An intrepid swimmer who is circumnavigating the Manx coastline has been making good progress.

Michael Davis, whose marathon effort is raising money for the Manx Wildlife Trust and the Blue Marine Foundation, reached Scarlett over the bank holiday weekend.

And now he has passed through the Sound to reach Fleshwick, with Niarbyl his next goal.

He began his challenge at the Point of Ayre on August 12, and has been keeping regular updates on his round the island swim via his blog.

Michael described the section from Derbyhaven to Scarlett as ’easily the wildest wild swim I’ve ever done’.

Starting at Ronaldsway Airport runway, he negotiated the Langness peninsula and then across Castletown Bay.

’The first 20 minutes or so were a beguiling cruise across Derbyhaven bay to St Michael’s Isle, an islet moored to the nape of the peninsula’s neck by a slender stone causeway’, he wrote in his blog.

’This tiny green atoll has some bloody associations. The Chronicles of the Kings of Man and Isles describe it as the landing place of a Scottish invasion force in 1250 who were defeated by the Manx.’

As he carried on towards Langness, Michael had another run-in with some of the seals who make the island their summer home.

Like those in the north, these seals found enjoyment in gently nibbling on him and generally playing.

Michael said it was while traversing this part of the coastline that the sea was very rough and even started crashing over Steve, who was providing support from his kayak.

’The tidal flow was pushing northwards more strongly than we were expecting and the only thing to do was stick close in to the rocks, where it was getting really rough’, he said.

’A wave broke over Steve’s head while, beneath the surface, the sea was fizzing with tiny particles zipping diagonally across my field of vision. Plankton? Sediment? I’m not sure.’

Eventually, Michael did reach Scarlett where he was met by family friends with Mars bars.

See www.justgiving.com/teams/IsleofManSwim.