An impressive total of 100 swimmers will tackle the 2014 Caldey Swim this afternoon (Sunday).

The swim from the monastic isle to the mainland is due to be twice the size of last year’s pioneering plunge, and is set to raise thousands of pounds for the RNLI.

Swimming between Caldey Island and the mainland is a long-standing tradition in Tenby for individuals and small groups but 2013 was the first time the challenge to took place under the umbrella of the Tenby Sea Swimming Association (TSSA), which has organised the town’s legendary Boxing Day swim for over 40 years.

TSSA chairman Chris Osborne said: “We have high hopes that this year’s event, at double the number of swimmers, will be an even better spectacle and fundraiser than last year.

“We have additional safety and support craft on the water and Skycam Wales will record the swim.

“We even have more sponsors than last year. So, all we need are favourable sea swimming conditions.”

Last year’s swim saw local triathlete and ironman, Olly Simon, making the crossing of over two miles in 49 minutes to be first back to Tenby.

There will also be a number of fellow Ironman Wales contenders taking to the water on Sunday, amongst them Nicola Coates.

She said: “I’m looking forward to the challenge – standing on Caldey’s Priory Beach seeing Castle Hill and thinking ‘the boats have gone, I have to swim back…along with 99 others’.

“Then, two weeks later, at Ironman Wales, swimming with 2,099.”

Swimmers, accompanied by a fleet of safety craft, are due to leave Caldey Island at 3pm today Sunday (weather conditions permitting), with the first arriving back to the North Beach, close to the harbour wall, within the hour.