Bill Pickering Swims Channel - Bill Pickering waving as he waded ashore at Calais today August 27. Eighteen-stone Bill Pickering, the man who set out "To Give The People of Bloxwich (Staffordshire) a swim for their money", walked ashore at Calais at 10.42 today August 27. He had swum from St. Margaret's Bay, Kent in 14 hours, 6 minutes. After starting off against the advice of his pilot. Experts forecast that he would have to give up within nine hours. He had battled through a midnight rainstorm. But he had done it. August 27, 1955. (Photo by Associated Press Photo).