In July 2007 Lewis Pugh became the first person to complete a long distance swim at the Geographic North Pole. The swim, in water ranging in temperature between minus 1.7ºC and 0ºC (29F and 32F) took 18 minutes and 50 seconds to complete.
“It was by far the hardest swim I have undertaken! I undertook the swim in a large lead (a crack in the ice) to highlight the devastating effects of climate change in the Arctic. Over the past few years there has been a dramatic reduction in the extent and thickness of the sea ice in the Arctic Ocean.
There could be little summer sea ice in the Arctic within a decade. With these changes will likely go an entire swath of species from the polar bear to the bowhead whale. More seriously, the warming will trigger melting of permafrost and release huge volumes of methane into the atmosphere.”
“Arctic sea ice and our oceans are vital for people, for wildlife and for the climate. During my expeditions I have seen significant changes to our environment. The North-East Atlantic Environment Summit must ensure that we restore our oceans and live in harmony with our planet and each other.”
Lewis Gordon Pugh is an environmental campaigner, maritime lawyer and swimmer. He recently undertook the first swim across the North Pole to draw global attention to the melting of the Arctic sea ice. He also swam the width of the Maldives to raise awareness about the effect of rising sea levels on low lying islands. In 2010, he will swim in a lake on Mount Everest, raising awareness and inspiring action to limit global warming.