Towering waves, freezing temperatures and even some inquisitive killer whales. Iceland is doing its finest to defeat Ross Edgley.
Impressed by “Thor”, the British excessive athlete is in the midst of a problem worthy of the Norse god – spending 4 months swimming 1,000 miles round the entire of Iceland within the title of science.
And whereas it comes with its challenges – a video of elements of his tongue falling off due to the salty sea water went viral – there have additionally been moments of magnificence within the rugged Viking panorama.
“There’s nothing to stop the wind coming from the Arctic, and it’s just smashing into the north of Iceland. We’re miles out, just like a bobbing cork getting absolutely battered.”
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Ross is making his method round Iceland clockwise after setting off from Reykjavik
Ross, from Cheshire, isn’t any stranger to endurance occasions like this. In 2018, he swam practically 1,800 miles across the coast of Nice Britain and earned a Guinness World Document for swimming 317 miles alongside the Yukon River in Canada.
However the punishing chilly as 39-year-old Ross swims 30km (18 miles) a day round Iceland is one thing else.
“The body just takes a consistent battering,” he says, characteristically cheery and enthusiastic regardless of the whole lot.
“You just do your best to keep it in some sort of shape, controlling the inevitable breakdown of your body, hoping that you get back into Reykjavik.”
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A few of the accidents Ross has picked up up to now, and the salt water hinders therapeutic
He is consuming between 10,000 and 15,000 energy a day – with pasta and his new favorite Icelandic liquorice as menu staples – simply to maintain going.
“You’re basically running through all of that food – I’m constantly saying it’s basically just an eating competition with a bit of swimming thrown in,” he chuckles. “But that’s genuinely what it is.”
His common day – storms allowing – sees Ross getting up and swimming for six hours, resting for six hours, after which getting again within the water to swim one other six hours.
“You just do that on repeat. It’s really simple in theory, but brutal in reality.”
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Ross is protecting about 18 miles (30km) a day
To prepare for the cool Icelandic waters, Ross took inspiration from animals which have made it their dwelling for 1000’s of years: whales and seals.
“I ended up putting on about 10-15 kilos of just pure fat. A bit of muscle as well but a lot of fat.
“Whenever you have a look at what kind of animals survive in Iceland, there’s that concept of sea blubber. You need insulation, you need physique fats.”
Perhaps unlike a seal however, Ross takes great care to defend the reputation of the killer whales that hunt in Icelandic seas.
“We have seen rather a lot, pods of them have come by and checked me out, questioning what the unusual Englishman was doing in Icelandic waters, after which we went our separate methods.
“I want to combat some of the bad PR that orcas might have because there’s never been a verified case of an orca attacking a human in the wild. It just doesn’t exist.
“They’re superb animals that deserve our respect and should not be feared.”
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Ross again on board his assist boat after swimming
There’s additionally an enormous scientific focus for Ross’s problem as effectively.
“If we achieve this, it will achieve so much in terms of sports science – the first person to swim around Iceland. But that wasn’t a big enough reason to do it.”
Ross spoke to scientists who stated that if he was “crazy enough” to need to do the swim, he would have the ability to acquire day by day samples of environmental DNA within the water, in addition to ranges of microplastics.
“By the end we’re just going to have this map of biodiversity around the whole coast of Iceland in a level of detail we’ve never really seen before. It’s going to be so comprehensive.
“So I feel because the legacy of this swim, data and the whole lot will likely be good, however I really suppose the science and the analysis that we contribute and provides again will likely be unbelievable and truly make the chafing and dropping elements of my tongue price it.”
The swim is being paid for by a mixture of sponsorships and self-funding.
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The problem is anticipated to final round 4 months. Pic: James Appleton/BMW
Ross says he was impressed to tackle the problem partially by actor Chris Hemsworth and his position because the Norse god Thor, joking that the feat can be the closest factor to swimming round Asgard, the realm of the deities from historical Scandinavia.
As he makes his method across the island, he will get to satisfy a local people the place tales of Nordic gods are nonetheless an essential a part of life.
“It’s amazing, we’re just hearing these stories of Nordic folklore, sagas written about every single fjord we go around. It’s unbelievable.”
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Ross and his group relaxation on land between swims
Contemporary off one marathon swimming session, Ross and his group jumped into motion to assist the area people rescue 30 stranded whales.
“The team were absolutely exhausted… but having rescued the whales was the most rewarding moment as well.”
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A second of downtime on the boat. Pic: Ross Edgley/YouTube
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Ross set off on his swimming quest on 17 Might, and it is seemingly going to be a pair extra months earlier than he arrives again in Reykjavik.
He recommended that September is the aim, however added: “But you make plans and Iceland laughs at them.”
Image credit: Ross Edgley/YouTube
