Three days after Aerin Bowers turns 50 on Sept. 15, the Rossland mom will fly across the pond to commemorate her milestone birthday in the United Kingdom.
However, her trip involves more than just touring and shopping in the English countryside for a week-long vacation.
Bowers is heading to the Dover Coast to acclimatize for a few days before she wades into the English Channel to swim across the frigid open water in the last week of September, though the exact day has yet to be determined.
This challenging endeavor, covering approximately 35 kilometres from England to France, is expected to take between 12 to 16 hours.
Through it all, Bowers will be equipped with only a bathing suit, swim cap, and goggles.
More than a personal challenge, Bowers is swimming the English Channel in honor of her late father, Kelly Bowers, a dedicated advocate for physical education, and as a fundraiser for the Canadian Tire Jumpstart charities.
“I chose Jumpstart since it is the best way I can honour the legacy of my Dad, who passed away five years ago this September,” Bowers explains.
“He was a physical education teacher who tirelessly advocated for disadvantaged kids who couldn’t afford to participate in sports. He believed very strongly in the power of sports to change lives, build community and grow self-esteem, often paying out of pocket for equipment,” she adds.
“Jumpstart is the perfect partner because their mission aligns exactly with that, and it’s the best way I can think of to give back and celebrate everything my Dad did.”
Born in Saskatchewan, Bowers was an avid swim club member throughout her childhood in Canada, and later in California when her family moved south for her dad’s career.
But from ages 13 to 39, life got in the way.
“And then suddenly, I was 39 and living in Rossland,” she writes in her blog, Open Water Aerin, at openwaterlife.com.
Her then-nine-year-old daughter had been swimming for a few years, so Bowers started going to the pool to sneak in a workout while her daughter had lessons.
She recalls, “some sort of strange muscle memory took hold of my body.”
Suddenly, Bowers was swimming again and wanted to swim more.
It was during summer travels to B.C. lakes when she started to entertain thoughts of partaking in open water events.
At 40, she set a goal to complete four open water swims.
Since then, she’s swum in open waters both near and far, including Christina, Kootenay, Slocan, and Skaha Lakes, Lake Chelan in Washington State, the Riddarfjärdssimningen event in Sweden, the Sri Chinmoy 26-km Marathon Swim in Lake Zurich, and most recently in July, the Coronado Swim in San Diego.
Now, it’s the English Channel.
But, just how does one go about this process?
Certainly, there must be training and permissions before quite literally jumping into a freezing cold arm of the Atlantic Ocean?
“There is a years-long process that involves securing an approved pilot vessel and captain, applying through the Channel Swimming Association, paying memberships and deposits, getting a medical, putting a crew together for feeds and support/safety on the boat, and doing an observed six-hour qualifying swim in water that is colder than 16 degrees Celsius,” Bowers told the Times.
“I did mine in June.”
Anyone wanting to swim the English Channel often looks at booking two to three years out, she adds.
“I originally applied in 2020.”
Bowers notes that her window for swimming opens on Sept. 23.
“Depending on the weather and conditions, I could swim any time between September 23 and September 29,” she explains.
“So once I arrive, my team and I will spend a few days getting over the jet lag, prepping for the swim, and trying to relax while we wait for confirmation.”
This period of waiting is often referred to as being on the “Dovercoaster,” since swimmers don’t know exactly when they will get in the water.
“And you have to be ready on short notice when your pilot says ‘go!’” Bowers says.
Once in the frigid saltwater of the English Channel, slathered in Desitin (zinc oxide) and Vaseline to ward off chafing, Bowers will start her stroke in such a way to preserve her physical fortitude.
But what about her mental endurance?
What goes through her mind during these solo tests of perseverance?
“It depends on the swim and the conditions that I’m in,” she shares. “Sometimes I think about my swimming and my stroke, and sometimes I go into a situation I’m dealing with in my life and just work it over.”
There is plenty of time, she says, adding that she will go into a semi-meditative state when conditions are calm.
“But if I’m dealing with bad weather then I am thinking about my own navigation and getting through it.”
She’s also memorized a playlist of about 100 songs, so sometimes Bowers thinks of each song to pass the time.
“What I try not to think about is any pain that I’m having, whether that’s in my shoulders or my arms,” she continues.
“I often think about food too, and what I’m going to eat when I’m done. I can pass a few hours mentally constructing the perfect lasagna.”
With this swim, however, Bowers says she will also be thinking about the inevitable encounters with jellyfish and other sea life such as dolphins and seals.
She will undoubtedly be thinking about her father as well.
“This swim is my way of honouring his legacy,” she adds.
“I know he would have been on my support boat, cheering me on to France.”
About Jumpstart
Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities has helped over 2.4 million kids across Canada get involved in activities such as swimming, soccer, hockey, and ballet since 2005.
Funds raised through Bowers’ swim will directly support children who face barriers to accessing sports, allowing them to develop new skills, build confidence, and boost their self-esteem.
Bowers encourages supporters to donate through the secure online donation platform linked to the campaign.
“Together, we can help kids across Canada access the opportunities they deserve to learn, grow, and thrive through sports,” she says.
To donate to Bowers’ fundraiser, visit openwaterlife.com and click on “Giving Back: My Jumpstart Fundraiser” found under the left-side pull-down menu.
Women who came before
The first woman to attempt to swim the English Channel was Aldyth Trevelyan Thomson, an Australian swimmer.
She made her attempt in 1900 but was unsuccessful in crossing the Channel. Her attempt, however, set the stage for future female swimmers to challenge the waters of the English Channel.
The first woman to successfully swim the English Channel was Gertrude Ederle, an American swimmer.
She completed the swim on Aug. 6, 1926. Ederle swam from Cap Gris-Nez in France to Kingsdown, Kent, England, in 14 hours and 34 minutes, beating the existing men’s record at that time by nearly two hours.
Her achievement was a significant milestone, proving that women could also conquer such a physically demanding and endurance-based challenge.
The “Channel”
The English Channel, also known as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France. It links to the southern part of the North Sea by the Strait of Dover at its northeastern end. It is the busiest shipping area in the world.
