Andy Donaldson: Ultramarathon swimmer makes an attempt document swim in Australian Ord River with giant crocodile inhabitants

Andy Donaldson, who already holds two world information in long-distance open water swims, is making an attempt the ‘dam to dam problem’, swimming from the highest of Lake Argyle to Kunnunurra.

He can be simply the second individual – and the primary man – to do it, with Simone Blaser finishing the swim in 16 hours and 13 minutes in 2024.

“This was never just about distance. It’s about preparation, precision, and adapting to whatever the river throws at you,” a put up printed this morning stated.

Donaldson started his swim at 5.30am native time right this moment, posting common updates on his social media pages.

He could be seen swimming within the river with a assist boat close by and a kayaker paddling alongside him for security causes.

This could possibly be helpful, because the river is populated by 1000’s of crocodiles.

While the big majority of those are freshwater crocodiles, that are timid and customarily innocent to people, there was a rise within the variety of saltwater crocodiles in river in recent times.

A 2019 survey discovered there have been round 2000 saltwater crocodiles within the river, and specialists imagine that quantity has grown.

Donaldson is not going to swim with a protecting cage, however stated the boat and kayaker alongside him had been measures they stated put in place.

“We don’t want to be reckless,” he advised AAP.

It can be his longest swim he has undertaken to this point, with a few of his world document makes an attempt, together with swimming between the south and north islands of New Zealand and circumnavigating Manhattan Island in New York City.

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