Level Crossing 27

The English Channel is the busiest sea route in the world and the Dover Straight, where I will cross, is the busiest shipping lane on the planet. More than 500 ships pass through the Channel daily including the biggest super tankers longer than the Empire State Building is tall.

To accomplish this, the coast guard uses radar surveillance and operates an IMO adapted Traffic Separation Scheme (eg two traffic lanes for inward and outward bound traffic; rules internationally agreed).  Channel VTS is jointly operated jointly by the Dover Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre and CROSS Gris Nez in France.  In short, the VP II will be visible.

Ultimately my pilot is responsible for ensuring a safety zone of several 100m minimum at all times.  There will likely be moments when the large ships change course to avoid our path (tankers travel at 17-24 knots).

As I am now a month from the Channel I will swim one more long week of 40km then Taper down to 20km the week before D Day.

The oil tanker Hamilton Spirit, here in the Channel, is 274m by 48m with GT of 81,384 tons and DTW of 158,769 (image by TeeKay).