Notable long-distance swimmer Oly Rush, who is considering taking on another extraordinary challenge, may find himself back in Cayman circumnavigating the Sister Islands.
In 2022, Rush swam for 36 hours around Grand Cayman – a feat that earned him a spot in the 2024 edition of Guinness World Records and prompted a documentary that premiered on the Waterbear Network earlier this month.
But now, to help spread more awareness of the growing issue of plastic pollution, the English eco-campaigner is ready for another gruelling adventure.
Rush intends to double the time he spent in Cayman’s waters unassisted with a nerve-wracking swim that could see him break another record.
“I’m looking to swim 150 kilometres, for the longest non-tidal-assisted open-water swim ever,” Rush told the Compass. ‘Project 150’ will aim to see me swim 150km, non-stop, for around 65hrs/70hrs.”
Rush noted that he has begun training ahead of confirming the location for his next epic swim but added that his ‘Project 150’ attempt could potentially happen late this year or, more realistically, in 2026.
Among the locations he is mulling are the Sister Islands which he said he would loop between.
“We are looking at all sorts of different options, including the Little Cayman [and] Cayman Brac loop, 1.5 times around Grand Cayman and even multiple loops of Necker Island, Richard Branson’s Caribbean island,” Rush said.
“Whatever the location ends up being, the swim will push beyond what is thought humanly possible.”
In 2022, when Rush swam 65 miles around Grand Cayman, he endured many injuries during and after the swim, from dehydration to sharp pains in his shoulder.
But his desire to bring awareness to the dangers of plastic pollution outweighed any concern for attempting to swim that distance or the longer effort he is now contemplating.
“It will take mental strength that will need to come from a measurable impact that the swim will have,” Rush said.
Efforts in vain?
While Rush fights to reduce plastic pollution on a broader scale, his efforts in Cayman seem to have fallen on deaf ears despite a government promise to tackle that issue following his swim in 2022 – something he is disappointed by.
“We are still yet to see the single-use plastic ban that Plastic Free Cayman have been fighting so hard for, and that we were promised after ‘The Grand Swim’ in 2022.”
Last year, government announced that legal changes were being drafted to restrict the import of small grocery check-out bags, straws, stir sticks and chopsticks made of plastic, as well as polystyrene cups and clamshell containers.
However, those regulations have not gone into effect and seemingly will be a matter for the next administration to take up with the election on the horizon.
Making a difference
Even though he is disappointed over the lack of government action, he said that won’t lessen his motivation, and hopes that people slowly see the importance of protecting the environment, especially in Cayman, which he has grown to love.
He admitted, however, that if he is to come back and challenge himself to swim nearly 100 miles, he would need more than just training.
“It will require some big planning and teamwork; whoever backs the swim will need to be aligned with our values on protecting this fragile planet we live on. If we can’t find the right sponsor then the swim won’t happen, and that would be a shame.
“We don’t have much time on this planet, our lives fly by. If I can put that time to good use while I’m here for this journey, then I can rest easy at the end knowing I made a difference.”
Related Videos
