Swim The Big Blue
“Swimming The Atlantic: 2,000 miles Africa to Brazil”
DEPART March 2016 in Dakar Harbour, Senegal.
ARRIVE May 2016 in Natal, North-East Brazil.
‘Swim The Big Blue’ will chart a course from Dakar, Senegal to Natal, Northern Brazil across the open Mid-South Atlantic Ocean. Using freestyle swimming (front crawl) and piloted by record holding Atlantic rower and sailor Roy Finlay, Ben will swim for a total of 12 hours per day. His epic swim will take him over 30 foot swells, passing through shark inhabited regions and without doubt, he will encounter jelly fish, flying fish and a harsh Equatorial sun from above. Then of course, there will be “The Doldrums” and her stillness, humidity, lack of movement yet at any time, the dead calm could explode into raging storms, heavy squalls and lightning to sting the sea and his face.
Swimming in sea temperatures ranging from 24 – 29 degrees centigrade, (75 – 85 Fahrenheit), with currents from 1 – 7 knots flowing westward and north-west, this will be a gruelling trial of endurance and mental strength unlike any before. When successful, he will be the first man to have swum the full extent of the Atlantic and will be the first man to explicitly detail his swim, swimming the exact mileage of the intended crossing.
Equipped with a swim hat, swim mask and swim shorts or wetsuit, he will compete against the elements and himself. However, with rough seas a front-facing snorkel will be available to ensure swimming pace can be maintained and ensure breathing ability is not hindered in storms or difficult conditions. Should a smack of jellyfish be encountered, a full wetsuit may be worn to counter the effect of stings however, this will only limit not negate the jelly fish stings. Additionally, Ben will be wearing at least one Shark Shield device, as will the boat be equipped with a counter-shark device.
The swim, on a daily basis, will be broken down into two-six hour periods at approximately two-miles per hour minimum. Between the two six-hour sessions, there will be two hours of rest on the support boat. During this rest period and indeed overnight up to 10 hours, no more, Ben will be aboard the boat where he will sleep and consume a high carbohydrate, fat and protein diet as well as rehydrating. He will expend 10-13,000 calories per day. He will not regain these calories in full as the human body is not designed to take in more than 400 calories per hour. Of course, all of this is subject to weather, Ben's physical state and safety. This plan like any, is flexible and only a guide but the one thing that can be said for sure; every single mile will be swum and logged.
The boat piloted by Roy Finlay and his crew, will not only GPS note the position of exit and entry from the swim but will account for drift in order to add these miles to the end of the swim, by altering course to a point further than the intended port of arrival, thereby ensuring the whole distance of the originally intended route is completed. A further measure of a sea anchor, will reduce the drift, ensuring that we form not only rules for any replication, but that the total mileage spent out of the water is minimal and still swum before the end of the expedition: a total of 1800 miles in approximately 90 days. Every detail will be logged, recorded and with filming and video diary will give full and transparent accounts of the expedition and its team.
During the swim however, Ben will feed and drink in the water every thirty minutes. Always, without touching the boat, the crew passing supplies to him instead by throw or pole depending on conditions, for no more than two to three minutes of feeding/drinking. Unless there is an emergency, a safety risk, Ben shall not have any other form of contact with the boat (other than being passed food/drink) during the two six-hour periods of swimming.
This is it, Ben versus The Atlantic Ocean.
“Swimming The Atlantic: 2,000 miles Africa to Brazil”
DEPART March 2016 in Dakar Harbour, Senegal.
ARRIVE May 2016 in Natal, North-East Brazil.
‘Swim The Big Blue’ will chart a course from Dakar, Senegal to Natal, Northern Brazil across the open Mid-South Atlantic Ocean. Using freestyle swimming (front crawl) and piloted by record holding Atlantic rower and sailor Roy Finlay, Ben will swim for a total of 12 hours per day. His epic swim will take him over 30 foot swells, passing through shark inhabited regions and without doubt, he will encounter jelly fish, flying fish and a harsh Equatorial sun from above. Then of course, there will be “The Doldrums” and her stillness, humidity, lack of movement yet at any time, the dead calm could explode into raging storms, heavy squalls and lightning to sting the sea and his face.
Swimming in sea temperatures ranging from 24 – 29 degrees centigrade, (75 – 85 Fahrenheit), with currents from 1 – 7 knots flowing westward and north-west, this will be a gruelling trial of endurance and mental strength unlike any before. When successful, he will be the first man to have swum the full extent of the Atlantic and will be the first man to explicitly detail his swim, swimming the exact mileage of the intended crossing.
Equipped with a swim hat, swim mask and swim shorts or wetsuit, he will compete against the elements and himself. However, with rough seas a front-facing snorkel will be available to ensure swimming pace can be maintained and ensure breathing ability is not hindered in storms or difficult conditions. Should a smack of jellyfish be encountered, a full wetsuit may be worn to counter the effect of stings however, this will only limit not negate the jelly fish stings. Additionally, Ben will be wearing at least one Shark Shield device, as will the boat be equipped with a counter-shark device.
The swim, on a daily basis, will be broken down into two-six hour periods at approximately two-miles per hour minimum. Between the two six-hour sessions, there will be two hours of rest on the support boat. During this rest period and indeed overnight up to 10 hours, no more, Ben will be aboard the boat where he will sleep and consume a high carbohydrate, fat and protein diet as well as rehydrating. He will expend 10-13,000 calories per day. He will not regain these calories in full as the human body is not designed to take in more than 400 calories per hour. Of course, all of this is subject to weather, Ben's physical state and safety. This plan like any, is flexible and only a guide but the one thing that can be said for sure; every single mile will be swum and logged.
The boat piloted by Roy Finlay and his crew, will not only GPS note the position of exit and entry from the swim but will account for drift in order to add these miles to the end of the swim, by altering course to a point further than the intended port of arrival, thereby ensuring the whole distance of the originally intended route is completed. A further measure of a sea anchor, will reduce the drift, ensuring that we form not only rules for any replication, but that the total mileage spent out of the water is minimal and still swum before the end of the expedition: a total of 1800 miles in approximately 90 days. Every detail will be logged, recorded and with filming and video diary will give full and transparent accounts of the expedition and its team.
During the swim however, Ben will feed and drink in the water every thirty minutes. Always, without touching the boat, the crew passing supplies to him instead by throw or pole depending on conditions, for no more than two to three minutes of feeding/drinking. Unless there is an emergency, a safety risk, Ben shall not have any other form of contact with the boat (other than being passed food/drink) during the two six-hour periods of swimming.
This is it, Ben versus The Atlantic Ocean.
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