Lewis Pugh, a 53-year-old endurance swimmer from Plymouth, England, is on the verge of completing an incredible feat: swimming the entire length of the Hudson River.
Pugh's month-long journey will come to an end on Wednesday at the lower tip of Manhattan, where he will finish the last few miles of his swim. Despite facing fatigue and sore shoulders, Pugh has persevered, determined to draw attention to the Hudson and the importance of clean rivers.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Pugh expressed his awe at the diversity of wildlife along the Hudson. "There is no other river in the whole world where at the source, youve got beavers, youve got bears, you've got vultures," he said. "And then at the end, you come underneath the George Washington Bridge and you breathe to your left-hand side and you see these amazing skyscrapers."
This is not Pugh's first remarkable swimming endeavor. He has previously completed a 76-mile swim across the Red Sea and a 328-mile swim along the length of the English Channel. However, swimming the Hudson presents its own unique challenges. While Christopher Swain swam the length of the river in 2004 wearing a wetsuit, Pugh has opted for a Speedo, aiming to cover approximately 10 miles each day.
Pugh's recent leg of the swim took him south of Albany, where he donned a cap and goggles before diving into the water from an inflatable boat. Aware of the less-than-pristine conditions, he took a swig from a bottle of Pepto-Bismol and followed a strict hygiene routine, including rinsing with antiseptic mouthwash, washing with surgical soap, and wearing earplugs. Pugh is accompanied by a support team in a boat and a kayak.
The latter half of Pugh's swim takes place in the Hudson estuary, the section of the river affected by tides that stretches from New York Harbor to above Albany. Pugh tries to swim with the tide, but wind and choppy water have made progress more challenging. Describing the experience, he compared it to driving down a corrugated dirt road, with the constant chop causing discomfort and slowing his progress.
The challenges Pugh faced at the start of his journey on August 13 at Lake Tear of the Clouds, high on Mount Marcy, were different. In the Adirondacks, some parts of the river were too shallow to swim, so Pugh had to run along the banks. Other sections had fast-flowing water and rocks, creating what he referred to as a "high consequence environment." Pugh emphasized the risks of swimming in such conditions, saying, "And so if you hit a rock, youre really going to come off second best."
Throughout the years, the Hudson River has had a notorious reputation for being polluted, contaminated by industrial chemicals, old tires, and sewer runoff. Even as recently as 2004, when Swain swam the length of the river to promote its cleanup, a New York Post headline read: "Love That Dirty Water; Eco-Nut Swims The Slimy Hudson River."
However, thanks to clean-up efforts and stricter regulations, the river has slowly transformed into a popular summer destination for kayaking, sailing, and even swimming. Although the water is not yet perfect, with sewage overflows occurring after heavy rains, Pugh believes the Hudson River serves as a powerful example of how a waterway can rebound. He hopes to deliver this message of hope when he emerges from the water at Manhattan's Battery Park.
Pugh's incredible feat of swimming the entire length of the Hudson River serves as a testament to the importance of clean rivers and the potential for restoration. As he completes his journey, Pugh's determination and dedication will undoubtedly inspire others to take action and protect the precious waterways in their own communities.
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