Buckets of blood readied for Amazon swim

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070119/...swimmer_amazon

Quote:

LIMA (Reuters) - Few would even dare swim the Amazon river bank to bank but Slovenian Martin Strel plans to swim 3,375 miles down the world's greatest river, defying piranhas, snakes, crocodiles and even sharks.

Buckets of animal blood will be loaded onto support boats to distract flesh-eating fish and reptiles during the 52-year-old's 70-day odyssey -- which would break his own world length record for a swim.

Strel starts on February 1 in Peru's jungle town of Atalaya and hopes to finish on Brazil's Atlantic coast on April 11.

Towards the end of his journey "for world peace and environment," Strel will face another challenge -- a tidal bore, or wave, about 13 feet high, known as the Pororoca.

"It is very dangerous. It is great for surfing but it's bad for swimmers," Strel told Reuters in a telephone interview from Slovenia, where the holder of various Guinness Book records for swimming the Danube in Europe, the Mississippi in the United States and the Yangtze in China, is preparing for his swim.

This journey down the world's most voluminous river will be nearly 1,500 km (930 miles) longer than the Yangtze swim -- his current world record set in 2004.

"Yangtze is a very dangerous river for swimmers, but the Amazon is also home to some of the most poisonous and dangerous and ferocious animals, fish and insects... I'm going to swim that river or die trying. But dying is not my intention."

He says on his Web site that he has "a dream" -- proving to the world that nothing is impossible and that the world can one day live in peace.

"I've always been swimming for peace and friendship. I decided to dedicate the Amazon swim also to the preservation of the rain forest and clean waters," he said.

Strel will keep the surrounding water as clean as possible during his journey. Urinating in the water can attract the feared candiru, or toothpick fish, that likes to swim into body orifices, erect a spine and start feeding on blood and tissue.

A wetsuit and a special cream should protect him from these, as well as electric eels and snakes. There are still fresh-water stingrays, vicious piranhas and aggressive bull sharks, which travel far up the river from the Atlantic.

"My escort boats will carry all the time buckets of fresh blood to pour in the water in case the piranhas or other fish attack me," Strel said with a thick Slovenian accent.

A team of around 20 people, including doctors and river guides from Europe, the United States and Latin America will escort Strel in three boats, including the main boat once used by French oceanographer Jacques Cousteau. The expedition costs over $1 million (507,000 pounds) and relies on sponsors.

Strel plans to swim for 11-12 hours a day, resting on the boat at night. "I'll sleep around 3-4 hours, then it's massage, doctors working on pains and so on," Strel said.

The feat will be broadcast live over the Internet (www.amazonswim.com) and California-based firm Self Pictures will shoot a documentary called "Big River Man."

Born in the former communist Yugoslavia, Strel became a professional marathon swimmer in 1978. "As a young boy I was beaten a lot by my parents and schoolmasters. This no doubt contributed greatly to my ability to ignore pain and endure," he says on his Web site.

Wow. I mean seriously... wow. He'll be swimming 3,375 miles! With dangerous animals everywhere about him... he wont even be able to pee without possible dangers occuring! Buckets of blood? What happens if the blood drifts to where he is?

Does anyone else find this particularly amazing? Or is he just insane?

Jam it back in, in the dark.

This is crazy. Personally, I don't think there's any way he'll succeed and I'll be surprised if he makes it past the half-way mark with all of his limbs in tact. Nature has a way of circumventing human ingenuity with pure instinct, so I doubt the buckets of blood will fool predators forever.

Quote:

As a young boy I was beaten a lot by my parents and schoolmasters. This no doubt contributed greatly to my ability to ignore pain and endure

PFFT. I was beaten as a young boy too. I really don't think the tolerance to pain I built up is enough to stand an attack from crocodiles.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

That is pretty insane. If he makes it, I will be shocked, if not, then I won't.

That has got to be the most evil river in the world.

Most amazing jew boots

Holy crap, why would you want to do that? I mean, he holds the record already. I guess it's a feat that is unlikely would be equalled, but it just seems like the risks outweigh the benefits.

How ya doing, buddy?

I don't think any sane person would do that. He probably gets more of a kick out of the dangers of it than swimming "for a dream". Who would honestly take a risk with creatures that lodge themselves into your body orifices and then drain your vitality. I thought piranhas were the worst but looks like there are stranger creatures, and I don't just mean the animals.

I was speaking idiomatically.

THats just rediculous. I dont think he'll hend up making it out of that alive.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Candiru are scary, scary creatures. It's not without reason that they're called vampire fish. The thought of a fish swimming up my urethra and beginning to EAT MY INSIDES makes me cringe.

FELIPE NO

Holy Jesus, 3,375 miles. That's a greater distance than from my house to California.

One thing that astounds me is that dumping buckets of blood into the river will DISCOURAGE fish from frenzy around him. You dump blood in the river, won't that attract them? And in a shark's case, wouldn't that encourage them to ATTACK him, where they think he is WOUNDED?

Man. This doesn't sound like a very good idea, but it's his life he's endangering. It's for a good cause, if you ask me - though incredibly cliched.

I should like to know if the man dies trying. ;_;

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

From the sounds of it, Sass, they'll be dumping the blood away from him... like on one side of the river when he's on the other, so that they'll all swim that way. Still... I'm wondering if he'll make it. I cant swim 2 laps without getting winded. This guy must be BUFF.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I'll likely follow this story since I'm amazed that he's willing to swim that distance in a dangerous environment. He's taking a big risk, and I'm not sure he'll make it.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I hope he makes it, or atleast lives to tell about the attempt.

Most amazing jew boots

So if he dies doing this, does that mean world peace is impossible?

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Well, if the guy survives doing this crazy shit, then great for him. Kinda sounds like russian roulette to me.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Woah talk about living life to the fullest o_0 I'll have to remember to watch this when it happens, looks like it's going to be epic.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Quote:

Born in the former communist Yugoslavia, Strel became a professional marathon swimmer in 1978. "As a young boy I was beaten a lot by my parents and schoolmasters. This no doubt contributed greatly to my ability to ignore pain and endure," he says on his Web site.

Getting beaten up and disciplined is one thing, but getting eaten alive by creatures that will never hold back is another.

I'm hoping this guy will come out in one piece. The Amazon is a dangerous river. Best of luck to him.

FELIPE NO

Wow. I'm sure he could swim it if it weren't for all the wildlife.
That will be dangerous. Not to mention all the parasites and deseases...
Well I wish him luck.

Most amazing jew boots

20 bucks says he won't make it 1/4 of the way

edit - 1/100

Jam it back in, in the dark.

This guy is nuts. I'm pulling for him all the way.

How ya doing, buddy?

This guy is batshite nuts....no way would I want anything swimming up any pactualr hole of mine.

Eragh, just the thought of that is making my stomach feel wierd.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

He's gonna die and create headlines.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Bleh, what a brave (stupid?) man. It's an...emphatic way to die, I'll give him that. He'll definitely make headlines; I'm guessing that was one of his several goals here.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by nabhan

Candiru are scary, scary creatures. It's not without reason that they're called vampire fish. The thought of a fish swimming up my urethra and beginning to EAT MY INSIDES makes me cringe.

*looks down and shivers*

Cecil Adams of the Straight Dope reported on the surgical removal of a candiru from a man that survived an attack by the fish. The deceased fish was measured to be 134mm (5 1/2 inches) in length. The fish entered the victim's urethra while he urinated, "with his penis out of the water yet close to it." - Wikipedia....

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Holy crap that would hurt. Maybe he should wear a cup or something lol.

FELIPE NO

Quote:

The expedition costs over $1 million (507,000 pounds) and relies on sponsors.

It just seems to me... the money could be better spent... towards world peace....

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

I would have to say he is definetely pushing his body to the absolute distance. Despite the ridiculous distance he has to swim, we're dealing with some of the most dangerous wildlife in the entire world. I'm not really surprised that someone would attempt this though. I guess as human beings they have to try to attempt dangerous things just to prove we can do it and all.

Its nice to know that he is doing this to promote world peace but I'm guessing he wants to do something that no other human being has ever atempted. Even if he does successfully complete this it won't be too long before someone else tries to attempt something incredibly insane to show that it can be done.

Its just selfish human nature we have to do everything and have a reason why everything in the worlds happens in a particular way.

How ya doing, buddy?