Tucked into the southeastern coastline of England, Dover is a bucolic town with a storied history.

In particular, it was near there in 1940 where the rescue of British soldiers from Dunkirk by an armada of “little ships” launched, and it is is there where most attempts to swim the English Channel originate.

In Friday, Aug. 22, at 11:15 p.m. local time, it was where islander Mary Singer jumped off the support boat, Pegasus, swam to shore at Samphire Hoe, got out of the water to be acknowledged, then plunged back in to begin her swim to France.

More than twenty-one miles and fourteen hours later, she waded ashore, having fulfilled a huge dream.

She had been here before, but as a part of a six-person relay team last summer — not as a solo swimmer. One of her relay team members from Vashon

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