Diana Nyad's epic attempt is taking her through shark and jellyfish infested waters
What are your plans for today? Chances are good that they don't include attempting to swim solo from Cuba to Florida. That's just what 62-year-old Diana Nyad is doing right now, however, and you can follow her adventure at sea as it happens via Twitter.
Nyad, who previously attempted the swim when she was 29, is being followed by teams in support boats who are chronicling her progress using social media. In addition to Twitter updates, they're providing more detailed accounts of her swim via her blog, which features photos and a real-time Google map of her current location.
The route for her swim takes her through areas known to be inhabited by sharks and jellyfish, and Nyad has already suffered a couple of jellyfish stings. According to her Twitter feed, the latest hurdle in Nyad's "Xtreme Dream" swim has come in the form of a strong squall that blew her off course and potentially damaged the GPS unit she was wearing.
Nyad's currently about 38 miles into her swim, which was originally pegged for 103 miles in all. The dangers she's encountering, along with pollution on the ocean's surface, are forcing her to take a longer route that passes further into the Gulf of Mexico. If she continues facing delays, she'll actually turn 63 while she's still out at sea.
[Image credit: Diana Nyad]
This article was written by Randy Nelson and originally appeared on Tecca
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