Land's End to John O'Groats swimmer Jasmine Harrison is delayed at Lochinver as tides and weather work against her
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A long-distance swimmer who hopes to become the first woman to swim the length of Britain from Land’s End to John O’ Groats, spent the best part of yesterday ashore in Lochinver.
Jasmine Harrison, from Thirsk in North Yorkshire, was kept from taking to the water by bad weather and tide times, but intended to start out on the next lap of her 900-mile swim yesterday evening.
The 22-year-old swimming teacher set out on her epic journey on July 1 - the swim has previously only been completed by two other people, both men.
She is fundraising for environmental charity Surfers Against Sewage because she says “they do fantastic work for UK water quality”.
Jasmine has already made the record books as the youngest woman to row solo across the Atlantic.
She completed the 3,000 mile crossing from the Canary Islands to Antigua in February 2021, having spent 70 days at sea.
“I have always been a swimmer and not a rower, so to me this (the long distance swim) is more possible than the Atlantic row - although more challenging in many different ways,” she said.
In an interview with BBC Radio York yesterday, Jasmine said the time spent in the north-west Sutherland port had given her and her support crew the opportunity to catch up on a number of chores.
“We had a full day of sorting the boat out and fixing things, including our outboard which had been broken,” she said. “Everything is now clean and we are re-provisioned.”
Jasmine swims about a mile from shore and has been averaging around one mile an hour, completing some ten miles a day but hopes to increase that to between 10 and 20 miles a day.
There have been a number of challenges during the journey so far including encounters with sharks and jellyfish and crossing ferry lanes.
But one of the biggest challenges has been the change of seasons bringing colder and damper weather.
“It is very cold and the water temperature is something else,” she said. “And with the rain now, nothing dries and my wetsuit is always wet and I get cold immediately. You struggle to stay in the water for six hours when you are cold.”
She added: “Also the whole boat got the flu. It started with one person and he passed it and it went through everyone.
“I had it a couple of days ago and it knocked me down for 24 hours. I am still suffering from flem and snot.”
She has another 120 miles to go before reaching John O’ Groats and estimates it will take her up to a fortnight.
Click here to track Jasmine’s progress and here to make a donation.
