Endurance swim attempt around Martha’s Vineyard to mark Jaws anniversary, plight of sharks
Lewis Pugh braves cold, sharks as he begins 12-day attempt at first swim around island, and urges an end to mass slaughter of the creatures
Lewis Pugh has followed an unspoken rule during his career as one of the world’s most daring endurance swimmers: do not talk about sharks. But he plans to break that this week on a swim around Martha’s Vineyard, where Jaws was filmed 50 years ago.
The British-South African was the first person to complete a long-distance swim in every ocean of the world – and has taken on extreme conditions everywhere from Mount Everest to the Arctic.
“On this swim, it’s very different: we’re just talking about sharks all the time,” joked Pugh, who will, as usual, wear no wetsuit.
For his swim around Martha’s Vineyard in 8-degree Celsius (47-degree Fahrenheit) water he will wear just trunks, a cap and goggles.
Pugh, 55, is undertaking the challenge because he wants to change public perception around the now at-risk animals – which he said were maligned by the blockbuster film as “villains, as cold-blooded killers”. He will urge for more protection for sharks.