Dentist completes tough swimming challenge from Northern Ireland to Scotland

A trio of brave swimmers are celebrating after they completed a gruelling swim from Northern Ireland to Scotland.

BioHorizons Camlog speaker and course lecturer, David Murnaghan from Boyne Dental & Implant Clinic, Blair Clinton of Chekhov’s Cafe and joiner Stephen Murray from Belfast took part in the ‘Couch to Channel’ challenge swimming from Donaghadee to Dunskey Castle close in Portpatrick covering a 34.5km in just over 13 hours.

With training beginning last September, the three courageous friends became the fourth ever three-person relay team to complete the difficult challenge to Scotland. The friends prepared by starting on the beach and spending time standing in the cold water so their bodies could become accustomed to the bitter temperatures.

“It is pretty tough on the body just from a hyperthermia point of view.” explained David. “With Covid, it meant there were no swimming pools to train in which made it more difficult. We were doing land training and that is where the ice baths and cold showers came in.”

The North Channel is deemed one of the toughest in the world owing to the distance, low temperatures and jellyfish. “When we started the challenge on Tuesday, each of us swam for an hour and then rested for two hours. At one stage the team told me there were dolphins swimming with me but it was so dark, I didn’t notice,” recalls David. “We all saw loads of lion’s mane jellyfish but there is one stretch where the jellyfish are called smack and now I know why – you literally feel like you’ve been smacked!”

The Channel is 34.5km but with tides, the trio believe they swam 43km in 13 hours and 43 minutes, but this has yet to be approved by officials. They also managed to raise more than €10,500 for the RNLI.

Everyone at Biohorizons Camlog would like to extend huge congratulations to David, Blair and Stephen for their massive hard work, determination and accomplishment. Well done!