How do you avoid the ferries, tankers, and other traffic coming in and out of the Harbour?
This is not a problem during the actual swim, as swimmers have right of way in the Channel- an exception to international maritime rules. Your pilot vessel will broadcast your position every half hour, and all other vessels are to steer clear of you. They do cause strong waves and cold patches which are very unpleasant to swim through. During our training, we swim between breakwaters and the ships do not come in there. What is a danger are other harbour users- in particular, rowing sculls. The sailing boats are pretty good at looking out for you, although they are frightening when they bear down at you, only to change course at the last minute. The sculls, however, row backwards at speed and so cannot see you, and hold the record as the only vessels to actually hit a swimmer so far, resulting in a visit to A&E.
