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West Australian swimmer Steven Junk goals to finish Ocean Seven problem

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Denmark’s Steven Junk was close by of land and his dream of swimming throughout the Irish Sea in 2019 when catastrophe struck.

The crossing would have been the last leg of the Ocean Seven, a gruelling assortment of ocean swims in among the world’s most treacherous waters. 

“I used to be inside two kilometres of Scotland, I bumped into a complete lot of jellyfish,” Dr Junk mentioned.

He mentioned he inhaled a few of them.

“I ended up with a collapsed lung, and I began sinking and I needed to be retrieved from the underside,” he mentioned.

The jellyfish had been lion’s mane, which might have tentacles as much as 10 metres lengthy. 

Dr Junk inhaled lion’s mane jellyfish whereas swimming.()

It was a tricky finish to years of labor to finish the seven ocean swims.

“After the final time, which was 4 years in the past, I believed ‘no, that is it’,” Dr Junk mentioned.

“I felt so dangerous, not bodily however mentally afterwards, but it surely crawls again into you.

“I’ve obtained to get this achieved and there is just one solution to do it, I’ve obtained to do it.”

Eyes on channel crossing

The 62-year-old mentioned he would return to the UK subsequent month to finish the North Channel crossing — a 35-kilometre stretch between Northern Eire and Scotland which takes about 12 hours to swim.

He thought-about giving up on the aim however the nagging drive to finish the seven returned.

The Ocean Seven consists of channel swims in 4 continents. 

“I’ve obtained this final one to do,” he mentioned.

“I am not a teen anymore, so I suppose I’ve obtained to, at some stage, put a line within the sand and say ‘sufficient is sufficient’. 

“However I am fairly assured that I can do it this time.”

If profitable, he would be the third Australian to finish the Ocean Seven.

Dr Junk, who has battled coronary heart issues and a stroke, mentioned he skilled 5 days every week at Greens Pool, on WA’s south coast, the place water temperatures virtually matched these of the Irish Sea.

Stephen Junk trains within the chilly waters at Greens Pool close to Denmark.()

Dr Junk helped rescue three males and recovered a fourth man’s physique on the vacationer hotspot in March final 12 months, an effort recognised with a bravery award in Might. 

He swims 5.5km for coaching in only a pair of swimming briefs and a cap.

No wetsuits are permitted within the unwritten guidelines of the Ocean Seven.

“You might be allowed to put on a swimming cap, and a pair of goggles, and Speedos, that is it,” he mentioned.

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