The Tribune

UPDATE: CHLOE IS EXPECTED TO REACH NASSAU AROUND 1AM WEDNESDAY MORNING HERE

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

ARMED with only goggles, a swim cap and swim suit, Chloe McCardel yesterday morning set out on her world record-breaking attempt to swim the 80 miles from the southern tip of Eleuthera to New Providence.

If she is successful the 29-year-old Australian will have completed the longest open-water solo, continuous unassisted marathon swim in world history.

“The weather conditions are just about perfect,” Ms McCardel said in a statement released before her swim, “but the weather could become unsettled in the coming week, so it’s a great time to make a start. This is not a race, so the good conditions over the next few days means that I can pace myself, maintain a good rhythm and know that there is clear water ahead of me for the next 127 kilometres or so.”

The Island School in south Eleuthera has teamed up with Ms McCardel on her brave expedition. According to Karen Knight, the school’s Educational Programmes Department representative, Ms McCardel began her swim at 7:34am yesterday from Lighthouse Beach to Montagu Beach, Nassau.

Ms Knight reported yesterday afternoon that Ms McCardel was “about 18 miles” into her journey and things were going “swimmingly” for the ambitious swimmer.

Before beginning her historic, yet potentially dangerous journey, Ms Knight said Ms McCardel won the full support of students at the school, who saw her off as she began her quest.

“The students were excited,” Ms Knight said. “They started off this morning with a good luck sign and banners they made for her and were really excited about her quest. She had a wonderful talk with the students the night before that involves them always reaching for their highest goals and always striving for excellence and taking risks. It was really motivational and inspiring.”

Ms McCardel is expected to finish sometime between 11 o’clock tonight and 3am tomorrow.

The journey is expected to take more than 40 hours to complete.

During the swim, Ms McCardel must not be touched or physically assisted by anyone until her team verifies the official distance and finish location. Ms McCardel will swill under the Marathon Swimming Federation’s rules, meaning she cannot touch her support boat, and can wear only a swim suit, goggles and a swim cap.

Although commendable, endeavours like this one do not come without risks, however. Ms McCardel’s previous attempt to swim from Cuba to the United States in 2013 nearly ended in tragedy, when she was stung by poisonous, potentially deadly jellyfish eleven hours into the swim. She suffered severe envenomation from multiple stings to her body and throat, leaving her with no choice but to abandon the attempt.

Although the warm waters of the Bahamas diminish the risk of her catching hypothermia – unlike the cold waters she faced during any of her seven crossings of the English Channel – Ms McCardel will be exposed to heat stress, including dehydration, sharks, possible stinging by jelly fish and sunburn.

However, according to Ms Knight, the Island School has sent out representatives to ensure Ms McCardel’s safety as she treads the country’s waters. “We have a dive team that’s helping out with sharks and a kayak team that’s helping out with support,” she said.

“We have our school captains who are captaining the boats and basically the boats are to help carry our staff and the media for (Ms McCardel).

“Our researchers are helping support the swim as well. We have our shark researchers near the water helping to deflect sharks and keep Chloe safe and keep marine life safe as well.”

On April 24, 2011, Ms McCardel set a record by swimming 60 laps across Bondi Beach, Austrailia – a total distance of 48kms (30 miles) – in 11 hours and 42 seconds without fins, wet suit or shark cage.

Recently, she set the record for the longest swim in a swim-spa – 16 hours – in Melbourne, Australia. She has also completed two non-stop double crossings of the English Channel.

• Ms McCardel’s progress is being tracked by GPS and can be followed on her website: www.chloemccardel.com.