0:00:08 > 0:00:10It's the busiest waterway in the world.
0:00:12 > 0:00:16Come on, skipper! Get a move on. That way.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18A gateway to our nation.
0:00:18 > 0:00:21Over 90% of the world's trade travels by sea.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24It's not just TVs and refrigerators, it's everything around us.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27Protected by a multi-agency task force,
0:00:27 > 0:00:30it's a unique stretch of water.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33This is Warship Tyne. Warship Tyne, Channel one-two, over.
0:00:33 > 0:00:34Got that, over.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38It's very difficult to police the Channel.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41To board every vessel's an impossible task.
0:00:42 > 0:00:44It's a place where swimmers
0:00:44 > 0:00:48and Sunday sailors fight for space with cruise liners...
0:00:50 > 0:00:52..and cargo ships.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55It's like trying to get across the M25 during rush hour.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58For some, the English Channel is their place of work.
0:01:00 > 0:01:02If my mum came out here and saw what I was doing up here,
0:01:02 > 0:01:04she'd tell me to get off straightaway.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09- For others, it's a playground. - Whoo hoo!
0:01:13 > 0:01:16But for those who venture onto its unpredictable waters...
0:01:16 > 0:01:20We're just going to assist the moving of the casualty now.
0:01:20 > 0:01:21Controlled over lifeboat.
0:01:21 > 0:01:23..it can mean life or death.
0:01:23 > 0:01:24Just drag him onto the boat.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31I hope my babies get to see this and see what Daddy does for a living.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44Today on Channel Patrol,
0:01:44 > 0:01:46it's a busy day for the team
0:01:46 > 0:01:49parking up huge cruise liners in Southampton.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53I will just be given guidance as a ship gets nearer to the quay side.
0:01:53 > 0:01:54Just coming into position.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57Time is money for a mammoth cargo freighter.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01But thick fog threatens to halt it in its tracks.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04If the weather closes in, we would then have to abort,
0:02:04 > 0:02:06turn the ship round and come back.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09And that's a big problem for us.
0:02:09 > 0:02:13And fog also jeopardises a team trying to swim to France
0:02:13 > 0:02:14and back again.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16Visibility is very minimal.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20We could well have a ship coming towards us at 22 knots.
0:02:24 > 0:02:28The English Channel is one of the busiest shipping routes
0:02:28 > 0:02:32in the world, with up to 500 vessels a day in its waters.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35Huge cargo ships travel through it day and night
0:02:35 > 0:02:37and deliver goods to us from all over the world.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40Britain is an island.
0:02:40 > 0:02:45The UK handles 510 million tons of goods a year
0:02:45 > 0:02:49and 95% or more is actually routed through UK ports.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52But now, as international trade grows every year,
0:02:52 > 0:02:55these vessels have got bigger.
0:02:55 > 0:02:56A whole lot bigger.
0:02:56 > 0:03:00The largest ones that we handle can carry 18,000 containers
0:03:00 > 0:03:03and it's important that we get them in quickly and out quickly.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08The APL Merlion is one of a new breed of super-ships
0:03:08 > 0:03:11known as bulk carriers, which traverse the Channel
0:03:11 > 0:03:14en route between the Far East and some of Europe's greatest ports.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18At 368 metres long,
0:03:18 > 0:03:21she is 62 metres bigger than London's tallest building,
0:03:21 > 0:03:27The Shard, and can carry up to 14,000 20-foot containers.
0:03:27 > 0:03:31Everything from televisions to cars, chemicals to meat and vegetables,
0:03:31 > 0:03:35can be transported cheaply from the Far East to Europe.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37Captain Wong and his crew
0:03:37 > 0:03:39are in charge of navigating this mammoth ship.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44We are really doing a very good service
0:03:44 > 0:03:45to society, basically.
0:03:45 > 0:03:49Because we shift goods around the world at a cheaper cost.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55Without us seamen, everything would be expensive.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58With vast distances to cover and tight deadlines to be met,
0:03:58 > 0:04:02ships like the Merlion have to run on time,
0:04:02 > 0:04:04or costs can quickly escalate.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07Today, the Merlion is loading up in Hamburg, Germany.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11The freighter is nearing the end of a two-and-a-half-month trade loop,
0:04:11 > 0:04:15which started in Shanghai and will end in Southampton.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18But first, she needs to get through the Channel,
0:04:18 > 0:04:22which poses its own challenges for a ship her size.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24And she can't afford any delays.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28'Time is very precious. Container ships, such a big ship,'
0:04:28 > 0:04:32we cannot get delay on this departure time and time delays.
0:04:32 > 0:04:37So mainly, it's to get in on time and then get out in time.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41The Merlion has just a few hours left to load
0:04:41 > 0:04:43and unload before setting sail again.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46Otherwise, she will miss the critical tide window
0:04:46 > 0:04:47to leave the port.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55At exactly 6pm, the ship casts off,
0:04:55 > 0:04:59and, with over 79,000 metric tons of goods on board,
0:04:59 > 0:05:01is ready to make her way through the English Channel
0:05:01 > 0:05:03and on to Southampton.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08Hamburg poses special problems for a ship like this,
0:05:08 > 0:05:10which could be catastrophic...
0:05:11 > 0:05:14Being able to pass under the two-and-a-half-mile
0:05:14 > 0:05:16Kohlbrand bridge.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20If the tide is too high, the ship will hit the bridge.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25Too low, and it will run aground, blocking the harbour
0:05:25 > 0:05:26and closing the port to other shipping.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32With around 20 ships docking in Hamburg each day,
0:05:32 > 0:05:34the cost would run into millions.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39There is only a 30-minute window
0:05:39 > 0:05:41where the water level is just right,
0:05:41 > 0:05:45and even then, the Merlion will only just clear the bridge.
0:05:47 > 0:05:52Normally, we get something like one metre below the bridge.
0:05:53 > 0:05:58So... And the tidal streams do come up very fast. Very fast.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02The height of the sea water in relation to this bridge
0:06:02 > 0:06:04is so critical to this type of shipping
0:06:04 > 0:06:08that it carries a digital readout that is constantly updated.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13We cannot afford error.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16Because if you have an error, you knock down the bridge
0:06:16 > 0:06:18or the ship mast will fall off.
0:06:18 > 0:06:20Or the other way round, the ship will ground
0:06:20 > 0:06:22and you will just block up the whole Channel.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24And cost incurs,
0:06:24 > 0:06:28and the other traffic coming into port will be all delayed.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40The Merlion makes it under the bridge
0:06:40 > 0:06:42with just six metres to spare.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48Having left Hamburg, the freighter travels through the night.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52Early the next morning, she's about to enter the Dover Straits.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54- VOICE OVER RADIO: - 'Take care, Merlion.'
0:06:54 > 0:06:56But thick fog is settling in over the Channel.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59Yeah, good evening to you, sir. Erm, we've just come...
0:06:59 > 0:07:03To help navigate the Merlion through the Channel's tricky waters,
0:07:03 > 0:07:05a specialist UK pilot has been brought on board
0:07:05 > 0:07:07to advise the captain.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11Tony Tibbot has been sailing through these waters for 35 years.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16'What is your present visibility?'
0:07:16 > 0:07:17Yeah, about ten minutes ago,
0:07:17 > 0:07:20we had one and a half miles at the foxtrot three.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23Hundreds of vessels a day squeeze through the Dover Straits,
0:07:23 > 0:07:27which at their narrowest point are just 18.8 miles across.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30We have the Coastguard listening, one-six...
0:07:30 > 0:07:34In the 1960s, roughly half of all shipping collisions in the world
0:07:34 > 0:07:36occurred in the Channel,
0:07:36 > 0:07:40so since 1971, a compulsory traffic separation scheme
0:07:40 > 0:07:44has been in place here, dividing it into two lanes.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46The Coastguard keeps a watchful eye
0:07:46 > 0:07:48to make sure no-one breaks the rules.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55Tony has first-hand experience
0:07:55 > 0:07:58of the many potential hazards of this stretch.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00The weather can change very quickly.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02You only have to look out of the window at the moment
0:08:02 > 0:08:05to see we've gone into dense fog.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08You've got fishing boats, you have swimmers,
0:08:08 > 0:08:13you have ferries, you have rowing boats, you've got recreation vessels.
0:08:13 > 0:08:14It's busy.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16Very much like a highway.
0:08:16 > 0:08:20Except it's a highway where you have tides and currents.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23To help negotiate the busy traffic,
0:08:23 > 0:08:27the Merlion is equipped with AIS or Automatic Identification System,
0:08:27 > 0:08:30which identifies other craft in the area,
0:08:30 > 0:08:33and tracks their course, position and speed.
0:08:33 > 0:08:38It's compulsory for all passenger ships and any vessels over 300 tons.
0:08:38 > 0:08:43But many smaller boats don't have AIS - a major problem in thick fog.
0:08:44 > 0:08:48I'm monitoring to see if I can pick up anything that may be
0:08:48 > 0:08:54a small target, a recreational craft which may not have an AIS.
0:08:54 > 0:08:58And that's the concern. Even in weather like this, people will sail.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01You've got to remember it's a computer.
0:09:01 > 0:09:02Sometimes the computer says no.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05But on a day like today, it's invaluable.
0:09:07 > 0:09:12It's all to do with safety and keeping the ship well-afloat.
0:09:12 > 0:09:17Heavily loaded cargo ships like the Merlion sit low in the water.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20The Dover Straits has a number of sand banks
0:09:20 > 0:09:22which Tony must avoid or risk the ship running aground.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27You can get a build-up of ships here.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30And you can end up going quite close to the falls,
0:09:30 > 0:09:33and you can see that the depths are clearly shown.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37Anything less than 15 metres shows in white, bold if you like,
0:09:37 > 0:09:40and the safety contour is the 20-metre contour.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45While Tony must carefully navigate the Merlion
0:09:45 > 0:09:46through the Channel's hazards,
0:09:46 > 0:09:51she's also on a strict deadline to reach her final destination -
0:09:51 > 0:09:53the port of Southampton.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55One of the UK's busiest ports,
0:09:55 > 0:09:59it not only handles almost 40 million tons of freight,
0:09:59 > 0:10:03but 1.7 million cruise passengers also pass through here every year.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08And every time one of these floating palaces docks,
0:10:08 > 0:10:11it's worth 1.25 million to the local economy.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15MSC Opera. VTS, one cable.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19Keeping all of these giant vessels flowing smoothly in and out
0:10:19 > 0:10:22of the port is Southampton's Vessel Traffic Service.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26- '0-1-4. Chip in as well.'- Yeah, that's no problem at all, Barry.
0:10:26 > 0:10:27That's no problem.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30The watch tower never sleeps.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34We're here 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days of the year.
0:10:34 > 0:10:35Not personally myself,
0:10:35 > 0:10:39but the whole team of us. There's about 20 of us in total.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42We keep the port safe, bring them in, get them out.
0:10:43 > 0:10:47It's 5am and duty watch manager Nathan Rowsell
0:10:47 > 0:10:50is preparing for a hectic day ahead.
0:10:50 > 0:10:55We have four cruise ships. The MSC Opera - first one leading in.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57She should be up here for about six o'clock at dock head.
0:10:57 > 0:11:02Followed by the Arcadia, followed by the Oriana then the Adonia.
0:11:02 > 0:11:03And that is in turn followed by a car carrier
0:11:03 > 0:11:05and then a very large container vessel.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07So it's pretty busy this morning.
0:11:09 > 0:11:13You can't float a ship that weighs 39,000 tons up the Channel
0:11:13 > 0:11:14and park it in the dock.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18With a unique tidal regime,
0:11:18 > 0:11:21sandbanks and hundreds of pleasure boats to contend with,
0:11:21 > 0:11:22it's a tricky business.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28Southampton Vessel Traffic Service provides its own pilots
0:11:28 > 0:11:31to help captains get their ships parked up.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34Jim Russell has over 15 years' experience
0:11:34 > 0:11:36navigating this stretch of the Channel.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39A pilot knows the waters.
0:11:39 > 0:11:44It's a little bit unfair for a captain to come into foreign waters
0:11:44 > 0:11:46with lots of hazards
0:11:46 > 0:11:48and lots of other shipping
0:11:48 > 0:11:51and to take his ship to the docks.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53We all know where the hazards are.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56We're here for a safety element, to reduce that risk.
0:11:59 > 0:12:03Jim is heading our to get on board the MSC Opera cruise ship,
0:12:03 > 0:12:06ten miles out to sea.
0:12:06 > 0:12:07She is carrying passengers
0:12:07 > 0:12:10travelling from Spain, Portugal, France and Guernsey.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14Back at base, a regimented approach
0:12:14 > 0:12:16is required to park these gigantic vessels.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21At countdown, and for yourself on 14, please.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24They're brought up in the order they're coming up to the berths.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27So the MSC Opera, for example, she's going furthest up into the docks,
0:12:27 > 0:12:30so she'll be boat number one and come up head of the convoy.
0:12:31 > 0:12:32They're all on time this morning,
0:12:32 > 0:12:37but it only takes one ship to have a delay of five, ten minutes
0:12:37 > 0:12:40and that can throw the whole plan adrift by an hour or two hours.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43It really is a... It's a juggling act, really.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46It's not just, "There it is. That's set in stone."
0:12:46 > 0:12:48It's constantly changing.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50- '14.'- I thank you.
0:12:51 > 0:12:53It has to work.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56We are running one of Britain's largest ports,
0:12:56 > 0:12:59with some pretty premier ships coming in.
0:12:59 > 0:13:03You know, it's not just a walk in the park, it's...
0:13:03 > 0:13:05It's good fun, but it's hard work.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07Arcadia, VTS, five cables.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13Just beyond Southampton's harbour,
0:13:13 > 0:13:17the massive, 2,400-capacity cruise ship MSC Opera
0:13:17 > 0:13:19awaits expert pilot, Jim.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23You're there giving advice to the captain.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26We've both got a vested interest to get the ship into port
0:13:26 > 0:13:28in a safe manner.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31Some jobs are more routine than others, so there's always pressure.
0:13:31 > 0:13:32But that's part of the job.
0:13:35 > 0:13:36What could potentially go wrong?
0:13:36 > 0:13:39Well, it's probably best not to think about what can go wrong.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41Hello. Morning. Hello.
0:13:44 > 0:13:48I'm not expecting any untoward issues today.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51Hopefully a nice routine passage in through the Solent.
0:13:53 > 0:13:57Jim enters the bridge to help bring this giant into dock.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01Getting a ship like this in smoothly
0:14:01 > 0:14:05requires many different skilled staff working together.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10While the on-board crew get the MSC Opera ready to tie on,
0:14:10 > 0:14:14the dockside team are in position to help bring her in safely.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18Berthing officer Brian Butcher has been dockside for 12 years,
0:14:18 > 0:14:21parking up almost 3,000 cruise liners.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25I will just be giving guidance as the ship gets into position
0:14:25 > 0:14:30as we have to insure that the air bridges are in the right positions,
0:14:30 > 0:14:32and also store doors and baggage doors are clear of any
0:14:32 > 0:14:34of the bollards and obstructions.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39Manoeuvring such a large amount of metal takes time
0:14:39 > 0:14:42- and a lot of communication. - Opera 100.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45Possibly 40 metres to come ahead now. Four zero.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47'Coming ahead. Thank you.'
0:14:47 > 0:14:49The final metres are critical.
0:14:49 > 0:14:50Crashing into the quayside
0:14:50 > 0:14:54could cause untold damage to the multi-million-pound ship.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57And that's 30 to go. Three zero metres now.
0:14:58 > 0:14:59'30, thank you.'
0:14:59 > 0:15:02The pilot will we giving the master advice all the way in.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06And ten to come ahead. Ten metres now.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08'Ten.'
0:15:09 > 0:15:12Creep in the stern slowly now. Just under a metre to go.
0:15:14 > 0:15:18- 'Stern under a metre.' - And just coming into position.
0:15:18 > 0:15:19'Position. Thank you.'
0:15:22 > 0:15:24All right. That's a successful positioning.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29All that remains now is for the ship-to-shore walkway
0:15:29 > 0:15:33to be put in place so its 1,700 passengers can disembark.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39It'll be bustling within the city. Good trade for the locals.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42When we get lots of cruise ships in, it's very good.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50But it's not just colossal cargo ships and cruise liners
0:15:50 > 0:15:54who must carefully navigate their way round the Channel's hazards.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57During the summer and early autumn,
0:15:57 > 0:16:01there is also human traffic crossing through its waters.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04Tiny lone swimmers, battling to make their way to France.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08Fewer people have successfully swum the Channel
0:16:08 > 0:16:13than have conquered Everest, and eight have died trying.
0:16:13 > 0:16:15This can truly be classed as an extreme sport,
0:16:15 > 0:16:16and it's one of man's greatest
0:16:16 > 0:16:19physical and mental challenges.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23But this team, who are training in a lake near London,
0:16:23 > 0:16:27are not just attempting to swim from Dover to France,
0:16:27 > 0:16:30they're also planning on swimming back.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33We've swum the Channel, all of us. It was hard.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35This is going to be twice that.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38The round trip is a minimum of 52 nautical miles
0:16:38 > 0:16:41and will take up to 30 hours to complete.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44Endurance, dealing with hypothermia, the cold,
0:16:44 > 0:16:47mental exhaustion and physical exhaustion and, of course,
0:16:47 > 0:16:49the fact that we can't sleep.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52Those are the things that are going to get us.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56Whether we've bitten something bigger than we can chew, I don't know.
0:16:56 > 0:17:00But you have one single thing in your mind, focused, and that is France.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02To get there.
0:17:02 > 0:17:03The team is raising money
0:17:03 > 0:17:06for a charity that's close to Dr Habibi's heart.
0:17:06 > 0:17:11The Children Of St Mary's Intensive Care, or COSMIC for short.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14Intensive care is very expensive so COSMIC supports the unit,
0:17:14 > 0:17:16provides funding for research and education
0:17:16 > 0:17:19and supports the families of critically ill children.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23The team, called the Cosmic Rays, hopes to raise £50,000.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28And with them on the day, spreading news of their progress
0:17:28 > 0:17:33via social media, will be 17-year-old Patrick Kane,
0:17:33 > 0:17:35a former patient of Dr Habibi's unit.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38Parviz said, "What about this?
0:17:38 > 0:17:40"I'm swimming the Channel there and back this summer.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42"We need someone to be on the boat,
0:17:42 > 0:17:45to be a media rep." And he said, "Would you want to do it?" So...
0:17:45 > 0:17:47The answer was, of course, yes.
0:17:47 > 0:17:51As a nine-month-old baby, Patrick had suffered multi-organ failure
0:17:51 > 0:17:54and spent three months in St Mary's.
0:17:54 > 0:17:56I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for COSMIC.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00So it means a huge amount to me and I feel very indebted to it
0:18:00 > 0:18:03and anything I can do to help, I always will.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05Because of persistent bad weather on the Channel,
0:18:05 > 0:18:09the team's attempt has been delayed by five weeks.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12But today, despite the heavy fog, the challenge is going ahead.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17- Is the tide coming in or out at the moment?- Don't you worry about that.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19That's my job. Your job's swimming, all right?
0:18:19 > 0:18:20THEY LAUGH
0:18:20 > 0:18:24Lisa, Paul and Rob will join Dr Habibi to make up a team of four,
0:18:24 > 0:18:28and the Cosmic Rays will swim the Channel as a relay,
0:18:28 > 0:18:31each swimming for an hour before changing over.
0:18:31 > 0:18:35Well, I said I wouldn't believe it until we start. And we've started.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40Lisa is the first to swim from the start beach
0:18:40 > 0:18:42along from Dover Harbour.
0:18:43 > 0:18:44My first fear is
0:18:44 > 0:18:46actually how cold it is.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48But it's never as cold as you think it is.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52Nevertheless, the sea temperature today is just 15 degrees,
0:18:52 > 0:18:55half that of an average swimming pool.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57It's a new hat.
0:18:57 > 0:19:01Quite nervous, but... Once I get in, I know that I'll be fine.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06KLAXON
0:19:06 > 0:19:09Hooray! The Cosmic Rays are coming!
0:19:09 > 0:19:14Well, the long wait is over. Finally. This is amazing. I now believe it.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16It's happening.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19As the team's strongest swimmer, Lisa is selected to go first,
0:19:19 > 0:19:23to push out against the strong tidal currents that exist
0:19:23 > 0:19:28around the Dover beach and get the team out into the English Channel.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30She's swum well over 200 metres already.
0:19:32 > 0:19:36But as Lisa gets further out to sea, the fog starts to thicken.
0:19:37 > 0:19:41Dover Coastguard, Dover Coastguard, this is Sea Satin. Sea Satin. Over.
0:19:41 > 0:19:42'Sea Satin. Dover.'
0:19:42 > 0:19:45The success of this swim depends on expert knowledge
0:19:45 > 0:19:47of the Channel's complex tidal currents.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51'Roger. What's your present visibility like there?'
0:19:51 > 0:19:53It was around about a mile when we started,
0:19:53 > 0:19:56but it seems to have closed in a little bit now.
0:19:57 > 0:20:02Pilot Lance Oram has spent 20 years guiding swimmers safely to France.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06We're just keeping an eye out, mainly on the radar, to make sure that
0:20:06 > 0:20:10obviously there's no vessels around us that are going to be a problem.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14It's normally the small yachts and smaller motor cruisers
0:20:14 > 0:20:17and things like that that are a little bit more difficult to see.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21But hopefully, the sun will come out and it will burn all the mist off
0:20:21 > 0:20:24and it will be a lovely day and it will make everything wonderful.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27But as Paul prepares to take over from Lisa,
0:20:27 > 0:20:29the fog shows no sign of lifting.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31Yeah, second swimmer in today.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34Feel a little nervous as it's the first swim of the day.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37Lisa's been chucking along quite speedily.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40She's a good swimmer. I'm slightly slower than her,
0:20:40 > 0:20:42so hopefully I can just keep up the same pace,
0:20:42 > 0:20:44but, yeah, just looking forward to getting on with it, really.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48- Best of luck, Paul.- Good luck, Paul.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51For the swim to qualify as being recognised by one of the official
0:20:51 > 0:20:55Channel swimming organisations, strict rules have to be met.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57KLAXON Go, go, go, go, go!
0:20:58 > 0:21:02The swimmer entering the water must swim behind the previous swimmer.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06He's gone round the back of you. He's gone round the back, don't worry.
0:21:06 > 0:21:11- Then the signal is given to start the next leg.- OK, swimmer aboard!
0:21:11 > 0:21:15- Did you enjoy that?- Yeah. Refreshing!- Well done.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17It's so misty, you can't see how far you've come.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21Whereas normally, you're like, "I've gone nowhere."
0:21:21 > 0:21:23Channel swimming observer Mike Ball
0:21:23 > 0:21:26is also on hand to make sure the swim goes safely.
0:21:27 > 0:21:32I think the visibility at the moment is probably...half a mile?
0:21:33 > 0:21:34It's OK at the moment.
0:21:34 > 0:21:38We are still within the inshore waters of the United Kingdom,
0:21:38 > 0:21:42but when we start going into the shipping lane,
0:21:42 > 0:21:44that's when we have to be very, very cautious.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48The shipping lanes are like a two-way tanker super-highway.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50And in order to reach France,
0:21:50 > 0:21:53the swimmers will have to cut straight across the middle of them.
0:21:55 > 0:21:59It's like escorting a pram across the motorway. Er...
0:21:59 > 0:22:02We're going across at something like 1.8 knots,
0:22:02 > 0:22:05and once we get into the shipping lane,
0:22:05 > 0:22:09we could well have a ship coming towards us at 22 knots.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12So it's imperative that when you've got situations like this
0:22:12 > 0:22:17and visibility is very minimal, that's when we have to be relying
0:22:17 > 0:22:22on our radar and what the Coastguard is seeing for us.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25As well as restricting the visibility for other shipping,
0:22:25 > 0:22:27the fog is causing problems for the swimmers.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31Weird with the fog, because you can't actually see land,
0:22:31 > 0:22:34whereas normally, you're used to seeing...land still there.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37- I did your track. You've done about two miles.- OK.
0:22:37 > 0:22:42The tide is still coming in, so that was not a bad effort at all.
0:22:42 > 0:22:43We've made good progress.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45Rob is a last-minute addition to the team
0:22:45 > 0:22:48after another swimmer had to pull out.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51I wasn't intending to be doing this, this time last week.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53And I received the call,
0:22:53 > 0:22:54to which I thought, "No."
0:22:56 > 0:22:59And as the week grew on, I sort of considered it more and more.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02And then I knew that these guys really needed someone, so...
0:23:02 > 0:23:05I implied I might be available, to which Lisa replied,
0:23:05 > 0:23:07"What about Friday?"
0:23:07 > 0:23:11- OK, Rob.- When you're ready, Rob. - Cheers. Thank you.- Enjoy!
0:23:11 > 0:23:14Rob has the most recent experience of swimming the Channel,
0:23:14 > 0:23:18having completed a solo swim two weeks previously.
0:23:19 > 0:23:21As he changes over with Paul,
0:23:21 > 0:23:25he wastes no time in picking up the pace.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27Rob came very highly recommended, and as you can see,
0:23:27 > 0:23:29he's actually a very strong swimmer.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31So I'm very pleased with that.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34He's the third leg. We're making good progress.
0:23:34 > 0:23:36It's a bit rougher now, and it's going to get rougher still.
0:23:39 > 0:23:40I'm next!
0:23:45 > 0:23:47'Sea Satin. Dover.'
0:23:47 > 0:23:49Good morning again to you, sir. It's information.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52- We're about to enter the south-west lane.- 'Roger. Many thanks.'
0:23:52 > 0:23:53Thank you, Tower.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55With visibility still poor
0:23:55 > 0:23:58and the prospect of navigating the busy shipping lane,
0:23:58 > 0:24:01Dr Habibi gets ready for his leg of the relay.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03KLAXON
0:24:03 > 0:24:05Rob has made excellent progress
0:24:05 > 0:24:08and the team are now over six miles out into the Channel.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10That just covered a lot of ground.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13- You just swam us into the lane, anyway.- Did I?- Yeah.- Good.
0:24:15 > 0:24:20As the team gets further out to sea, conditions become choppier.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22- Bit more rocky now, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:24:22 > 0:24:27You know, change over you and me - definitely seemed to pick up a bit.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30One of the biggest threats to a relay team is seasickness
0:24:30 > 0:24:34as team members wait the three hours for their turn to swim.
0:24:35 > 0:24:36I noticed that just before I got in,
0:24:36 > 0:24:38I started to feel more queasy on the boat,
0:24:38 > 0:24:40and that's generally a good indicator
0:24:40 > 0:24:42- of what the conditions are. - Yeah, definitely.
0:24:44 > 0:24:49The biggest risk is actually how well the team cope with being at sea,
0:24:49 > 0:24:52because obviously, if people start to feel seasick,
0:24:52 > 0:24:55they feel a bit rough around the edges, obviously,
0:24:55 > 0:24:56and then they don't eat properly.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59They don't get the energy into their system that they would need
0:24:59 > 0:25:02for their hour in the water to swim efficiently.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06When we're out on a boat at the speed that we're travelling at,
0:25:06 > 0:25:09and where we are in the English Channel, there's no set wave pattern.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12Because we've got the shipping coming down,
0:25:12 > 0:25:13south-westerly in the English lane,
0:25:13 > 0:25:16going up the shipping lane north-east in the French side,
0:25:16 > 0:25:19and then cross-Channel ferries going back and forwards,
0:25:19 > 0:25:20obviously, you get all the wash.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22So it's like an oscillating motion
0:25:22 > 0:25:24that is always different all the time, so...
0:25:24 > 0:25:27For some people, yeah, that is not a nice feeling at all.
0:25:27 > 0:25:31- 23 hours more to go. - Yeah, something like that.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33With the end of Dr Habibi's session,
0:25:33 > 0:25:35each team member has completed an hour...
0:25:35 > 0:25:36We'll see you in an hour.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41- Thanks.- Go!- ..and Lisa takes to the water for her second swim.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44Come on, as quick as you can. Come on.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50- How was it?- Very rough, actually. - Yeah.- Rougher and rougher.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53I was feeling it as well, let alone in the water.
0:25:53 > 0:25:59As the oldest member of the team, Dr Habibi's fitness is tested most.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03- Well done, Parviz. Good session there, mate.- Yeah. I did get cramp.
0:26:03 > 0:26:04Yeah.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11The fog remains persistent
0:26:11 > 0:26:15as the Cosmics gradually make their way towards French waters.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19Since completing her second swim,
0:26:19 > 0:26:22Lisa has been hit hard by seasickness.
0:26:22 > 0:26:23SHE COUGHS
0:26:23 > 0:26:26'Just not able to keep any food down.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28'Which isn't great when you know you've got to swim.'
0:26:28 > 0:26:33It's actually, when I get out, I go below to get changed.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36It just doesn't work.
0:26:37 > 0:26:42We're going to have to swim maybe another four, six swims.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45So yeah, going to have to try and get some food in at some point.
0:26:47 > 0:26:51- But, yeah, we'll stick with water for now. - SHE LAUGHS
0:26:51 > 0:26:54And if one swimmer has to pull out, the team will fail.
0:26:56 > 0:27:00On his next swim, Dr Habibi seems also to be suffering.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03I'm trying to ask him if he's got cramp, really.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06There's not much I can do about it, but it would just be nice to know.
0:27:06 > 0:27:11He's either got cramp, been stung by a jellyfish, or he might've...
0:27:11 > 0:27:15I dunno, he might have a muscle injury. We don't know.
0:27:15 > 0:27:19In fact, as the sea swell increased, Dr Habibi had swallowed sea water.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23Now Lisa must press on, despite her seasickness.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27And for Rob, who completed a solo Channel swim
0:27:27 > 0:27:30just two weeks previously,
0:27:30 > 0:27:33the challenges of swimming as part of a relay team
0:27:33 > 0:27:34are starting to have their effect.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38I do actually find it more difficult to get out
0:27:38 > 0:27:42and start again than just to push through.
0:27:42 > 0:27:45Getting out all the time and stiffening up
0:27:45 > 0:27:49and feeling tired, and then you've got to jump back in the water again
0:27:49 > 0:27:51and start off cold and work your way back up.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54So it's more easy to pick up injuries.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57While the swimmers battle sickness and injury,
0:27:57 > 0:28:01experienced pilot Lance must keep a close eye on the radar,
0:28:01 > 0:28:05to guide them through one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world
0:28:05 > 0:28:06in thick fog.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09The tankers are out there, even if the swimmers can't see them.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13The Coastguard keeps him updated on the weather ahead.
0:28:13 > 0:28:17'Reports of three cables or less in the area of the bank.'
0:28:17 > 0:28:19Yeah, that's understood, sir.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21Well, we've just noticed on the radar
0:28:21 > 0:28:24that we've got a ship that's reasonably close to us.
0:28:24 > 0:28:28As you can see, the visibility is pretty limited at the moment,
0:28:28 > 0:28:31so we're just seeing what we can see from our natural eyesight.
0:28:33 > 0:28:35Can't see a thing at the moment.
0:28:35 > 0:28:40- FOGHORN - You can hear the foghorn in the back, and...
0:28:40 > 0:28:43Just giving a warning to other shipping within the area,
0:28:43 > 0:28:46and hopefully they will do the same for us.
0:28:46 > 0:28:49The Cosmic Rays are making steady progress towards France,
0:28:49 > 0:28:53but Lance is continuing to monitor the safety of the attempt.
0:28:53 > 0:28:57If the fog worsens, the whole swim could be called off.
0:29:00 > 0:29:02The Channel is the maritime super-highway,
0:29:02 > 0:29:06bringing us 95% of everything we buy.
0:29:06 > 0:29:08But as the cargo freighters who travel through it
0:29:08 > 0:29:12become ever larger, it becomes increasingly difficult for them
0:29:12 > 0:29:14to avoid other traffic in their path.
0:29:15 > 0:29:19The APL Merlion is making her way carefully through the dense fog.
0:29:21 > 0:29:23Specialist pilot Tony Tibbot
0:29:23 > 0:29:27has been advised of the swimmers' presence by the Coastguard.
0:29:27 > 0:29:29We've come across many things and we've just heard
0:29:29 > 0:29:33that there are four swimmers in the inshore zone on the French side.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35I admire them in many ways,
0:29:35 > 0:29:38but it's something else that we have to consider
0:29:38 > 0:29:41when we transit the strait with a large, large vessel like this one.
0:29:43 > 0:29:46Despite being the size of three Olympic football pitches,
0:29:46 > 0:29:49the Merlion has just 25 crew members on board,
0:29:49 > 0:29:52who spend up to seven months of the year at sea.
0:29:55 > 0:29:58Bad weather continues to follow the Merlion
0:29:58 > 0:30:01as she approaches her final destination of Southampton.
0:30:01 > 0:30:05Two pilots from the harbour's Vessel Traffic Service come on board
0:30:05 > 0:30:09to navigate the ship through the last part of her journey.
0:30:09 > 0:30:11Hello there, Captain.
0:30:11 > 0:30:14The plan was to take the ship all the way into port,
0:30:14 > 0:30:17but the fog which has dogged her journey through the Channel
0:30:17 > 0:30:19is still causing major problems.
0:30:19 > 0:30:23The problem we've got at the moment is poor visibility.
0:30:23 > 0:30:26We're trying to do our best for the captain.
0:30:26 > 0:30:28Get the ship as far as we can.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31We're in constant communication with VTS up in the docks,
0:30:31 > 0:30:35and they're telling us that the visibility's closing in.
0:30:35 > 0:30:36That's a big problem for us.
0:30:36 > 0:30:40So we've made the decision to go into Charlie anchorage.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43That's the designated anchorage for a ship this size,
0:30:43 > 0:30:47and we just wait for the visibility to improve.
0:30:47 > 0:30:50Any delay in the journey will hold up the delivery of goods
0:30:50 > 0:30:52and could cost thousands.
0:30:52 > 0:30:56But with safety the priority, the Merlion's crew have no choice
0:30:56 > 0:30:59but to weigh anchor here, and wait for the fog to clear.
0:31:04 > 0:31:07The Cosmic Rays had almost reached France,
0:31:07 > 0:31:11but although they desperately hoped to reach land during daylight,
0:31:11 > 0:31:14the strong tidal currents have delayed the run in.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17But just over 12 hours from leaving Dover,
0:31:17 > 0:31:21team leader Dr Habibi reaches the rocks of the French beach.
0:31:21 > 0:31:24- Whoo!- Whoo!- Yeah!
0:31:26 > 0:31:28Normally, we can then just chill out,
0:31:28 > 0:31:31have a few drinks on the way back while we motorboat back.
0:31:31 > 0:31:33But we're not. We're going to be swimming back.
0:31:33 > 0:31:36Something that I think is dawning on us all now.
0:31:38 > 0:31:40This is where the challenge really begins.
0:31:40 > 0:31:42- Yeah, I think it is, because it's at night and...- It's cold.
0:31:42 > 0:31:45I wouldn't say this is an anticlimax, but this is just halfway.
0:31:47 > 0:31:52Now the sun has set, the team faces a new challenge - the cold.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55And Rob is finding it hard to warm up after his last swim.
0:31:57 > 0:31:59Rod's sorting me some soup out.
0:31:59 > 0:32:03Get some energy and get some nutrients in me,
0:32:03 > 0:32:06and then I'm intending to actually hit the sack because...
0:32:08 > 0:32:09..I need to.
0:32:09 > 0:32:11Basically.
0:32:11 > 0:32:13As Dr Habibi returns to the boat
0:32:13 > 0:32:17from touching down in France, Lisa must now take over.
0:32:17 > 0:32:19- Good luck.- Good luck. - Good luck, Lise.
0:32:19 > 0:32:23- Thanks.- Enjoy.- Just...day dream. Or night dream.
0:32:23 > 0:32:25'I'm really scared of swimming at night,
0:32:25 > 0:32:28'and that's the piece that I'm really worried about,
0:32:28 > 0:32:30'and I've been working out since yesterday
0:32:30 > 0:32:32'what time I'll be swimming till
0:32:32 > 0:32:34'and what time I'll be swimming at night.'
0:32:34 > 0:32:35On you go.
0:32:38 > 0:32:42Yet Lisa manages to combat her fear of swimming in the sea at night.
0:32:43 > 0:32:45And despite the exhaustion and cold,
0:32:45 > 0:32:49each of the swimmers turns out two one-hour swims
0:32:49 > 0:32:51during the hours of darkness.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54My first night swim was a bit disorientating.
0:32:54 > 0:32:56Came out pretty tired.
0:32:56 > 0:32:57Put my head down for a little bit of kip
0:32:57 > 0:33:00and the next thing you know, the time's flown by, so...
0:33:00 > 0:33:03The second night swim now is not looking that enticing.
0:33:03 > 0:33:07It's pretty dark out here and it's only a ferry I can see.
0:33:07 > 0:33:09Well done. Welcome aboard.
0:33:10 > 0:33:11It's going well.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14Nice cossie. There you go.
0:33:17 > 0:33:19Yeah. No, I'm fine.
0:33:19 > 0:33:23I wasn't feeling up for it when I got in the water, that's for sure!
0:33:23 > 0:33:25Relying again on instruments only,
0:33:25 > 0:33:29the skipper must steer the swimmers back through the busy shipping lane.
0:33:30 > 0:33:33I think we are making good progress. The pilot's pretty happy.
0:33:33 > 0:33:37The observers are pretty happy, so... We'll get across there.
0:33:37 > 0:33:38We'll definitely make it back,
0:33:38 > 0:33:41it just depends how many more swims we've got, I think.
0:33:41 > 0:33:43I'll probably have to do one more after this and...
0:33:43 > 0:33:44Possibly two more, who knows?
0:33:44 > 0:33:46But at least it will be daylight by then,
0:33:46 > 0:33:48so it will be a bit more pleasant. The sun will be up.
0:33:48 > 0:33:52Channel swimming is as much a mental as a physical challenge,
0:33:52 > 0:33:55so remaining positive will be vital to the team's success.
0:33:55 > 0:33:57But they still have a long way to go.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04Cargo freighter the Merlion is also hoping to soon complete
0:34:04 > 0:34:05its journey through the Channel.
0:34:07 > 0:34:11The ship's on a tight turnaround to unload and reload its cargo
0:34:11 > 0:34:15as she needs to head back out to sea and on to her next destination.
0:34:16 > 0:34:19But thick fog has so far made it too hazardous for the ship
0:34:19 > 0:34:21to come into harbour at Southampton.
0:34:24 > 0:34:27We want to get it up as quick as possible. She's lost 12 hours,
0:34:27 > 0:34:28best part of, because of the fog.
0:34:28 > 0:34:30But the terminal want to get it turned round,
0:34:30 > 0:34:34the shipping line want it to get in, get out and get back on schedule.
0:34:34 > 0:34:36So we're trying to move it as fast as we can.
0:34:38 > 0:34:40The ship is finally given the all-clear.
0:34:40 > 0:34:42Captain Wong is being assisted
0:34:42 > 0:34:44by two new pilots from Southampton Harbour
0:34:44 > 0:34:47to guide the ship through the last part of her journey.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52The Merlion has so far negotiated her way safely through
0:34:52 > 0:34:53the Channel's hazards.
0:34:55 > 0:34:59But as she starts her approach to Southampton, it's soon clear
0:34:59 > 0:35:02why this monster ship wasn't allowed into port in thick fog.
0:35:05 > 0:35:09You have the biggest turn under pilotage in the world,
0:35:09 > 0:35:12which puts the ship across the tide at its most vulnerable.
0:35:12 > 0:35:14You have to know where the ship has got to be positioned
0:35:14 > 0:35:17throughout that turn, um...
0:35:17 > 0:35:20Cos it can get...wrong very quickly.
0:35:20 > 0:35:22The geography of the Solent
0:35:22 > 0:35:24means ships have to make a sharp right-hand turn
0:35:24 > 0:35:26to get up the Channel into port.
0:35:29 > 0:35:33With a freighter as big as the Merlion, it's no mean feat.
0:35:33 > 0:35:36300-odd metres against the tide, it's going to go sideways
0:35:36 > 0:35:38and you've just got to try and control that sideways movement
0:35:38 > 0:35:43from...being pushed onto things that you don't want to be pushed onto.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45The Merlion is safely through the turn.
0:35:45 > 0:35:48The bridge team now have to carefully navigate
0:35:48 > 0:35:50an area of shallow waters.
0:35:50 > 0:35:52On that side of that buoy, there's no water for us.
0:35:52 > 0:35:56There's about six, seven metres of water. Our draft is 12 and a half.
0:35:56 > 0:35:57We will go aground.
0:35:57 > 0:36:00Coming into port at midday has meant the Solent is bustling
0:36:00 > 0:36:02with hundreds of other craft.
0:36:02 > 0:36:07And as the Merlion takes almost 4,000 metres to come to a stop,
0:36:07 > 0:36:11the pilot and captain must keep a careful eye on the busy traffic.
0:36:11 > 0:36:16Right in front of my ship's bow. They never assume that in case...
0:36:16 > 0:36:19their motor fails, or what, then you'll be in our way.
0:36:19 > 0:36:22So I think it's not a very safe activity.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26Hopefully they keep clear of us as we get closer.
0:36:32 > 0:36:36This part of the Solent is very popular with pleasure boats.
0:36:36 > 0:36:40The spatial awareness of your average yachtsman is not what it could be.
0:36:40 > 0:36:43You can actually buy a yacht with no qualifications and disappear off.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47It's the same idea as if you buy a car without a driving licence
0:36:47 > 0:36:48and disappear onto the roads.
0:36:48 > 0:36:50You wouldn't think twice about doing that.
0:36:50 > 0:36:51You just would not do it.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55So they don't appreciate how fast these things are going.
0:36:55 > 0:36:58They suddenly turn and put themselves right in danger.
0:36:58 > 0:36:59Where we don't want them to be.
0:37:01 > 0:37:03It gets a bit fraught on occasion.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08The harbour's Special Patrol Launch
0:37:08 > 0:37:12is on hand to help keep other traffic out of the Merlion's path.
0:37:12 > 0:37:13ASP Merlion.
0:37:14 > 0:37:16'Roger that, ASP.'
0:37:16 > 0:37:18Some days you've got the SP darting all over the place,
0:37:18 > 0:37:20getting yachts out the way because
0:37:20 > 0:37:24they just aren't paying attention to where they are.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27With so much to contend with, it's hardly surprising
0:37:27 > 0:37:29that Southampton Port requires all large ships
0:37:29 > 0:37:31to have its harbour pilots on board.
0:37:33 > 0:37:37It is compulsory for any ship over 61 metres in length.
0:37:37 > 0:37:40But the captain of the ship is not obliged to listen to anything
0:37:40 > 0:37:43the pilot has to say. He can come and do his own thing.
0:37:43 > 0:37:46But if it all goes wrong, the captain's in a whole heap of trouble.
0:37:47 > 0:37:51The Merlion is now approaching her berth, and for the pilots on board,
0:37:51 > 0:37:54it's one of the most difficult challenges of the whole journey.
0:37:58 > 0:38:02As freighters like this become ever larger and longer,
0:38:02 > 0:38:03it's going to be a tight squeeze.
0:38:04 > 0:38:07The Channel is only 200 metres in width. We're 50.
0:38:07 > 0:38:10We've already taken up a quarter of that channel already.
0:38:10 > 0:38:11Ain't a lot of room for error.
0:38:14 > 0:38:16Dead slow astern.
0:38:16 > 0:38:20Plan is to get the ship alongside those three gantry cranes.
0:38:20 > 0:38:22So we've got to get the ship turned round
0:38:22 > 0:38:26so it's parallel to the line of the berth, and put it alongside.
0:38:28 > 0:38:30In a very confined space.
0:38:30 > 0:38:34The pilots will have to perform what is effectively a handbrake turn
0:38:34 > 0:38:36to get this huge ship into the berth.
0:38:37 > 0:38:39We're going to keep going.
0:38:39 > 0:38:43Keep going towards that concrete wall as long as we can.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45It's a game of holding your nerve.
0:38:50 > 0:38:51Hard to starboard.
0:38:51 > 0:38:53Hard to starboard!
0:38:53 > 0:38:56Three tugboats are needed to manoeuvre
0:38:56 > 0:38:58this 150,000-ton giant round.
0:39:09 > 0:39:10Stop on the third bead.
0:39:11 > 0:39:15That's the turn complete. As you can see, we're parallel to the quay.
0:39:15 > 0:39:17Perfectly positioned. Coming in nicely.
0:39:17 > 0:39:20- Got the two tugs pushing... - 'Pushing now.'
0:39:23 > 0:39:27A delicate touch is needed to bring the Merlion slowly alongside.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29'Down to five metres.'
0:39:29 > 0:39:30With a ship this size,
0:39:30 > 0:39:34even a small knock could put the whole berth out of action.
0:39:41 > 0:39:43'Yeah, that's a good position now. In position.'
0:39:43 > 0:39:44He's happy with the position.
0:39:45 > 0:39:49Everything went on smoothly. The pilots have done a good job.
0:39:49 > 0:39:52At the same time, the ship is now safely alongside.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54Fairly standard manoeuvre.
0:39:54 > 0:39:56INTERVIEWER: Good job, well done?
0:39:56 > 0:39:58- I'd like to say so.- Yeah?
0:40:04 > 0:40:06For another group of travellers on the Channel,
0:40:06 > 0:40:10there's still a little way to go before they reach safety.
0:40:10 > 0:40:11Well done, sir. Brilliant.
0:40:11 > 0:40:15The Cosmic Rays team has swum through an entire day and night
0:40:15 > 0:40:18in their epic attempt to join the handful of people
0:40:18 > 0:40:21who have succeeded in swimming to France and back again.
0:40:22 > 0:40:25As dawn breaks, the mist takes over again.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28But although they can't see land, the swimmers are nearly home.
0:40:28 > 0:40:30Apparently, we're three miles away
0:40:30 > 0:40:32from where we started.
0:40:32 > 0:40:36Shakespeare Beach, which is all down to a fantastic pilot.
0:40:36 > 0:40:38So that's where our landing position is going to be.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41I don't think I'm going to make it, though, to land,
0:40:41 > 0:40:43because it's too far for me to swim in an hour.
0:40:43 > 0:40:45So I'll do my best.
0:40:52 > 0:40:56They've done really well. Yeah, it's a good swim.
0:40:56 > 0:41:00They've been pretty consistent in their speeds et cetera.
0:41:00 > 0:41:03No-one's dropped out yet or had any really problems. So...
0:41:03 > 0:41:05No, it's going to be a good finish.
0:41:05 > 0:41:08- Come on, then, Lisa. - Swim number seven!
0:41:08 > 0:41:09Just one mile from shore,
0:41:09 > 0:41:13Lisa takes to the water for what will be the last time.
0:41:13 > 0:41:17Enjoy, and we'll see you in an hour's time! Yeah!
0:41:19 > 0:41:22Here we go. We've gone on this far. We left in fog.
0:41:22 > 0:41:24We're arriving in fog!
0:41:31 > 0:41:34- You're looking invigorated! - HE LAUGHS
0:41:35 > 0:41:39In the wheelhouse, the S shape of the route the swimmers have taken
0:41:39 > 0:41:44to compensate for currents and tides is plotted on Lance's screen.
0:41:44 > 0:41:46It's been a really good track, I think.
0:41:46 > 0:41:48We're just coming up to the 25th hour now.
0:41:48 > 0:41:52As they do so, the coast of England comes into sight.
0:41:53 > 0:41:55We're just 500 metres off the shoreline now,
0:41:55 > 0:42:00coming in towards the...Shakespeare Cliff.
0:42:00 > 0:42:02Which is just down the road from Dover Harbour,
0:42:02 > 0:42:05so we're not far from where we started. Which is quite nice.
0:42:12 > 0:42:15The journey back's been really tough. We've been very cold.
0:42:15 > 0:42:17I'm still recovering from my swim.
0:42:18 > 0:42:22As the cliffs become closer, so does Dr Habibi's target
0:42:22 > 0:42:27of raising £50,000 for the children of St Mary's Hospital.
0:42:27 > 0:42:28We're nearly there, I think.
0:42:28 > 0:42:31The last time I looked at it, it was, like, 46,000.
0:42:31 > 0:42:35So this is a phenomenal achievement and I'm very pleased
0:42:35 > 0:42:38with the way the swim's gone and the charity donations have gone.
0:42:40 > 0:42:45In just over 26 hours, the team have swum to France and back again.
0:42:46 > 0:42:49Three cheers for Cosmic Rays. Hip, hip!
0:42:49 > 0:42:52- ALL:- Hooray!- Hip, hip!- Hooray.
0:42:52 > 0:42:54- Hip, hip!- Hooray!
0:42:55 > 0:42:59With their journey complete, the team can finally relax.
0:43:02 > 0:43:05But tomorrow, hundreds more swimmers, sailors
0:43:05 > 0:43:07and professional seafarers
0:43:07 > 0:43:10will venture onto the Channel's unpredictable waters.