FREEDIVER MikeWells has relived his swim through a 120-metre undersea tunneloff the New South Wales north coast, on a single breath.
The39-year-old freediver held his breath for 2minutes and 40 seconds it took to navigate the length of Fish RockCave.
Apparently, it was the first time anyone had done it without using SCUBA.
Fish Rock Cave, on the mid NSW Coast, is a popular but notoriously hazardous dive spot. Dark and tortuously twisted with an ocean surge that sweeps through the narrow chambers, it is a challenge for any diver.
It also has the thrill of being a regular shark haunt.
According to Australian newspaper, after abandoning his first bid to swim the cave at the end of July,Wells returned with a Nine Network television crew but had to give uphis second and third attempts in early August due to cramp.
But he persevered and finally succeeded at his fourth attemptdespite his mono-fin becoming wedged in a rock near the end of thetunnel – in a section called The Chimney.
“Everything went perfect; the warm-up dives were beautiful, there was sunshine, everything felt good,” he told Nine’s 60 Minutes program.
Wells reported that his fin got jammed during the swim and he was freed by his son Jeremy.
“I could see the light at the end of the tunnel, literally, so I just (put my) head down and went to work, just keep swimming. I shot out the cave and saw the light and I was off. I was going for the surface like a bull at the gate.”, said Wells to the Herald (Australia)
Wells took on the challenge to help raise money for the Australian Marine Conservation Society.
Image from Times Online (UK)
