Karl Bushby
ON THE RECORD · 6 verbatim quotes · every quote source-verified
“You're far away from light pollution and have the whole night sky in front of you,”
Karl Bushby · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-10
Bushby said floating on his back at night and looking at the stars offered a distraction from the physical pain he was in during the swim.
“Getting in the water that first day, I thought, 'Have I taken too much of a bite here?'”
Karl Bushby · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-10
Bushby spent about 20 hours swimming the English Channel over three days before reaching Shakespeare Beach near Dover on Oct. 5.
“But you dig deep. Keep on keeping on. You find a rhythm.”
Karl Bushby · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-10
Bushby told the BBC that after about an hour in the water, he was cramping and doubting whether he could finish the Channel crossing.
“I walked away from that place 28 years ago and that is where we are going to wrap it up,”
Karl Bushby · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-10
The last leg of Bushby's journey will bring him to his mother in Hull, whom he has not seen since 2015.
“That’s about 400 kilometers from here, so I’ve got to get busy.”
Karl Bushby · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-10
Bushby said he has roughly 250 miles left to walk before reuniting with his mother in Hull.
“It gave me something to think about and took my mind off the pain and aches. It was amazing.”
Karl Bushby · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-10
Bushby said the night sky gave him something to think about and took his mind off the pain and aches during the Channel swim.