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April 2021 April 2021
WAREHAM BRIDGE TO POOLE HARBOUR campaign which enables victims of domestic abuse to get support at their local
pharmacy. Look out for a poster in the window of your local pharmacy and ask for
Ani (pronounced Annie). You’ll be taken by a staff member to a private room
Bob’s Story where you will be put in touch with support services which can help you. Please
reach out, you are not alone.
We had talked about it for maybe a couple of years but
for a number of reasons, mainly busy lives, it never quite
came together until now. My great swimming friend Surgery
Emile and I have often thought up some crazy swimming We are not holding face to face meetings until we are clear to do so under
odysseys and today was the day that we would “bite government guidelines. However, we would be more than delighted to talk to you
the bullet” on one of them.
on the telephone or via Zoom. Please ring or email us with the subject matter so
Our plan (well it was Emile’s idea in the first place) was that we can prepare ourselves. Peter’s email address is peterwharf@hotmail.com
to swim from Wareham Bridge down the River Frome to telephone 07986 600799 and Laura’s is cllrlaura.miller@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
Jerry’s Point, Poole Harbour a distance of just under 11 telephone 07814 569563.
miles. As far as we knew, this had never been done
before. Peter Wharf & Laura Miller, Dorset Councillors for West Purbeck
As many of you will know, Poole Harbour is a very busy place for shipping and all
kinds of water craft so this was a challenge that needed careful planning.
Fortunately, Emile a marine surveyor had done a lot of work for the Poole
Harbourmaster and was able to put together a suitable risk assessment and satisfy
any concerns he might have.
So I walked the few
paces down the road
to be met by Emile,
Gordon, Luke and
Emile’s wife Jo who
were preparing the
boat. Gordon and
Luke who worked for
Emile, and Jo were to Temporarily Suspended
be the backup crew
for the day. Gordon would drive the boat with Jo and Luke paddling.
The short drive to Wareham was taken up with Emile going through the risk
assessment and yes we did take it seriously.

We arrived at the Redbridge Marina and there was a great deal of activity as we
launched the Emile’s work boat EF Shoreline into the water. All aboard, we then
towed the paddleboard the short half mile distance up the river to Wareham
Quay to temporarily moor up before the start of our swim.
Suddenly the water around Wareham Quay and the bridge became a hive of
activity as various pleasure craft including a large pleasure boat decided to
negotiate the fairly small expanse of water. However, just before 12 noon and half
an hour after high tide at the quay, we launched ourselves into the River Frome.

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