DURING FEB 1 - APR 08, 2007 MARTIN STREL SWAM 5,268 KMS (3274 MILES) OF THE AMAZON RIVER! HE DEDICATED THE SWIM TO THE PROTECTION OF THE RAINFOREST. |
Crawling Home
The winds were light and the almost full moon would come in and out of shrouds of clouds, filtering purplish light out over the rippling waters. We did the majority of the swim without the aid of any artificial light. Although the night was perfect, the swimming went terribly. We watched as Martin’s glowing red neon marker zigzagged back and forth constantly. He couldn’t hold a straight line nor stay with the escort boat, sometimes disregarding our navigational signals to swim off in his own direction. After only 11 km, he finally took our advice and quit for the night. “I’ve had enough. I just want to finish and go home,” he told us. Borut and I had to pull him back onto the boat and assist him into the Cassiquiari and to his room, where he immediately passed out in his wet shorts.
We’ve decided to postpone our arrival into Belem until Sunday.
>> Matthew Mohlke
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