This is an unprecedented challenge that Lewis Pugh has decided to take up. Sunday August 13, he will begin his longest swimming session: more than 500 km of whitewater swimming from the source of the Hutson in the Adirondacks (United States) to reach the mouth of the river in New York to raise awareness of the protection of rivers, rivers and oceans.
Lewis Pugh, 53, is a former maritime lawyer who now devotes his life to environmental protection. For 10 years, this distinguished swimmer has been “godfather of the oceans” of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).
He launched this new challenge fordraw attention to the critical importance of healthy river ecosystems for the oceans and the environment as a whole.
It will take about a month to reach New York, headquarters of the United Nations, where September 20 will begin the ratification of the high seas treaty, which aims to protect biodiversity in international waters.
The 193 UN member states adopted the landmark legally binding agreement in June, after nearly two decades of hard-fought negotiations.
Clean rivers, healthy planet
“If we want healthy oceans, we also need healthy rivers – it’s as simple as that,” explains Lewis Pugh. ” Clean rivers are essential in the fight for global sustainability ; indeed, our very existence depends on fresh water, clean air and a habitable planet”.
An accomplished endurance swimmer, this Briton has braved some of the toughest environments on the planet, including Antarctica, the North Pole, the Red Sea and the Himalayas. Born in the United Kingdom, he is the first to have swum a long distance in all the oceans of the world.
“I chose the Hudson because of the environmental progress made in recent years on this iconic waterway,” he said. “There is still a lot of work to do, but tangible improvements have been made, setting an example for the restoration of rivers around the world.”
To the Atlantic Ocean without assistance
Pugh will be swimming unassisted, meaning he will only be wearing a bathing suit, cap and goggles. In comparison, assisted swimmers use equipment such as a wetsuit, snorkel, gloves, fins, and paddles.
His 507 km journey will begin with short stops at the source of the Hudson River, Lake Tear of the Clouds, located in the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York. Along the way, he will meet dramatic topological changesstrong river currents and potentially toxic sewage flows during heavy rains.
“The Hudson is truly majestic, but like most rivers it starts out as a trickle of water over fairly rough terrain, so this swim will have to start on foot to get over rocks and very dense vegetation,” he explains.
“This terrain quickly turns into whitewater rapids and waterfalls that demand respect, so my expedition team and I carefully study every nook and cranny of the river.”
On average 16 km of swimming per day
Lewis Pugh has therefore decided when he will have to bypass impassable rapids, to walk or run. It plans to swim an average of 16 km per day, depending on the conditions.
It will bear the UNEP logo. UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen, expressed “her pride” and wished him “strength, endurance and perseverance” for the weeks to come.
“Garbage, sewage, chemicals and plastic waste not only pollute rivers and harm the species that live there; these contaminants are transported to the sea, where they do even more damage”, explains Iger Andersen.
“Just as we must ensure that our arteries are not clogged for our health, we must ensure that the arteries of the planet are not clogged for its health. »
2023-08-10 14:08:45
#Achievement #swimming #protection #oceans
