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First Swim Across The Red Sea

LEWIS PUGH COMPLETES WORLD’S FIRST SWIM ACROSS THE RED SEA

• Wednesday 13.00 Hurghada Egypt. Lewis Pugh successfully completed his 123km swim across the Red Sea from Saudi Arabia to Hurghada, Egypt
• Pugh's swim across the Red Sea is a world first
• Pugh swam across the Red Sea to highlight the impact of climate change on coral reefs, which support essential biodiversity, ahead of the UN Climate Conference (COP27) in Sharm el-Sheikh
• The Red Sea is home to some of the world's most biodiverse coral reefs, and the most resistant to climate change
• The purpose of the swim was to highlight the speed of the Climate Crisis ahead of COP27, where Pugh will urge all nations to drastically cut their emissions
• Pugh is also calling for at least 30% of the world’s oceans to be protected by 2030
• During the 16-day swim Pugh swam over iconic coral reefs and also crossed one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world in the Gulf of Suez

 

26 October 2022, Red Sea – Endurance swimmer and UNEP Patron of the Oceans Lewis Pugh has completed the world’s first swim across the Red Sea. Pugh swam from Saudi Arabia to Hurghada, Egypt. He swam to highlight the vulnerability of coral reefs due to the accelerating Climate Crisis.

The swim was timed to coincide with COP27, where world leaders will gather at Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt for the UN Climate Conference. There, Pugh will be urging all nations to drastically cut their emissions, to tackle the Climate Crisis and protect the world’s oceans. He will also call for at least 30% of the world’s oceans to be protected by 2030.

The Red Sea Swim

Lewis left from Saudi Arabia, on 11 October and reached Hurghada, Egypt on 26 October.

Pugh completed the 123-km swim in 16 days, swimming between 6km and 12km per day.

The swim took Lewis over some of the world’s most famous coral reefs. When he rounded the southernmost point of the Sinai Peninsula at Ras Mohammed National Park, he described the sea life as spectacular. "There's arid desert as far as the eye can see," Pugh said, "but under the water, life explodes!"

Pugh also swam past Sharm el-Sheikh, where world leaders will gather for COP27 between 6 and 18 November.

Pugh says the most challenging part of the swim was crossing the Gulf of Suez, when sea conditions became very challenging.

“In all my years of swimming, I’ve never experienced anything like this. There were hazards coming at me from every angle. Extreme heat, high winds, big waves, sharks, oil tankers and container ships. I had to fight for every metre.”

The high winds and angry seas persisted until the end of the swim.

For the last section of his swim Lewis swam over a coral archipelago and finished at Hurghada at 2pm on 26 October.

Pugh will hold a press conference in Cairo on Thursday 27 October.

 

Coral in Crisis

 

Coral reefs support 25% of all ocean life and are the most biologically diverse ecosystem on Earth.

 

"If we lose our coral reefs, we will not just drive many thousands of species into extinction, we will lose an entire ecosystem, on which we depend. This would be unprecedented in human history. Coral reefs are the nurseries of our oceans, and home to some of the most incredible life on earth. I refuse to accept that we could lose them in my lifetime," says Pugh.

 

Every fraction of a degree matters

Pugh is known for swimming in some of the coldest waters on the planet. Now he has swum in some of the world's warmest.

"I've been swimming in the world's oceans for 35 years, and during that time I've seen them change dramatically," Pugh says. "The biggest changes I've seen are in the Polar Regions, and in coral reefs. Both are affected by rising temperatures: the poles are melting, and the coral is dying," says Pugh. "Ice and coral are the Ground Zeros of the Climate Crisis. These changes are happening before our very eyes; as evidence of global warming, they are indisputable."

Scientists warn that if we heat our planet by more than 1.5° C, we will lose 70% of the world's coral reefs. If we heat it by 2°C, 99% of coral reefs will die. We are currently on track for at least a 2.2°C increase.

UN Secretary General António Guterres calls the Climate Crisis "a code red for humanity".

“Coral reefs are the barometers that illustrate clearly what happens when we heat our planet,” says Pugh. "Every fraction of a degree now matters."

 

 

The Last Reef?

Half the world’s coral reefs are believed to have died since the 1950s due to warming sea temperatures, combined with overfishing, pollution and reef disturbance. Researchers have found that the coral in the Red Sea is more resilient to warming and acidification than coral in other places, such as the Great Barrier Reef, where bleaching events are increasingly common.

If temperatures continue to rise as predicted, the coral of the Red Sea could be the last surviving coral on earth, so it is imperative that we protect it.

 

Local Swimmers

During the Red Sea Swim, Lewis was joined by swimmers from both Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

"I always envisioned the Coral Swim as a gathering of swimmers from the region coming together to protect the Red Sea," says Pugh.

 

On the first three days of the swim, Lewis was joined in the water by Dr Mariam Saleh Bin Laden, a pioneering open-water swimmer and passionate humanitarian from Saudi Arabia. Mariam swam 9km across the Straits of Saudi Arabia becoming the first Arab, first Saudi, and first woman to swim from Saudi Arabia to Egypt.  

On Day 3, Egyptian swimmer Dr Mostafa "Zodiac" Zaki joined the swim. Pugh commented: “Mostafa played such a crucial role in this swim. He drove me forward and kept me motivated in the most difficult sea conditions. Every day, he jumped in the water and powered his way through big waves, with a massive smile on his face.”

Of swimming with Lewis, Mostafa says: “Lewis is truly a role model. Swimming stroke by stroke next to the UNEP Patron of the Oceans in the Red Sea is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It is unforgettable. Every day I’m learning from him, about swimming and about life.”

 

Lewis Pugh Foundation and HEPCA

On the Red Sea Swim the Lewis Pugh Foundation has partnered with HEPCA – the Hurghada Environmental Protection and Conservation Association. HEPCA is a network of scientists, professional divers, industry experts and community members, all passionate and pro-active about protecting the resources of the Red Sea.

HEPCA are calling for the Great Fringing Reef of the Egyptian Red Sea to be declared a multiple-use protected area. There is clear scientific evidence that the Great Fringing Reef, which is characterized by high resilience and tolerance to climate change, could be the last refuge for coral reefs worldwide.

One of HEPCA's projects is to reduce the pressure on the coral reefs around Hurghada, where the number of dives at some sites has reached more than 200,000 annually (the recommended carrying capacity is 5,000 - 22,000 dives in a single dive spot). 

 

Marine Protected Areas and COP27

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) make the oceans more resilient to climate change. At the UN Climate Conference (COP27) in Sharm el Sheikh this November, Lewis will also call for at least 30% of the world’s oceans to be protected by 2030, stressing to world leaders the role healthy oceans play in mitigating against the Climate Crisis.

He will ask them to move beyond long-term commitments toward immediate urgent action.

Following completion of the swim, Lewis will travel to Cairo and London for media interviews, before attending COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh.