Talk About a Long Swim

[Bergovoy]

Knocked overboard, man survives 6-hour swim - World news - Asia-Pacific - msnbc.com

[SurferShane]

A mate was telling me about this one after I told him about my morning swim to get the dingy. It had decided to head to sea while I went looking for my dog at the other end of the beach. After hearing about the six hours in the water all of a sudden my average morning seemed insignificant!

[tager]

Nice!

[Bergovoy]

the will to live amazes me...even to crawl over oyster bed encrusted rocks with waves beating ya is amazing...

but i can imagine being so close and thinking, should he go for it or go back swimmin g for another 20 minutes..

[downunder]

Note the sensationalism of the TV report - in shark infested waters.

Always added when someone is missing in the water.

Shows what can be done by a fit swimmer.

Hypothermia was always his greatest threat. good work.

[barnakiel]

Go to Jennifer Figge homesite - then you will know what a long swim is ...

;-)
b.

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by downunder

Note the sensationalism of the TV report - in shark infested waters.

Always added when someone is missing in the water.

Shows what can be done by a fit swimmer.

Hypothermia was always his greatest threat. good work.

I saw him being interviewed this morning, and he was actually nudged by a shark... I don't know how many you have to have for it to be shark infested, but one will do me.

He was more worried about the blue bottle stings because he didn't know what effect the multiple stings would have on his stamina.

[downunder]

Point being he wasn't eaten by a shark. They prefer fish.

Stingers and the cold are the real issues in those waters at the present time not sharks.

Every one missing in the water is in shark infestested waters just as is every swimmer, surfer and diver. Few are taken by sharks.

You can increase your chances swimming and surfing in schools of bait where sharks are feeding as some have done.

In my opinion sharks are the least worry for someone who has fallen overboard.

[Bergovoy]

agreed, it's cheap sensationalism for the sole purpose of titilation... sharks are harmless... if you compared shark attacks vs lightning or other freakish events you would see that there is no 'threat' unless you think lightining is threatening you too...

[tager]

I guess it's just a matter of judgment. I wouldn't jump into the water if there were sharks swimming all around, just seems like an unnecessary risk.

Remember the bear man that insisted that bears were not dangerous, only to be killed by a bear?

I feel like some people feel the same way about sharks.

However, there is not a wholesale murder of bears going on right now. Sharks need to be protected from humans more than humans need to be protected from sharks.

After all, we are the ones with boats .
The Figge swim is incredible, but I would rather swim 28 miles with support than 6 miles alone in the ocean against a current far from land.

[Bergovoy]

oh, i agree, they are wild animals. but, if i were studying sharks or other organisms or something in that area and needed to be in the water, i wouldnt sweat it for a second...

I would trust them more then bears or other wild animls for sure..

[stillbuilding]

Not to belittle this mans lucky escape from a terrifying ordeal, but I remember an incident when another fisherman was swimming some 19 hours to get to Point Lookout on Stradbroke Island (very close to this incident). And there are several reports of shark attacks in these waters. Lucky escape.

[Bergovoy]

no worries about adding other great survival stories.. it wont deminish this guys effort.


and for someone to swim 19 hours is un real... and yea, shark attacks happen and some are just tasted and spit out...

[Bergovoy]

msnbc.com Video Player

good thing he didnt have to swim thru these 'infested' waters...

and hopefully these sharks will still be there when i get there...

[Bergovoy]

i guess i need to 'check myself' for the safety claims i've made recently...

Diver feared dead in attack by 2 sharks - World news - Asia-Pacific - msnbc.com