North Vancouver's Rod Craig swam across the English Channel July 20, joining an exclusive club of endurance swimmers who have braved exhaustion, frigid waters, cargo ships and other perils to make the journey from England to France.

"At 12 hours and 21 minutes I climbed on the rocks, cleared the water line, raised my arm just as the official blew his whistle," Craig said in an email sent to the North Shore News from France. "The crew cheered and the Louise Jane blew her horn. I had just swum the English Channel!"

Craig said the seas were calm on that Tuesday morning when he departed from the Dover shores at 5:00 a.m.

"I took the plunge into the 15 degree waters and swam," Craig said. "Once I cleared the water line the official observer blew his whistle and started his watch and I started my journey to France."

Craig said the first two hours were spent thinking about how cold the water was. To get an official time swimmers are not allowed to wear wetsuits, instead sporting normal swimwear while covering themselves in grease to try to conserve heat.

Craig's support swimmer Greg Gjerdalen jumped in periodically to provide much needed company.

"Support swimmers can swim for an hour with you then they have to get out for an hour," Craig said. "Greg proved to be a vital part of the swim as I would anticipate his presence and hence boost my spirits."

The swim, however, was not without challenges.

"At 4 * hours I had my first 'crisis,'" Craig said. "I was in that horrible place where you can't comprehend swimming another 10 hours under those conditions, plus I experienced extreme leg cramps. I asked the crew to add electrolytes to my half hour feeds."

After six hours Craig passed through the British shipping lanes and, much to his relief, the water warmed a degree.

"This proved to be my savior as I now could comprehend swimming further," Craig said.

At eight hours another complication arose when Craig began rejecting his high carbohydrate feeding mix. His girlfriend and main feeder Bonnie Curtis panicked and began scrambling for food to keep Craig going. He was thrown muffins, bananas, melon, hot water and coffee.

"I don't know why but I was starting to feel stronger and could actually see France," Craig said.

"At 10 hours we were close to Cap Gris-Nez and the water was calm. I was strong and warm at this point, thinking maybe I can do this," Craig said. "But I have learned from previous swims never take anything for granted and stay focused."

At 12 hours it became clear he was going to make it, becoming one of the approximately 1,000 people in history to have completed the task.

Craig caused quite the stir among his friends and relatives back in North Vancouver who were all waiting for reports on his progress. Craig's father Wallace Craig said because of the time difference Craig was swimming while he slept.

"When you wake up in the middle of the night, you think, 'Oh my, he is over there still swimming," Wallace said.

One of the things Wallace said he marvels at is the fact that his 49-year-old son was able to complete two long swims in less than a month, the Georgia Strait -- which he swam in nine hours 55 minutes on July 3 -- and the English Channel.

"I hate to tell him this, but he is a middle-age guy, and here he is doing what a 25-year-old would do," Wallace said. "I think he exceeded my expectation in the sense that if there was two months or so in-between I think for sure he would make it, but only 17 days? It is pretty tough to recover from one swim and then undertake another one."

Craig is still buzzing from his unforgettable journey.

"I will never forget looking over at the greatest crew of friends that have come all this way to be part of this amazing journey," Craig said. "I took them from one extreme to another and for their patience and support I am truly grateful."

Now that Craig has completed his goal he said he is ready to tour around Europe a bit and get some much-needed rest.