Has anyone ever swum across Loch Ness?

ThomasJOutram

Has anyone ever completed a solo crossing of Loch Ness? I can't find any record of it anywhere, and given the temperature rarely rises above 7 degrees even in the summer, 23miles seems an incredibly long way.

ThomasJOutram

Impressive! Thanks for that.

loneswimmer

Kevin Murphy, King of the Channel told me he did it in the 70s (I think, maybe 80s). I think other English Channel Legend and, sadly no longer with us, Des Renford, also did so, and if I recall they even raced each other down it.

IronMike

BTW, H2Open magazine is worth subscribing to, no matter what side of the pond you live on. Love it!

ForeverSwim

I spoke with Tammy van Wisse a year back about her Loch Ness journey in August 1999, and she recommended Caley Cruisers for an escort boat. Although, they sent me an amazing welcome packet in the mail, I do not recall that they were able to "escort" me across the Loch. Richard Clifford (reknowned paddler for Tammy, as well as Penny Palfrey and MANY NYC Swim events) is an excellent resource as he also accompanied her during her Loch Ness swim. Hope this helps!

evmo

Can any of our resident Loch Ness swimmers or someone associated with BLDSA tell us if this is a complete list of people who have completed unassisted swims of the length of Loch Ness?

And if anyone can fill in any missing months/days and route directions, that would be awesome too.

[Please see @ZoeSadler's post below for the most recent list of BLDSA-ratified Loch Ness swims].

This is pieced together from BLDSA's annual recognized swim lists (1995-present), plus manually looking up details of the first three swims (Sherratt, Read, Murphy), plus a DNOWS article about Stella Taylor's 1981 swim.

Tammy Van Wisse is often mentioned in connection with Loch Ness, but my interpretation of various sketchy accounts leads me to believe it was in a wetsuit. Please correct me if I'm wrong about that.

I do not know why complete information about this iconic swim is so hard to find.

ssthomas

We had this issue when we (Craig, Elaine and I) swam it. @Fil and @emkhowley did some research and may have some updated info. Also, @ZoeSadler took over some BLDSA functions and my impression is that she is much more organized and detail oriented than her predecessor. She may have some other/updated info. And, of course @Helbe is local and may have some info.

I don't remember where I heard this- but Tammy Van Wisse was definitely in a wetsuit.

emkhowley

Yes, it's my understanding that Tammy was wetsuited, too. I'm attaching a screenshot of a spreadsheet that @Fil and I had worked on when we were trying to get a more complete list out of the BLDSA back in 2015 when we did the swim.

Note, in @evmo's list above the date for my, Sarah, and Craig's swims should actually be August 22, 2015.

I can't recall where we found mention of David Morgan's supposed double-crossing, but if in fact it's true, that's incredible. I can't imagine spending an additional 10 hours in the water. Simply amazing. Same with Brenda Sherratt. Like, whoa...

ZoeSadler

Hi,
I've got a list of all of the swims that have been recognised by the BLDSA. I'll post it in the next day or so once I log onto my computer. Hopefully this will help.

ZoeSadler

Here is the list of Loch Ness solo swims that have been recognised by the BLDSA.

I am aware that there are a very small number of swimmers who may have completed private swims of the Loch, but these swims were not submitted for swim recognition.

Please note that the BLDSA does not recognise assisted swims.

1. 1966 BRENDA SHERRATT 31 hrs 27 mins
2. 30th August 1970 RON FLETCHER 14 hrs 1 min
3. 17th August 1974 MICHAEL READ 14 hrs 24 mins 46 secs
4. 14th July 1976 KEVIN MURPHY 10 hrs 30 mins
5. 22nd August 1981 DAVID MORGAN 12 hrs 19 mins 28 secs
6. 31st July 1983 DAVID MORGAN 9 hrs 57 mins
7. 1st August 1983 DAVID MORGAN (second leg of TWO WAY) Total time 23 hrs 4 mins (one way split 13hrs 7 mins)
8. 14th August 1984 KEVIN McINTOSH 15 hrs 31 mins 4 secs
9. 20th August 1995 RACHEL R. GODBURN 9 hrs 25 mins 37 secs
10. 23rd August 1997 COLLEEN I. BLAIR 14 hrs 32 mins 7 seconds
11. 15th August 2004 LIANE LLEWELLYN 9 hrs 49 mins 24 secs
12. 19th August 2008 MICHAEL CROSS 12 hrs 9 mins 15 secs
13. 27th July 2013 JAMES LEITCH 10 hrs 50 mins 09 secs
14. 2nd August 2015 MARCELLA MACDONALD 11 hrs 59 mins 8 secs
15. 22nd August 2015 SARAH THOMAS 10 hrs 52 mins 0 secs
16. 22nd August 2015 ELAINE K HOWLEY 13 hrs 21 mins 41 secs
17. 22nd August 2015 CRAIG LENNING 13 hrs 47 mins 24 secs
18. 1st-2nd August 2016, HELEN BEVERIDGE, 18hrs 22mins 16secs

If you believe this list to be incorrect, please do let me know.

FYI I have been informed that David Morgan has swum the Loch four times and I am currently trying to verify this by looking through the archives.

evmo

Thank you @ZoeSadler !! So cool to have an authoritative list of Loch Ness swims.

David Morgan's two-way (9:57 + 13:07 == 23:04) in 1983 must rank as one of the all-time greatest marathon swims, yet is very much off the radar of contemporary swimmers I think.

IMSHOF honoree Stella Taylor was reported by American media to have completed this swim in 1981, but apparently did not apply for BLDSA recognition.

Sounds like Tammy Van Wisse is confirmed as wearing a wetsuit for her 1999 swim. Disappointing that she still claims a "World Record for fastest length of Loch Ness."

Helbe

ThomasJOutram said:
Has anyone ever completed a solo crossing of Loch Ness? I can't find any record of it anywhere, and given the temperature rarely rises above 7 degrees even in the summer, 23miles seems an incredibly long way.

Not sure where the temperature quoted arises from but it is inaccurate. While still a cold swim, the summer temps are often 10-14C depending on the wind conditions. Windy conditions can bring the colder water from depth to the surface and considerably reduce the surface temperatures.

I completed a relay on 27 July 2013 following an extended rare period of calm sunny weather and the water temps were 15C. That's the most I've known it get to. James Leitch swam his solo the same day. He returned just a week later to try and beat the record...and the temperature had dropped to just 10C and he called it quits after an hour or so.

In winter the water gets no lower than about 4C although the wind chill can be considerable and the edges can be icy.

Thanks Zoe for responding with list of swims.

Tammy definitely had neoprene socks at the very least as in the photos available of there swim 'record'. Local reports suggest full wetsuit for some of the time as she had tried and struggled to cope with the temperatures.

emkhowley

The water was 51for the first hour or two and came up to about 54/55 F for a large portion of the swim the day we swam in August 2015 (10.5-13C). I don't think there were any readings above 55 from our crews, but it's entirely possible there were and I wasn't aware of it. It was cold out there (fucking freezing is the more accurate description), but definitely not 7C. I shivered HARD for well over an hour after I got out. It was an exhausting, awful recovery--I'm actually not sure I've gotten back to "normal" since then. It took at least 6 months to feel like I was even a little back to usual in the pool, and my times have not yet returned to pre-Loch Ness levels. Easily the hardest swim I've done.

evmo

Congratulations to Philip (@phodgeszoho) - length of Loch Ness (Loch End to Fort Augustus) in 13 hours, 44 minutes on July 25th.

http://longswims.com/events/loch-ness

Helbe

@phodgeszoho had a stonking swim. Quite awesome to witness.

The Celtic Mermaids had more challenging conditions to swim in when completing their successful four lady relay on 18 July in 18hrs and 44 mins.

Helbe

@evmo please can you clarify why the MSF list of Loch Ness swims differs from the BLDSA listing, thanks. Lots of swimmers report unratified swims - often only reported in the media or on social media despite a clear route for formal recognition.

For the missing information, James Leitch is from Scotland (UK).

evmo

Helbe said:
@evmo please can you clarify why the MSF list of Loch Ness swims differs from the BLDSA listing, thanks.

The only differences are the inclusion of Stella Taylor (1981) in the MSF list, and the proper spelling of Robert Fletcher's name in the MSF list.

Helbe

@evmo said:
Thank you @ZoeSadler !! So cool to have an authoritative list of Loch Ness swims.

IMSHOF honoree Stella Taylor was reported by American media to have completed this swim in 1981, but apparently did not apply for BLDSA recognition.

So are you saying that it is appropriate to include swimmers who submit to media but who do not apply to the established recognition body for ratification? Interesting. I know of a few media reports of claimed solo swims, but where reality differs from the reported feat. Also of some who completed an authentic swim who chose not to have their swim ratified and did not seek media publicity either.
@ZoeSadler

evmo

@Helbe said: So are you saying that it is appropriate to include swimmers who submit to media but who do not apply to the established recognition body for ratification?

No.

phodgeszoho

For the first half of the swim I was blessed with amazing conditions. If anyone is considering Loch Ness then hopefully this photo taken by @Helbe might encourage you to give it a go ;-)

phodgeszoho

Helbe said:

Tammy definitely had neoprene socks at the very least as in the photos available of there swim 'record'. Local reports suggest full wetsuit for some of the time as she had tried and struggled to cope with the temperatures.

Does anyone know for sure if Tammy van Wisse wore a wetsuit or not on her Loch Ness Swim? Apart from Tammy does anyone else know of any other Australians who have swum it successfully under "channel" rules?

loneswimmer said:
Kevin Murphy, King of the Channel told me he did it in the 70s (I think, maybe 80s). I think other English Channel Legend and, sadly no longer with us, Des Renford, also did so, and if I recall they even raced each other down it.

I believe Des Renford had an unsuccessful attempt when he raced Kevin Murphy but did he ever try again?

Just curious if I am the first Aussie to have completed it.

ZoeSadler

To answer a couple of questions on this thread.

• I had it confirmed to me that Tammy wore a wetsuit for her swim.

• There are several media reports of Stella Taylor's Loch Ness swim. It is likely that she did swim it, but I can find no evidence of the swim ever being documented or submitted to the BLDSA. I have searched the historic yearbooks, the historic data cards and the historic paper documentation, but I'm afraid I can find nothing other than the media reports. It seems likely that she a swim but did not seek swim recognition at the time.

MikeyFZS1

@ZoeSadler said:
Here is the list of Loch Ness solo swims that have been recognised by the BLDSA.

I am aware that there are a very small number of swimmers who may have completed private swims of the Loch, but these swims were not submitted for swim recognition.

Please note that the BLDSA does not recognise assisted swims.

1. 1966 BRENDA SHERRATT 31 hrs 27 mins
2. 30th August 1970 RON FLETCHER 14 hrs 1 min
3. 17th August 1974 MICHAEL READ 14 hrs 24 mins 46 secs
4. 14th July 1976 KEVIN MURPHY 10 hrs 30 mins
5. 22nd August 1981 DAVID MORGAN 12 hrs 19 mins 28 secs
6. 31st July 1983 DAVID MORGAN 9 hrs 57 mins
7. 1st August 1983 DAVID MORGAN (second leg of TWO WAY) Total time 23 hrs 4 mins (one way split 13hrs 7 mins)
8. 14th August 1984 KEVIN McINTOSH 15 hrs 31 mins 4 secs
9. 20th August 1995 RACHEL R. GODBURN 9 hrs 25 mins 37 secs
10. 23rd August 1997 COLLEEN I. BLAIR 14 hrs 32 mins 7 seconds
11. 15th August 2004 LIANE LLEWELLYN 9 hrs 49 mins 24 secs
12. 19th August 2008 MICHAEL CROSS 12 hrs 9 mins 15 secs
13. 27th July 2013 JAMES LEITCH 10 hrs 50 mins 09 secs
14. 2nd August 2015 MARCELLA MACDONALD 11 hrs 59 mins 8 secs
15. 22nd August 2015 SARAH THOMAS 10 hrs 52 mins 0 secs
16. 22nd August 2015 ELAINE K HOWLEY 13 hrs 21 mins 41 secs
17. 22nd August 2015 CRAIG LENNING 13 hrs 47 mins 24 secs
18. 1st-2nd August 2016, HELEN BEVERIDGE, 18hrs 22mins 16secs

If you believe this list to be incorrect, please do let me know.

FYI I have been informed that David Morgan has swum the Loch four times and I am currently trying to verify this by looking through the archives.

Hi Zoe, the second name on the list should be Robert Fletcher (not Ron) of Rotherham in South Yorkshire, England; he was the first man to swim Loch Ness; I'm his son, Mike Fletcher. I will also be getting in touch with the BLDSA to make sure they have the correct information. Thanks and regards, Mike

KatieBun

Zoe, shouldn't @phodgeszoho be on that list? Edit: Mike may have quoted an older version.

phodgeszoho

@KatieBun, the list above quoted by @MikeyFZS1 is one that @ZoeSadler posted March 2017. I am not on it because I completed my Loch Ness on 25th July 2017.

I suspect there may be other names missing who have completed solo swims since then.

KatieBun

Thanks, Philip. I should set my brain in motion before I start typing. ?

phodgeszoho

@KatieBun said:
Thanks, Philip. I should set my brain in motion before I start typing. ?

Or check with Steve first? ;-)

emkhowley

Or just check LongSwimsDB https://longswims.com/events/loch-ness/