We hit the French coast in the early hours of Saturday morning, finishing in the dark. Mackenzie finished in 13 hours and 5 minutes and Emma finished in 14 hours and 15 minutes. Conditions were not ideal, but we were able to power through the difficult spots. After a three hour boat ride back, we reached Dover and headed to bed.
We appreciate your outpouring of support; WE COULDN’T HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU!!!
A special shout out to our Wild Bunch. Bunches of banana love from us to you!!!
Mackenzie and Emma
Emma and Mackenzie's Channel Swim
Smithchannelswim's Blog 
You clever, extraordinary women!! We followed you all the way (and woke up in the night to check). Am all teary now – so proud of your Smith spirit and amazed by your strength and gumption. Can’t wait to read a really detailed blog about it all, but do sleep in the meantime!
Emily Gee ’96
CONGRATS MACK AND EMMA!!! sending you lots of love from Shanghai. you two are fantastic!
love you much 🙂
I am SUPER impressed! Amazing job both of you!
Abby Brown ’99
We tracked you all day and were cheering for you. So happy to read this post. Congratulations!!!
YOU ARE AMAZING!!! What an accomplishment! You must be exhausted – I was, just watching the tracking!
Lots of love and admiration to you both.
What’s next and how much is it going to cost me? Love you tons.
Emma and Mackenzie,
Everyone is so very proud of you today!!! You did something that not many of us would even consider. So sorry to hear that the conditions were not ideal for you, that must have been rough…but you soldiered on in spite of it! You have much to be proud of. I’m thrilled for you and can’t wait to hear the details.
Emma -I’m sending out an email to all our SCLC alums to tell them. They will love hearing that you made it!
With much respect and love,
Iris
Wow! Incredible! Thank you so much for the tracker. It was totally gripping and fun to watch. We are all so proud of you. Congratulations!!!!!!!! So what numbers are you guys (like 603rd to complete the swim)?
Emma and Mackenzie,
WOW! Swimming the Channel itself is such an amazing accomplishment- and your crossing was compounded by the weather conditions. Yet, you were undeterred, swam with heart and determination, and met the challenge! What an inspiration for us all! Congratulations! : )
Karen B
Susie Bourque and Chris Shelton here, Have been following your journey and are so proud of both of you. Can’t wait to see you on campus, hear about the adventure and shake your hands!
You girls are amazing! Congratulations on an impressive accomplishment!
Enjoy the rest of your time in England. We can’t wait to hear all the details. Lot’s of love. Deb, Ed, and Tommy
Congratulations, Emma and Mackenzie! I am also a rising junior at Smith, though I don’t believe we have ever met. I was following your progress all of yesterday and was thrilled to hear you had both made it safely! Even if you hadn’t finished, the power of your intention and your driven attitude would have been inspiring enough. Achieving this goal on the first attempt is absolutely amazing. I’m so impressed and proud!
Hope to see you around campus, and all the best ’til then!
-Alida
You are truly amazing!!! checked late last night to see how you were doing and when I woke up this morning to see you had safely made, I almost started crying! Your determination is inspiring :o) congrats
Congratulations!
You guys killed it! Congratulations!!!
love you guys! can’t wait to see you at the airport!
Way to go, Ladies! You make me proud to be a Smithie, not to mention a former Banana!!!! So proud of you both on an AMAZING accomplishment!!!
– Melanie Jones, ’93
Congratulations Emma and Mackenzie. You did it!!!! What an incredible achievement. On behalf of all the Smith Club of Great Britain, we are proud of you. Rest well.
Emma – CONGRATULATIONS!! You are amazing. What a tremendous accomplishment. I have loved your blogs and the tracker. I was cheering for you all the way! Get some rest and be sure to celebrate!!
Julie Mc – 2011 Smith College Leadership Consortium
Congratultions you two! I had a blast Friday tracking you ad cheering, too! I’m so proud of your determination, your bravery, and your passion to go for your dream! And congrats to Kim, too. Keep dreamin’!
Hugs from an ’06 banana
A HUGE congratulations to both of you on a very impressive and amazing accomplishment. i’m very proud of both of you and cannot wait to get Mackenzie back to Oregon so her local friends and her family can tell her in person how happy they are for the accomplishment. Have a safe trip back to Boston and looking forwward to meeting Emma when we get there to visit. Mack’s Dad
Amazing! We tracked you all the way and we are all awestruck and tremendously proud of you!
great job girls. we are excited and thrilled by what you did. it was fun watching your progress on the tracker. once you beat the tide we relaxed a bit knowing that you would both make it. how about trying to swim the blaine harbor next! my mom and tom
BRAVO! The two of you are so inspiring. You make me proud to be a Smith alum and someone who learned to swim for real in the Smith College pool thanks to Kim.
Congratulations! Very impressive and something I’m sure you’ll remember for the rest of you lives! Well done!
-Sandi Hassett
It was so much fun tracking you both as you made your awesome swim. A once-in-a-lifetime experience, thanks!
I’m so proud of you ladies and it’s such an honor to be a part of your team! I look up to both of you and cannot wait for our season.
Banana love (:
Emma and Mackenzie – Congratulations! We are all so proud of you both. What an incredible journey you have had. We knew you could do it! You are both such an inspiration!
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Congratulations, Mackenzie and Emma! Super proud of you guys. Way to keep up the Smith spirit. Love from New Delhi.
Congrats Emma and Mackenzie! Learned of your intention to swim the channel via the Smith twitter feed, and tracked your swim on Friday. So proud of your determination and accomplishment! You’re another shining example of the force Smithies are in the world. Bask in the glow of your achievement, and best to you in your junior year at Smith (I miss it SO much!). Hugs from Houston, Marie Wehrung ’83
Oh, Mackenzie, I am so very, very thrilled for you! Emma, I’m sorry I haven’t met you, but CONGRATULATIONS to you both!!!!!!! I tracked you both Friday until we had to leave for weekend plans and I was left wondering how you were both doing, so checking your status was at the top of my agenda today (Monday). The two of you have done something extraordinary that only a handful of people have ever done in the course of the human race, and no one can ever, ever take that away from you! You dared to dream it, work for it and then you did it! We are all so proud of you and your accomplishment! Mackenzie, I’m looking forward to giving you a big hug at Baldwin in the fall.
Congratulations, Emma and Mackenzie! You have made the whole Smith community proud of you. There are certainly easier ways to get from England to France, but none more stirring than this.
John Connolly