Epic Swim co.

Tom Vear - penarth to Clevedon, July 2026 with Epic Swim co and Swim Wild Wales

This week saw the second heat wave in the UK this year, and a perfect opportunity to get some Channel Swims across!

We had a very brutal 3am alarm clock, and met Tom, Simon and Lindsay at the marina just after 4am. Tom was ready to go, jammers already on, and in good spirits.

We started the swim at 0515 from Penarth slip, and swam into a beautiful sunrise. The conditions were really calm, allowing Tom to settle into his stroke and enjoy the first section towards flatholmisland .

Great Vibes on the boat with his Crew who were helping Tom feed every hour. He seemed to be really enjoying it with a smile on his face every time we stopped.

We passed Flat Holm Island, crossed the shipping lane, and started our curve towards Clevedon. Tom stayed consistent the entire time, and before long we were passing the cliffs just before Clevedon Pier. One last push and we reached the slipway in a time of 6hrs 47 minutes. Official ratification pending.

Tom was raising awareness for the RNLI , the real heroes of the sea.

It was a pleasure guiding you across, thanks for the good company to the Crew and to for observing. Looking forward to hopefully working with you again! 👊🏻

Escape from Flat Holm, June 2026 - Gwawr Davies Jones

A huge congratulations to Gwawr for completing the very tough Escape from flat holm swim in 4hrs 53 minutes.

A couple of weeks ago, Gwawr took on this challenge alongside two other swimmers, and unfortunately pulled out due to the challenging conditions and the mental gymnastics associated with the conditions.

Rather than feel defeated, Gwawr decided to get even. Within a day she was messaging me wanting to get back on the horse. I also felt like we had unfinished business, as Gwawr has been a great supporter of my small business over the years, joining me from coached sessions 5 years ago, right through to point to point swims on an ever increasing scale.

I was more than happy to create some space in the diary and give it another shot.

We spotted a gap in the weather, and following a very brutal 2am alarm clock, met on the boat at 3am, and headed over to flat holm for a 0415 swim start in the dark.

Right from the start, Gwawr was solid. She kept a consistent pace, and asked me to stay just in front of her so that she could chase the Boat to help keep her speed up. We made good progress through the shipping lane, over to Lavernock point, which put us in a great position for the rest of the swim.

From Lavernock, we followed the Coast, around Sully Island, and over towards Barry. The current slowed down as we neared Jackson’s Bay, and the last couple of kilometres were a real grind. Gwawr stuck it out though, landing in Jackson Bay in just under five hours.

So happy to be a part of this rollercoaster with you, and stoked you got the result you finally deserved. Congratulations on an awesome swim! 👊🏻



Swim Wild Wales Flat Holm Island Official

Aeron Davies - Penarth to Clevedon, June 2026.

Boom! Another successful channel crossing with Epic Swim co . 😎

Last year I met Aeron when he joined us for a swim from Penarth to Barry in a surf wetsuit with two other swimmers. I think that was his longest swim at the time, around three hours. He must’ve been inspired, as soon after he booked the channel crossing for this year!

This time, Aeron ditched the wetsuit and prepared for a solo skins swim, and has trained hard all year acclimatising in the sea.

We started the swim at 0650 in calm seas and booming weather. Plenty of sunscreen and he was off! Aeron looked relaxed from the start, and made solid progress for the first couple of hours as instructed, getting us into a really great position near flatholmisland . It was clear during the feeds that Aeron was loving it, relaxed, and enjoying every second.

We made progress around the back of the island, across the shipping lane with no traffic, and turned with the current around Weston to make our way up the coast.

Aeron swam consistently, stopping every 45 minutes for food, with perhaps the highlights being some custard creams donated by Osian! 🤣

The neap tide currents slowed down around Clevedon and the final gruelling push was on. Aeron dug deep, with the end in sight but still lots to do.

He swam into the slip in the time of eight hours 10 minutes, a huge achievement and such an impressive swim!

Huge congratulations mate, it was a pleasure having you and your dad on the boat, a thoroughly enjoyable day, and hopefully more to come. 👊🏻

Maddy Eaton - Penarth to Clevedon - June 2026

I met Maddy about two years ago when I was running technique sessions in the pool during winter for open water swimmers. Maddy was building confidence for the coming season, with the aim of doing more point to point swims.

The following summer she joined us on our guided point to point swims, and then last year took on the challenge of Swimming from Penarth to Barry with us.

The natural progression was always going to be Swimming across the Bristol channel! And this week Maddy knocked it out of the park.

Two weeks ago, Maddy joined us on a swim from Flat holm to Barry in very challenging conditions. She looked great during the swim, but sadly had to retire due to seasickness, which had a big impact on her confidence. Still, these things are meant to challenge us, so she went back to the lab to find a solution.

The day came, and Maddy looked confident and ready for the challenge. The wind picked up more than originally forecast, but nothing that Maddy couldn’t handle. She set off at 5am, and made solid progress over to flatholmisland . It was particularly choppy around the island, but Maddy didn’t miss a beat. She swam consistently and seemed to be enjoying every second.

She made strong progress all the way to the Clevedon, landing in six hours 54 minutes with a huge smile on her face.

It’s been a pleasure working with you over the last couple of years Maddy! I truly hope this isn’t the end of our journey, I look forward to hopefully working with you in the future. Big up!

Maddy Youngton Swim Wild Wales

Chris Collins-Jones - Penarth to Monk Nash - June 2026.

The EPIC 6-hour coastal challenge!

The idea was simple. We start at Penarth just before high tide, swim for six hours and see how far you can get down the Welsh Coast line. And to be fair… Chris has set the bar high!

The onshore wind at Penarth made the first section pretty lumpy down to Loverock point. As we turned the corner and started heading west, the wind followed and the seas smoothed out nicely.

It was a big tide, and combined with Chris’s solid swim speed we made very impressive ground, passing by the knap in Barry after 1 1/2 hours, clocking speeds of under 1min/100m 😮

Chris fed every 30 minutes, practising channel-style in preparation for his English channel attempt in a month or two time.

We carried on at an impressive speed, flying by Rhoose, Aberthaw Power Station, and down towards Llantwit Major and St Donats. At one point, we thought we were en route to hit Porthcawl! 🤣

We were treated by a view of the Spanish ship “Galeon Andelucia” passing us in the channel as it left Cardiff docks after a spell as a tourist attraction recently.

As we passed Nash point Lighthouse and then Monk Nash, the currents finally slowed down and started to turn against us. The last hour we crept slowly. making very little ground in the last 20 minutes. The 6-hour alarm went off, and Chris swam to shore, landing between Monk Nash and Southerndown, clocking an incredible distance of 37 km.

A great day out on the boat, and a solid benchmark for the 6-hour challenge. Congratulations Chris! 💪🏻

Do you think you can beat this distance? Get in touch if you’d like to book in! 😎

Escape from Flat Holm - June 2026

Last week saw the first escape from Flat Holm swim attempt of the year with Epic Swim co

This is one of the toughest swims in the channel due to the exposure and turbulent water around the islands, as well as the ferocious tides you need to battle to make the crossing.

The challenge was taken on by Andrew, Maddy and Gwawr, in very challenging conditions.

Huge respect to all three swimmers, who started the swim together at the peak of the wind forecast on the day, heading straight into the lumpy waters around Flat Holm.

It was a day of mixed emotions, with 2 swimmers retiring at different points due to swim-seasickness and challenging conditions. However, It’s just a mere speed bump, and Gwawr and Maddy have unfinished business so watch this space! 💪🏻

Andrew made land at Sully in a time of 3hrs 34mins after a gruelling duel with Mother Nature! Well done boyo 👊🏻

This is such a tough swim, both mentally and physically… big love and respect to the 3 swimmers, can’t wait for the next chapter with you guys. 😎 ❤️

Peter Coulahan – Penarth to Clevedon, May 2026.

Peter travelled over from Ireland having booked the earliest slot in the season, and to say he was blessed with the weather is an understatement!

Low wind and barely cloud in the sky, we started the swim at 0720 from Penarth slipway.

Peter made solid ground for the first couple of hours to put us in a great place near Flat Holm Island. We took the route around the outside of the island, giving us the shortest path across the shipping lane during slack tide.

We headed over towards English soil as the current shifted, and started to follow the Coast up towards Clevedon. It’s always a long slog at this point, but Peter showed great consistency throughout, stopping very briefly to feed before getting his head back down again.

Peter didn’t miss a beat, and before long we were cruising towards Clevedon and passing the pier. Peter landed in a time of seven hours and two minutes with what we think is the earliest official BCSA Channel Swim (pending ratification).

Congratulations Peter, it was a pleasure working with you. Hopefully catch you again soon. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 🇮🇪

Here at Epic, we cover the Penarth to Clevedon, Penarth to Weston, Flat Holm island and Penarth to Barry swims. For swims at the "Deep end" such as Swansea to Ilfracombe, check out Monster Swims

Flat Holm to Steep Holm island - Bryce Davies, October 2025 😎

I had had this route in mind for a couple of years. To swim from one tiny island to another tiny island in the middle of the world’s second largest tidal range is a ridiculous idea. To our knowledge it’s never been done before.

We love Pioneering new routes, and going Guinea pig on any silly ideas we have. Who knows if you don’t try?

I plotted the route late the night before, spotting a small window of opportunity with the weather. A tricky passage that involves swimming at right angles to the strong currents. Start the swim too early and you get swept past the island, start too late and you end up going backwards before you reach your destination.

We left Flat Holm at 7:30am and swam out into the channel, with the first half an hour taking me directly across the shipping lane and directly into the wind creating a healthy slap in the face with every stroke.

At the halfway point we were on target, passing the buoy that marks the edge of the shipping lane. So far so good.

Some minor adjustments to the course by the Skipper kept me on track for the next section as the water slowed down and the current started to turn. I kept my head down and kept swimming strong, scared to ease off knowing that the tide would soon be against me.

It soon became evident that it just might be possible, I was a couple of hundred metres from the island. A local seal popped up right by my toes and followed me to the island, thankfully without me realising. The last 50m the treadmill showed up and I inched my way forward, slowly making way towards the beach, terrified that I wouldn’t make it at this final stage.

One last push and I crawled onto the tiny rocky beach in a time of 1hr 35 minutes, clocking a distance of 4.5k. I was so stoked to land it successfully as it was never a done deal at any point.
As I left the beach the seal popped her head up again, positioning herself between me and the boat. One last hurdle! 😂. Luckily, she was friendly, and I swam back to the boat unharmed.

It has yet to be repeated... We are taking bookings for this crossing for 2026 (a small number of slots available) and 2027 😎