ship is finally given the all-clear. 626 00:34:40,560 --> 00:34:42,200 Captain Wong is being assisted 627 00:34:42,200 --> 00:34:44,760 by two new pilots from Southampton Harbour 628 00:34:44,760 --> 00:34:47,400 to guide the ship through the last part of her journey. 629 00:34:49,120 --> 00:34:52,320 The Merlion has so far negotiated her way safely through 630 00:34:52,320 --> 00:34:53,640 the Channel's hazards. 631 00:34:55,760 --> 00:34:59,320 But as she starts her approach to Southampton, it's soon clear 632 00:34:59,320 --> 00:35:02,800 why this monster ship wasn't allowed into port in thick fog. 633 00:35:05,800 --> 00:35:09,120 You have the biggest turn under pilotage in the world, 634 00:35:09,120 --> 00:35:12,240 which puts the ship across the tide at its most vulnerable. 635 00:35:12,240 --> 00:35:14,960 You have to know where the ship has got to be positioned 636 00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:17,160 throughout that turn, um... 637 00:35:17,160 --> 00:35:20,400 Cos it can get...wrong very quickly. 638 00:35:20,400 --> 00:35:22,000 The geography of the Solent 639 00:35:22,000 --> 00:35:24,720 means ships have to make a sharp right-hand turn 640 00:35:24,720 --> 00:35:26,560 to get up the Channel into port. 641 00:35:29,880 --> 00:35:33,600 With a freighter as big as the Merlion, it's no mean feat. 642 00:35:33,600 --> 00:35:36,280 300-odd metres against the tide, it's going to go sideways 643 00:35:36,280 --> 00:35:38,920 and you've just got to try and control that sideways movement 644 00:35:38,920 --> 00:35:43,440 from...being pushed onto things that you don't want to be pushed onto. 645 00:35:43,440 --> 00:35:45,960 The Merlion is safely through the turn. 646 00:35:45,960 --> 00:35:48,320 The bridge team now have to carefully navigate 647 00:35:48,320 --> 00:35:50,640 an area of shallow waters. 648 00:35:50,640 --> 00:35:52,920 On that side of that buoy, there's no water for us. 649 00:35:52,920 --> 00:35:56,480 There's about six, seven metres of water. Our draft is 12 and a half. 650 00:35:56,480 --> 00:35:57,560 We will go aground. 651 00:35:57,560 --> 00:36:00,920 Coming into port at midday has meant the Solent is bustling 652 00:36:00,920 --> 00:36:02,840 with hundreds of other craft. 653 00:36:02,840 --> 00:36:07,280 And as the Merlion takes almost 4,000 metres to come to a stop, 654 00:36:07,280 --> 00:36:11,320 the pilot and captain must keep a careful eye on the busy traffic. 655 00:36:11,320 --> 00:36:16,080 Right in front of my ship's bow. They never assume that in case... 656 00:36:16,080 --> 00:36:19,120 their motor fails, or what, then you'll be in our way. 657 00:36:19,120 --> 00:36:22,480 So I think it's not a very safe activity. 658 00:36:23,520 --> 00:36:26,240 Hopefully they keep clear of us as we get closer. 659 00:36:32,240 --> 00:36:36,360 This part of the Solent is very popular with pleasure boats. 660 00:36:36,360 --> 00:36:40,000 The spatial awareness of your average yachtsman is not what it could be. 661 00:36:40,000 --> 00:36:43,480 You can actually buy a yacht with no qualifications and disappear off. 662 00:36:44,520 --> 00:36:47,160 It's the same idea as if you buy a car without a driving licence 663 00:36:47,160 --> 00:36:48,640 and disappear onto the roads. 664 00:36:48,640 --> 00:36:50,520 You wouldn't think twice about doing that. 665 00:36:50,520 --> 00:36:51,560 You just would not do it. 666 00:36:52,800 --> 00:36:55,640 So they don't appreciate how fast these things are going. 667 00:36:55,640 --> 00:36:58,240 They suddenly turn and put themselves right in danger. 668 00:36:58,240 --> 00:36:59,640 Where we don't want them to be. 669 00:37:01,960 --> 00:37:03,880 It gets a bit fraught on occasion. 670 00:37:05,840 --> 00:37:08,040 The harbour's Special Patrol Launch 671 00:37:08,040 --> 00:37:12,040 is on hand to help keep other traffic out of the Merlion's path. 672 00:37:12,040 --> 00:37:13,400 ASP Merlion. 673 00:37:14,680 --> 00:37:16,120 'Roger that, ASP.' 674 00:37:16,120 --> 00:37:18,720 Some days you've got the SP darting all over the place, 675 00:37:18,720 --> 00:37:20,680 getting yachts out the way because 676 00:37:20,680 --> 00:37:24,080 they just aren't paying attention to where they are. 677 00:37:24,080 --> 00:37:27,000 With so much to contend with, it's hardly surprising 678 00:37:27,000 --> 00:37:29,680 that Southampton Port requires all large ships 679 00:37:29,680 --> 00:37:31,720 to have its harbour pilots on board. 680 00:37:33,240 --> 00:37:37,960 It is compulsory for any ship over 61 metres in length. 681 00:37:37,960 --> 00:37:40,760 But the captain of the ship is not obliged to listen to anything 682 00:37:40,760 --> 00:37:43,440 the pilot has to say. He can come and do his own thing. 683 00:37:43,440 --> 00:37:46,520 But if it all goes wrong, the captain's in a whole heap of trouble. 684 00:37:47,840 --> 00:37:51,480 The Merlion is now approaching her berth, and for the pilots on board, 685 00:37:51,480 --> 00:37:54,440 it's one of the most difficult challenges of the whole journey. 686 00:37:58,720 --> 00:38:02,000 As freighters like this become ever larger and longer, 687 00:38:02,000 --> 00:38:03,680 it's going to be a tight squeeze. 688 00:38:04,760 --> 00:38:07,760 The Channel is only 200 metres in width. We're 50. 689 00:38:07,760 --> 00:38:10,280 We've already taken up a quarter of that channel already. 690 00:38:10,280 --> 00:38:11,720 Ain't a lot of room for error. 691 00:38:14,640 --> 00:38:16,720 Dead slow astern. 692 00:38:16,720 --> 00:38:20,160 Plan is to get the ship alongside those three gantry cranes. 693 00:38:20,160 --> 00:38:22,080 So we've got to get the ship turned round 694 00:38:22,080 --> 00:38:26,160 so it's parallel to the line of the berth, and put it alongside. 695 00:38:28,320 --> 00:38:30,560 In a very confined space. 696 00:38:30,560 --> 00:38:34,280 The pilots will have to perform what is effectively a handbrake turn 697 00:38:34,280 --> 00:38:36,600 to get this huge ship into the berth. 698 00:38:37,720 --> 00:38:39,040 We're going to keep going. 699 00:38:39,040 --> 00:38:43,560 Keep going towards that concrete wall as long as we can. 700 00:38:43,560 --> 00:38:45,440 It's a game of holding your nerve. 701 00:38:50,040 --> 00:38:51,880 Hard to starboard. 702 00:38:51,880 --> 00:38:53,760 Hard to starboard! 703 00:38:53,760 --> 00:38:56,520 Three tugboats are needed to manoeuvre 704 00:38:56,520 --> 00:38:58,680 this 150,000-ton giant round. 705 00:39:09,200 --> 00:39:10,400 Stop on the third bead. 706 00:39:11,600 --> 00:39:15,480 That's the turn complete. As you can see, we're parallel to the quay. 707 00:39:15,480 --> 00:39:17,800 Perfectly positioned. Coming in nicely. 708 00:39:17,800 --> 00:39:20,280 Got the two tugs pushing... 'Pushing now.' 709 00:39:23,040 --> 00:39:27,040 A delicate touch is needed to bring the Merlion slowly alongside. 710 00:39:27,040 --> 00:39:29,000 'Down to five metres.' 711 00:39:29,000 --> 00:39:30,520 With a ship this size, 712 00:39:30,520 --> 00:39:34,240 even a small knock could put the whole berth out of action. 713 00:39:41,040 --> 00:39:43,320 'Yeah, that's a good position now. In position.' 714 00:39:43,320 --> 00:39:44,640 He's happy with the position. 715 00:39:45,920 --> 00:39:49,240 Everything went on smoothly. The pilots have done a good job. 716 00:39:49,240 --> 00:39:52,880 At the same time, the ship is now safely alongside. 717 00:39:52,880 --> 00:39:54,320 Fairly standard manoeuvre. 718 00:39:54,320 --> 00:39:56,120 INTERVIEWER: Good job, well done? 719 00:39:56,120 --> 00:39:58,040 I'd like to say so. Yeah? 720 00:40:04,200 --> 00:40:06,880 For another group of travellers on the Channel, 721 00:40:06,880 --> 00:40:10,080 there's still a little way to go before they reach safety. 722 00:40:10,080 --> 00:40:11,640 Well done, sir. Brilliant. 723 00:40:11,640 --> 00:40:15,520 The Cosmic Rays team has swum through an entire day and night 724 00:40:15,520 --> 00:40:18,160 in their epic attempt to join the handful of people 725 00:40:18,160 --> 00:40:21,160 who have succeeded in swimming to France and back again. 726 00:40:22,360 --> 00:40:25,080 As dawn breaks, the mist takes over again. 727 00:40:25,080 --> 00:40:28,880 But although they can't see land, the swimmers are nearly home. 728 00:40:28,880 --> 00:40:30,720 Apparently, we're three miles away 729 00:40:30,720 --> 00:40:32,880 from where we started. 730 00:40:32,880 --> 00:40:36,000 Shakespeare Beach, which is all down to a fantastic pilot. 731 00:40:36,000 --> 00:40:38,920 So that's where our landing position is going to be. 732 00:40:38,920 --> 00:40:41,160 I don't think I'm going to make it, though, to land, 733 00:40:41,160 --> 00:40:43,840 because it's too far for me to swim in an hour. 734 00:40:43,840 --> 00:40:45,280 So I'll do my best. 735 00:40:52,840 --> 00:40:56,560 They've done really well. Yeah, it's a good swim. 736 00:40:56,560 --> 00:41:00,280 They've been pretty consistent in their speeds et cetera. 737 00:41:00,280 --> 00:41:03,480 No-one's dropped out yet or had any really problems. So... 738 00:41:03,480 --> 00:41:05,680 No, it's going to be a good finish. 739 00:41:05,680 --> 00:41:08,360 Come on, then, Lisa. Swim number seven! 740 00:41:08,360 --> 00:41:09,920 Just one mile from shore, 741 00:41:09,920 --> 00:41:13,800 Lisa takes to the water for what will be the last time. 742 00:41:13,800 --> 00:41:17,400 Enjoy, and we'll see you in an hour's time! Yeah! 743 00:41:19,720 --> 00:41:22,720 Here we go. We've gone on this far. We left in fog. 744 00:41:22,720 --> 00:41:24,200 We're arriving in fog! 745 00:41:31,800 --> 00:41:34,360 You're looking invigorated! HE LAUGHS 746 00:41:35,760 --> 00:41:39,320 In the wheelhouse, the S shape of the route the swimmers have taken 747 00:41:39,320 --> 00:41:44,160 to compensate for currents and tides is plotted on Lance's screen. 748 00:41:44,160 --> 00:41:46,280 It's been a really good track, I think. 749 00:41:46,280 --> 00:41:48,880 We're just coming up to the 25th hour now. 750 00:41:48,880 --> 00:41:52,040 As they do so, the coast of England comes into sight. 751 00:41:53,200 --> 00:41:55,720 We're just 500 metres off the shoreline now, 752 00:41:55,720 --> 00:42:00,520 coming in towards the...Shakespeare Cliff. 753 00:42:00,520 --> 00:42:02,720 Which is just down the road from Dover Harbour, 754 00:42:02,720 --> 00:42:05,360 so we're not far from where we started. Which is quite nice. 755 00:42:12,200 --> 00:42:15,960 The journey back's been really tough. We've been very cold. 756 00:42:15,960 --> 00:42:17,680 I'm still recovering from my swim. 757 00:42:18,800 --> 00:42:22,680 As the cliffs become closer, so does Dr Habibi's target 758 00:42:22,680 --> 00:42:27,080 of raising £50,000 for the children of St Mary's Hospital. 759 00:42:27,080 --> 00:42:28,520 We're nearly there, I think. 760 00:42:28,520 --> 00:42:31,680 The last time I looked at it, it was, like, 46,000. 761 00:42:31,680 --> 00:42:35,000 So this is a phenomenal achievement and I'm very pleased 762 00:42:35,000 --> 00:42:38,440 with the way the swim's gone and the charity donations have gone. 763 00:42:40,360 --> 00:42:45,040 In just over 26 hours, the team have swum to France and back again. 764 00:42:46,800 --> 00:42:49,720 Three cheers for Cosmic Rays. Hip, hip! 765 00:42:49,720 --> 00:42:52,320 ALL: Hooray! Hip, hip! Hooray. 766 00:42:52,320 --> 00:42:54,240 Hip, hip! Hooray! 767 00:42:55,680 --> 00:42:59,800 With their journey complete, the team can finally relax. 768 00:43:02,520 --> 00:43:05,480 But tomorrow, hundreds more swimmers, sailors 769 00:43:05,480 --> 00:43:07,320 and professional seafarers 770 00:43:07,320 --> 00:43:10,800 will venture onto the Channel's unpredictable waters.