Can you swim across bering strait

Can I do it? The Soviet delegation came into view. Cox reached the shore, but it was so rocky she couldn't get out on her own. One guy was putting his arm underneath me to steady me. People were throwing blankets and coats on top of me. I didn't understand anything at all, except they were saying 'welcome'. At the last minute, the Soviets had sent a top-level delegation, including KGB officials and sports stars.

They had even prepared a small beach party. They were ready to celebrate all afternoon, but I was standing there on the ice thinking, 'Oh boy, this is getting cold. Eventually, the Soviets let Cox go inside a tent to recover. A Soviet doctor, Rita Zakarova, covered Cox with hot-water bottles, put her in a sleeping bag, and then embraced her. For the American, the moment symbolised the entire trip. When President Gorbachev travelled to Washington to sign a nuclear weapons treaty later that year, he and President Reagan raised a glass to toast the swimmer.

You can download a podcast of the programme or browse the archive. Lynne Cox website. Quadruple amputee Philippe Croizon has successfully swam from Alaska to Russia, braving freezing waters and relying on paddle-like prosthetics to cut through the currents of the Bering Strait. The Frenchman, whose limbs were amputated after he suffered a freak 20, volt accident in , has now completed his quest to cross the waterways connecting the continents of Oceania, Asia, Europe, Africa, and America in his Intercontinental Straits Swimming Challenge.

Croizon donned multiple body suits on Saturday to combat the icy waters, about 39 degrees Fahrenheit 4 degrees Celsius , along with wild waters, with swells of 6 to 8 feet 1. Heavy fog made navigating difficult as well. Scroll down for video. La Victoire: Quadruple amputee Philippe Croizon right celebrated alongside his swimming partner Arnaud Chassery, their successful swim from Alaska to Russia.

Long distance swimmer, Arnaud Chassery, accompanied Croizon for the swim. American long-distance swimmer Lynne Cox was the first to swim the route in From America to Asia: The journey from Alaska's Little Diomede Island to the Russian maritime border near Big Diomede Island, measured about two miles and took the swimmer about an hour and 15 minutes. Croizon took on the swimming challenge to raise awareness of the abilities of handicapped people.

In May, the father-of-two completed the first part of the challenge swimming from Australia to Asia in a 12 mi 20 km journey from Papua New Guinea to Indonesia in seven-and-a-half hours. Then a month later, he crossed the Red Sea from Egypt to Jordan, for the Asia to Africa portion, over a distance of 12 mi 19 km in about 5 hours.

Preparing: Philippe Croizon left , and his swimming partner Arnaud Chassery right survey the waters from the Diomede Island, in Alaska on August 15, before their journey. Training: Philippe Croizon right and swimming partner Arnaud Chassery left on a beach in Alaska on August 11, train in the waters to prepare for Croizon's attempted crossing.

In July, he completed the 9 mi 14 km journey from Europe to Asia, swimming the Strait of Gibraltar, in over five hours. He is now heading to London to work as a radio and television commentator during the Paralympics.

The limbless Frenchman first attracted worldwide attention after swimming across the English Channel two years ago in a time of just over 13 hours. To achieve the swims he uses specially adapted artificial legs fitted with giant flippers. Wetsuit mishap: Croizon swum from Papua New Guinea to Indonesia in a customised wetsuit, pictured, but on the final journey, his specifically designed wetsuit for the arctic water did not fit and he was forced to wear a thin wetsuit in the icy water.

The former electrical engineer lost the use of his lower limbs 18 years ago at the age of 26 when he suffered 20, volt electric shocks while changing a TV aerial. It is believed the first shock stopped his heart beating, while the second actually jolted it back into action and saved his life. Over a period of several months surgeons attempted to save his limbs but were eventually forced to amputate his arms and legs.

After that, Croizon boarded one of the vessels and rode back to Little Diomede, he said. The expedition members remained on the rocky Alaska island Saturday but planned to fly to Anchorage when weather allowed, Gaviard said. After that, Croizon plans to travel to London to work as a radio and television commentator during the Paralympics, he said. Croizon, who was seeking to raise awareness of the abilities of handicapped people, is the second person to swim the Bering Strait from Alaska to Russian territory.

In , American long-distance swimmer Lynne Cox accomplished that feat for the first time.