VINEYARD HAVEN, Mass. — British-South African endurance swimmer Lewis Pugh completed a historic swim around Martha’s Vineyard on Monday, covering roughly 60 miles (97 kilometers) over 12 days. He is the first person to swim completely around the island.
Pugh, 55, began the swim on May 15, spending several hours daily in the cold 47-degree (8 Celsius) water. His goal was to raise awareness about sharks, ahead of the 50th anniversary of the movie Jaws. Pugh wants to change the negative image of sharks, which the film portrayed as villains.
“We’ve been fighting sharks for 50 years,” Pugh said after finishing the last 1.2 miles (2 kilometers) at Edgartown Harbor Lighthouse, near where Jaws was filmed. “Now, we need to make peace with them.”
In total, Pugh swam about 24 hours over the 12 days. After finishing, he celebrated with fans and treated himself to ice cream.
Pugh described the swim as one of his toughest endurance challenges despite a nearly 40-year career that includes swimming near glaciers, volcanoes, and dangerous wildlife. He was the first person to swim across the North Pole and has completed long-distance swims in every ocean.
He expected the cold water, long distance, and the start of shark migration season to be difficult. But harsh weather, including strong winds and waves, was the greatest challenge. A nor’easter brought heavy rain and flooding to parts of New England and Martha’s Vineyard during his swim.
Some days, Pugh managed only about half a mile before the weather forced him to stop. Currents and limited visibility made navigation tough. “When you swim for 12 days, you leave as one person and come back as a different person,” he said.
Pugh wore only swim trunks, a cap, and goggles throughout, enduring cold and rough seas. He was supported by safety personnel in a boat and kayak, the latter using a “Shark Shield” device to repel sharks safely.
Pugh has been named a United Nations Patron of the Oceans and often swims to highlight environmental causes. He called the global killing of nearly 100 million sharks each year an “ecocide.” He stressed that protecting sharks is vital to ocean health.
The movie Jaws, filmed in Edgartown (called Amity Island in the film), sparked fear of sharks when it released in 1975. Both director Steven Spielberg and author Peter Benchley later expressed regret about this fear and supported shark conservation.
Pugh’s swim coincided with the New England Aquarium’s first confirmed white shark sighting of the season near Nantucket. However, Pugh did not see any sharks during his swim. He did spot sunfish, seals, and terns.
After the swim, Pugh plans to visit New York to discuss shark conservation before returning home to Plymouth, England. He emphasized the need to bring his message to policymakers.
