-- Paul Ellis after Finishing
Cozumel-to-Cancun Swim for the Reef...40 miles
CANCUN, Mexico - August 5, 2004 - Paul Ellis, a 61-year-old Texas grandfather and college educator on a quest to draw world attention to the plight of the ocean and its coral reefs, completed the 35-mile “Swim for the Reef” between Cozumel and Cancun today, successfully becoming the oldest person to swim Mexico’s Yucatan Channel. But currents forced him to swim an extra five miles.
Ellis, who is chairman of Austin (TX) Business College, entered the Caribbean waters at 2 a.m. (CDT) and completed the swim at 4:34 p.m. (CDT). His swim, which has received international media attention, is to raise public awareness of the perils facing the world’s coral reefs and to recognize Mexican officials for their efforts to protect the Meso-American Reef.
The environmentalist, sports enthusiast and former U.S. Marine Corps veteran has dedicated himself to "inspiring millions of world citizens -- still uncommitted -- to get informed and to take action."
To prepare for the swim, Ellis had trained for four years and logged more than 4,000 miles swimming in the ocean, in Barton Springs Pool in Austin and in public swimming pools when flooding and pollution invaded his “natural” training areas. In the course of his arduous adventure, he worked with former Mexican Olympic swimmer Josh Ilika, a host of physicians, a number of scientists and a Cozumel-based divemaster – Sergio Sandoval -- who provided a 20-years record of Yucatan currents and weather conditions.
He spent more than $35,000 in personal funds to take on the "dangerous enterprise" -- sharks, jellyfish, currents, winds and even passing cruise ships and ferries with their dangerous wakes. The swim, 14 miles longer than an English Channel crossing, took him about 15 miles offshore and into water that is 4,000 feet deep.
The support team, which led him by spotlight during the dark hours, reported no close encounters with sharks or jellyfish. The currents were largely in his favor, and despite the rolling seas in the late hours, Mother Nature was largely cooperative. The final few miles, however, become a struggle as Ellis became psychologically disoriented. Noted Mexican distance swimmer Betty Sandoval entered the water and swam with him for a while until the mental stress passed.
While the swim was not sanctioned by the Federation Internationale de Natation (FINA), the worldwide, swimming sports governing organization, he did self-impose specific ground rules for his support team and the four boats that surrounded him on the arduous endeavor. His three sons, Colin, Paul Matthew and Tres, were alongside in a boat to help watch for menacing sharks and lightning, which might have signaled an exit from the water.
"It was worth every minute of the grueling preparation," said Ellis. "My mission, to get concerned world citizens to join an environmental organization and to work in their communities on behalf of clean water issues will continue long after the celebration has subsided." A list of organizations is listed on the web site www.swim4thereef.com.
We live in a time in which every living system on earth is in decline, and that rate of decline is accelerating, he has previously stated. Ellis agrees with others who contend, "We are losing our forests, fisheries, coral reefs, topsoil, water, biodiversity and climate stability. Our land, sea and air are being transformed from life-supporting systems into repositories for waste." He said, "We’ve lost more than 25% of the world's coral reefs. At the present rate of destruction, 60% of the world's coral reefs will be destroyed by 2034."
"I also want to recognize and encourage support of the organizations, foundations and citizens groups committed to preserving earth’s life-giving eco-systems. That includes the Mexican Government for its major success in implementing a National Marine Park off the Island of Cozumel and protecting the magnificent Palancar Reef in the park," he added.
In 2002, Ellis attempted to swim the Channel but was defeated by a sudden shift in weather conditions and a strong current that forced him to come out of the water after 11 hours. Following that effort, he began to view his first attempt not as a defeat but as a challenge. His resolve only grew stronger. Today, his courage, dedication and hard work are a model for community activists worldwide.
Brad Boyd, executive producer at Angel Productions in Lago Vista, Texas (angelproductions@earthlink.net) was in the water, too, capturing Ellis’ effort and compelling story for a documentary film on which he has worked for two years. Boyd is working with researchers from Duke University, the University of Texas at Austin, the Oceanic Conservation Organization, the Planetary Coral Reef Foundation and a growing list of other worldwide, committed environmental organizations to supplement Ellis’ story and to educate the public about the importance of the coral reef systems.
The Yucatan Channel swim is not the end of Ellis’ efforts, but only marks the beginning. He declared that he will continue to work to bring awareness to and policy change for protecting the world’s coral reefs, and personally invited everyone to join him in this serious cause, first by visiting the website www.swim4thereef.com and then by taking positive, decisive action.
FOR INFORMATION, INTERVIEWS OR SPONSORSHIPS:
Preston F. Kirk, APR, The Chrisman Group, Austin TX, 830-693-4447; ,
Jacque Chrisman, 512-423-8610;
|
