It isn't often you get a second shot at a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
That was perhaps among the thoughts filling David Barnes' mind as he walked into the English Channel's opaque water Aug. 26 to begin his swim to France. Brother Barnes, 37, was no stranger to these inky, frigid waves. About a year ago, he and his younger brother Richard attempted a swim across the storied channel. Richard was successful. David was not. (See Nov. 5, 2005, Church News, page 12.)
Battling sea sickness and the shock of the icy cold, David was forced to abandon his maiden attempt hours into his crossing. "It was very discouraging," said David at the time.
Still, the emergency room physician was happy for Richard — and satisfied he'd given his all. The two brothers returned to their Utah homes and used the lessons learned in the English Channel at numerous youth firesides to teach gospel lessons such as tenacity and working toward Christ-centered goals.
Still, David wasn't content. Soon he was back in the water.
"I just felt like I had unfinished business," said David. His wife, Heather, encouraged him to schedule a second crossing, knowing well the time and money that would be exacted by a second shot at the English Channel.
David started by altering his training regimen. He needed to be better conditioned for the channel's chilly waters, so he made three trips to San Francisco Bay for cold water training. "I was much better prepared for the cold this time," he said.
He began his second attempt just after midnight, again pushing off from the English coast. Richard and Heather were both on the support boat that would escort David throughout the crossing. Twenty-two miles separate the English and French coasts, as the crow files. Yet strong currents and tide shifts force swimmers to blaze a rolling, serpentine path. For the crossing to be deemed official, David would have to swim across the English Channel without making physical contact with his supply boat.
"When I started it was completely black, there was no moon at all," he said. His immediate goal was to simply keep swimming until dawn. He was buoyed by the first rays of sun hours into his swim. Brother Richard offered additional support, jumping into the water late in the crossing to crawl for an hour or two alongside David. "It was nice to have him there — Richard set a blistering pace."
David's second attempted crossing was not free of hazards. At one point he swam headlong into jellyfish, resulting in painful stings. The aches diminished with the welcome sight of the French coastline.
His mother and other relatives were waiting for him as his feet finally found French soil 14 hours and 1 minute after leaving England. "Physically I felt pretty good, then I realized how exhausted I was."
David said he's happy to be a "retired" English Channel crosser. He has no interest in a third attempt. Still, he's excited to again share with others what he has learned. Lofty goals aren't always immediately realized. Some may never be accomplished — but persistence can be its own reward.
E-mail to: jswensen@desnews.com
