„I am Lithuanian, having swum across the Catalina Channel!!! – J.Narkevičius wrote on Facebook on Tuesday.
– 21 hours 28 minutes. That’s how long it took me to swim about 34 km (with currents it was much more) across the Pacific Ocean from Catalina Island to the California coast. But this number means much more to me than just time. I gave my all to this swim.
Over the past four months, preparing for this challenge, I swam more than 600 kilometers during training. Hundreds of hours in the water, training in the cold, fatigue, early mornings, and days when my body begged to stop.
But I knew why I was doing all this.
The Catalina Channel is one of the most famous open water swims in the world and one of the Ocean’s Seven channels, which is the second on my list.“
According to the Lithuanian, he entered the water at night and spent 8–9 hours in complete darkness.
I gave my all to this swim.
„Around me – only the Pacific Ocean. Beneath me – the unknown, – shared J.Narkevičius.
– At first, the water was about 22 degrees warm, but after about three hours the temperature dropped to 19–17 degrees and stayed that way for most of the swim.
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The whole way I had to fight against unfavorable currents that didn’t allow me to swim straight to the shore.
Sharks circled around the boat. The fin of one shark was even filmed by the team accompanying me. There were jellyfish and other ocean creatures, but the biggest battle was always with the cold, currents, fatigue, and my own thoughts.
There were moments when it seemed the shore would never get closer.
Sharks circled around the boat.
But I swam. Hour after hour. Kilometer after kilometer. Until the very end. And finally, the California coast appeared before my eyes.
I conquered the channel on the second try.
The first attempt didn’t stop me. It only showed how much more I have inside me. That’s why this finish is not just about 34 kilometers.
It’s about 600+ kilometers of training over the past 4 months.
About the second attempt. About the night in the ocean. About the cold, currents, sharks, and jellyfish. About fear and fatigue.
And most importantly – about the decision not to give up.
Thanks to my beloved family – without your support, it wouldn’t have been possible.
Thanks to my team – Jurgis and Nikolai – without your support, I wouldn’t have swum across.“
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