A trio of endurance swimmers attempt three mighty feats

Posted By on Aug 24, 2018 in Jo Blogs

Jo Gunston at lido

Jo Gunston at the local lido… briefly

I had a brief spate of heading down to the local lido this summer. But I’ve got a thing about hairs, follicles wrapping around my fingers or toes give me the heebie jeebs. The trio currently undertaking three mighty endurance swims have rather more to worry about. Avoiding Great White shark migration, shipping lanes, keeping their skin intact – that sort of thing.

British-South African Lewis Pugh is nearing the end of a swim across the length of the English Channel from Land’s End to Dover for the 350-mile (560km) #TheLongSwim.

Muscleman Brit, Ross Edgley, meanwhile, is aiming to be the first person to swim around mainland Great Britain on a 2,000 mile odyssey for #TheGreatBritishSwim.

And 51-year-old Frenchman, Ben Lecomte is – get this – swimming across the Pacific Ocean. You heard. Setting off from Tokyo on the 5,500 mile journey to San Francisco, he’ll swim eight hours a day for six months. The name of the journey – #TheLongestSwim – which is fair enough really.

All are attempting their individual challenges in order to bring our attention to the desperate state of our oceans. You know, this sort of thing.

They will also be conducting research in a number of areas to help us learn more and then, hopefully, react.

Rather more dangerously, Ben’s expedition will also collect data to find out more about the radioactive impact from Fukushima’s reactor disaster during Japan’s 2011 tsunami.

Is it all too late? Can we even do anything? The resounding answer to that is YES! Look what Mumbai lawyer Afroz Shah has done!
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Once we know the problems, we can act on fixing it. So these dramatic swims are part research, part testing human endurance but mostly TO GET OUR ATTENTION.

This is how far people have to go these days to drag our attention away from talentless befamed individuals who make money for themselves. So let’s follow their journeys and support them, yeah?

Three men in no boats

Lewis Pugh first came to my attention while splashing about around icebergs. I mean, this kind of Tweet is going to grab your attention, non? Pretty sure the translation here is, ‘swimming in Arctic waters is mighty cold’.

The ocean advocate nearly died swimming swimming along the edge of the sea ice in order to warn us how runaway climate change could affect us all. Lewis’s tongue froze and not being able to swallow meant he was seconds from drowning, he tells Sky News.

This time, however, Lewis’s challenge is in warmer climes. The English Channel to be precise. Yup, toasty. Instead of swimming across the Channel to France, however, Lewis is swimming the breadth of it. Starting from Land’s End on 20 July, he should arrive in Dover in the next few days, one million-strokes later.

Endurance swimming

Ross, meanwhile, is over halfway through his round-the-UK endurance swim. Spending 12 hours a day in the water Ross eats the equivalent of 18 portions of fish and chips every 24 hours.

Presumably he’s not eating actual fish as that amount of slippery sustenance would rather negate the point of focusing on saving sealife, non?

Ross has already made it into the Guinness Book of World Records for one part of his giant swim.

Smiley Ross is quick to point out the arduous nature of the challenge.

As well as pictures like these pointing out the least fun side of the swims.

The giant swim

Ben… oh Ben, Ben, Ben. Seventy-eight days into his journey across the biggest ocean in the world, the Pacific Ocean, this is how far Ben Lecomte’s got… and how far he still has to go. Heading to the live tracker you press the zoom out button five times before you can see the whole journey. 😨

Ben Lecomte endurance swim

Ben Lecomte’s location after 78 days swimming across the Pacific Ocean

Ben, a now naturalised American, became the first person to swim the Atlantic without a kick board. Although that was 20 years ago so he might be a tad out of practice with this endurance business.

The sea is not smooth. We are mere human beings. Sometimes Ben and his accompanying team have to bow to nature in all her glory and wait for her typhoons to blow themselves out. Sometimes, despite GPS-type gadgets, you and your team get it wrong.

Sometimes you have to work with nature to find your way.

Mental and physical anguish

Incidents during endurance swims such as going the wrong way or covering far less mileage than you thought, reveal mental strength needs to be as strong as their physical being.

Hours upon hours of plodding methodically through the waves leaves plenty of time to think.

At times, Lecomte feels totally at one with the water.

The physical challenges during endurance swims are more obvious.

Ross, meanwhile…

Marine life fights back

The wondrous beauty of our oceans is seen first hand by our intrepid adventurers. Swimming with dolphins, sea lions and making friends with birds.

Some animals actually thrive in the warmer waters, much to all the swimmers’ cost…

And some creatures have started taking a more active approach to us humans messing up their environment.

Seriously, though, the majority of marine life is suffering from a plastic infestation, the non degradeable material looking very much like the jellyfish fodder many animals eat. More and more plastic bags are devastatingly being found in the stomachs of prematurely dead sea creatures.

Dangerous critters

Obviously our men in the sea not only have jellyfish stings to contend with but proper critters. Especially across the Pacific Ocean with Ben Lecomte doing his best to avoid a Great White Shark migration area. He is wearing a shark repellent bracelet, but against this toothful wonder, not sure how helpful it’ll be.

The Frenchman seems pretty nonplussed about sharks though.

This Tweet gives an idea of the brutal temperatures Lecomte and the others have to plough through.

Lewis has also been particularly brave when it comes to the shark threat…

Ocean state?

So, dare we ask if the state of our seas are as bad as we think as the boys undertake their water-eye view of the problem? Check out these pics…😞


But are they making a difference?

Yes, yes, by jove yes!

Friends and family

Clearly the swimmers are unable to undertake these arduous endurance swims without support. Friends, family and crew members do their best to help in any way they can.

The expedition photographer for Lewis Pugh, Kevin Trautman, captures shots to share on social media, vital for the visibility of the project.

The support crew boat for Ben, which will be at sea for six months. A challenge enough in itself for the crew.

Ross’s brothers do their utmost to take his mind off the seemingly never-ending swim…

Ross’s mum does that lovely mum thing.

Ben’s son Max sets off at quite a pace, leading his dad into the swim. In the wrong direction…

Ultimately, all three are doing the endurance swims for the same desperate reason. Strongly, but heartbreakingly put by the French president, Emmanuel Macron.

Please, please follow the journey’s of these men, listen to what they say, support them and let’s act on it. Time’s ticking.

Lewis Pugh Website Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube
Ben Lecomte Website Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube
Ross Edgley Website Twitter Instagram Facebook YouTube

Further reading
Afroz Shah led efforts to clean one of the polluted beaches in India. Now turtles are returning to lay their eggs!
Lewis Pugh swims the North Pole Ted Talk
What happens to the mind during such long swims

If you like this post from Sports Liberated you may also like:
‘Pristine habitats are rare,’ says yacht-based National Geographic photographer, Jody MacDonald
Surfing by day, turtle-saving by night in Costa Rica
A truly unbelievable swimming attempt from limbless man, Philippe Croizon

Author: Jo Gunston

Freelance sportswriter Jo Gunston works for the likes of Olympics.com and also publishes additional content at sportsliberated.com. A favourite personal sporting moment for the former elite gymnast was performing as a 'dancer' in the London 2012 opening ceremony.

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