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Ross Edgley Becomes First to Swim 1,000 Miles Around Iceland

The four-month effort doubled as a daily ocean-health sampling mission.

Overview

  • He set off from Reykjavik on 17 May and returned on Monday at 5:09 pm UK time to complete the circumnavigation.
  • He averaged about 30 km of swimming per day in near-freezing waters while consuming roughly 10,000–15,000 calories for insulation and energy.
  • Prolonged saltwater exposure damaged his tongue, and he described close but uneventful encounters with pods of orcas.
  • Working with scientists, he collected daily environmental DNA and microplastic data, including contributions to the EU Bioprotect project.
  • The finish in Reykjavik drew supporters and praise from actor Chris Hemsworth, with a support yacht and on-shore team assisting throughout.