"Fish Man" Starts Amazon River Swim

ATALAYA, Peru: A Slovenian man named Martin Strel has set off on a swim down the entire length of the Amazon River in the name of "peace, friendship and clean waters."

Mr. Strel's began his perilous journey on February 1, 2007 in Atalaya, Peru and hopes to reach Belem, Brazil on the continent's east coast by April 11.

Known as the "fish man" Mr. Strel, 52, has already conquered the Yangtze, Mississippi and Danube rivers. If his current swim is completed he will become the first person to swim the entire length of the Amazon and will add another personal log in the Guinness Book of World Records.

His expedition will cover 3,375 miles of dangerous waters. The Amazon is the world's largest river and home to red-bellied piranha, crocodiles, stingrays, bull sharks and snakes of all shapes and sizes.

The infamous toothpick fish, or candiru, lives here as well. Known as the "vampire of Brazil", the candiru is a tiny parasite-like creature that finds its host through the tiniest of body orifices, the urinary tract being its favorite. There it attaches itself to the unfortunate host's inner tissues and can only be removed by surgery.

The Amazon's waters are a treacherous, ever-changing path of whirlpools and unpredictable currents. Heavy rains in the Andes could also fill the waters with flotsam, washed down in tremendous waves.

Mr. Strel acknowledges the risks but says the endeavor is his dream. He told the BBC "I'm concerned of course, but if I think of that stuff I would never jump into the water."

The swimmer will be accompanied by a team of more than 45 people, among them doctors and trainers. In preparation for an attack from wildlife, the team is equipped with buckets of animal blood to be poured overboard and distract predators. Several team members are carrying firearms to fend off larger animals.

Mr. Strel will average about 50 miles per day wearing a wet suit and slathered in Vaseline. He'll sleep between 3 and 4 hours per night on one of the three excursion support boats followed by morning massage and medical treatment.

Part of his marathon swim routine includes his favorite Slovenian red wine of which 70 bottles are included in the 3 month expedition supplies on board.

Heavy downpour marked the start of the swimmer's journey and locals told him the "jungle is crying because you are leaving." The Amazon basin is at the start of its rainy season and the river is at flood stage and rising.

The flooded river is most dangerous where tributaries meet. A week into the journey, the team will reach the confluence of the Ucayali and Pachitea rivers, the first major obstacle and a spot known to overturn even large boats.

Mr. Strel started the journey with confidence in his back-up team and the meticulous preparation efforts, planning and training that have spanned two years.

Mr. Strel has already encountered a six foot Lagarto Alligator while swimming near a muddy bank. He completed 62 miles on his first day of swimming which ended alongside an elusive freshwater dolphin whose pink fin broke the river surface and accompanied the swimmer downstream.

The expedition is being broadcast live on Martin Strel's website.

Sources:

Tom Leonard "'Fish man' sets off on swim down Amazon" The Daily Telegraph, February 2, 2007. URL: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/02/02/wswim02.xml

"Marathon swimmer takes on Amazon" BBC News, February 1, 2007. URL: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6319909.stm

Martin Strel official website www.amazonswim.com February 2, 2007.