A 23-year-old has become the first woman in the world to swim from Land’s End to John O’Groats.
After three-and-a half months of swimming, Jasmine Harrison from Thirsk, North Yorkshire completed the difficult 900-mile swim on Tuesday.
It is approximately equivalent to swimming 58,000 metres in a 25m-long pool.
A swimming instructor and motivational speaker, the swimmer holds a world record as the youngest woman to cross the Atlantic solo in February 2012.
Jasmine Harrison is already the youngest woman to cross the Atlantic as a rower (Simon Price of FirstPix/PA).
Battling thousands of jellyfish, being followed by a shark and swimming into a live military exercise, Ms Harrison swam between four and 12 hours a day after first entering the water at Land’s End in western Cornwall on July 1.
These swims were often broken into two separate shifts and then she would eat or sleep in her support vessel.
Her longest swim was 12 hours, and the maximum distance swum in any one shift was 14 nautical miles – about 16 miles – with 27 nautical miles (31 miles) being the most she covered in one day.
And the world record holder’s top speed during the trip was an impressive 16.1mph.
Much of Ms Harrison’s swimming took place at night, during which, on one occasion, she was approached by a large whale that lurked one metre below her, she said.
However, that was not the only interaction she had with the sea creatures.
This expert swimmer was repeatedly stung by jellyfish multiple times on her feet, hands and face.
Ms Harrison used to wear a neoprene hood made of a swimming hood to protect the face. It did help, but it didn’t stop small jellyfish from entering her mouth.
A basking shark was close behind her as she swam through the Corryvreckan Gulf in Scotland’s whirlpools. She also passed under the Skye Bridge, where she swam alongside seals, whales, and dolphins.
Ms Harrison acknowledged the beauty of the scenery, but said that there were also mental and physical obstacles.
First, the water was extremely cold. In some places, she also encountered busy shipping lanes.
One of the most alarming moments was when she was swimming while live rounds flew overhead during Exercise Joint Warrior. This was the largest European military exercise involving the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. It was taking place in Cape Wrath, north-west Scotland.
She also suffered from severe chafing in her wetsuit. “salt mouth”A condition that causes skin to be removed from the throat and tongue, making it difficult to swallow.
Her mental challenges included consistent effort despite the fact that she only swam a short distance.
Ms Harrison was unable to travel three miles in six hour on the Bristol Channel. This, she claimed, was mentally difficult.
The world record-holder spoke out after the challenge. “From the moment I first dived into the water to finally reaching dry land again, this has been a truly epic experience.
“From all the jellyfish to the constant cold and chafing from my wetsuit, it’s been really tough, but at the time it was also incredibly rewarding.”
The intrepid swimmer would also manage the logistics of her trip (refuelling crew changes, boat management, and crew changes) when she wasn’t swimming.
She followed a regular diet all through, but she also added “plenty of chocolate bars.”
Ms Harrison is a Girlguiding North Yorkshire North East county ambassador. She said that she took on the challenge to not only inspire others but also to support two charities: Sea Shepherd UK (a marine conservation charity whose goal it is to save the ocean habitats) and Surfers Against Sewage (a charity working to clean up the UK’s coasts).
“This challenge has further inspired me to work with organisations driven by protecting the environment and I hope too that by doing this I have inspired others and shown that when you put your mind to something, anything is possible and you can overcome any obstacles that are put in your way,”She spoke.
Ms Harrison completed the record-breaking adventure at 4.43pm on Tuesday, before receiving a warm welcome back on land by her dog Bonnie and her parents, Susan and Keith, at John O’Groats.
After swimming the length of Britain in three months, Ms Harrison was accompanied by Bonnie her dog (Simon Price/Firstpix/PA).
She also added: “I am looking forward to relaxing, getting a good night’s sleep, spending time with my dog and then getting out to share my story to help inspire others.”
Only two people have swum Land’s End to John O’Groats to date – Ross Edgley, who owns the record for being the first and the fastest Brit to do it in 61 days in 2018, and Sean Conway who also completed it in 2013.