An explorer aiming to achieve two world records by swimming the world’s Seven Seas to visit locations his grandfather, who died with dementia, was fond of has passed the halfway mark.
Louis Alexander started the challenge on June 4 and has tackled 10km marathons in each of the “classical Seven Seas”, starting with the Red Sea in Egypt.
He has since made his way through the Arabian Sea in Oman, the Aegean Sea in Greece, and most recently, the Adriatic Sea in Italy on Saturday.
He told the PA news agency: “Crossing that halfway point felt like the first little achievement of the project and a small weight off my shoulders.
“Retracing (my grandfather’s) steps is a humbling thing, but it’s also been a very motivating thing because when things do get tough, it’s very easy to snap out of it when you realise, wow, this is actually where my granddad has spent time in the UN or in the military, or where he used to come on holidays with our family.
“To go there and hopefully fulfil that little dream for him – and hopefully he’s watching down – has been a real highlight.”
Other locations with sentimental connections include Oman, where Captain Taylor spent time when he was in the military.
The explorer is known for taking on mammoth challenges, including running seven marathons in the most remote corners of all seven continents in December, but said this current feat had been the “toughest”.
“It was so hot in the Red and Arabian seas – it was 40 degrees – and our GPS devices were dying, so we had to restart swims.”
The 24-year-old hopes to break two records – to become the youngest person to swim the classical Seven Seas, as well as to become the first person in history to run the seven continents and swim the Seven Seas.
He has been collecting evidence to verify these feats, including data from his runs, which he intends to send to Guinness World Records.
“On this adventure, I hope to represent all these people fighting to find a cure, whether that’s the researchers or the carers or nurses.”
Money raised from the challenge will go to Alzheimer’s Research UK and over the years, the explorer has raised more than £40,000 for the charity.
Some £800 has been donated to Mr Alexander’s fundraiser so far, which he said “means the world”.
The next swim – in the Black Sea in Turkey – is expected to take place next week, followed by marathons in the Mediterranean Sea in Spain and finally, the North Sea in Dover, sometime between mid to late July.
A support team – as well as his sponsor Thomas Franks – have been by his side throughout.
Mr Alexander’s fundraising page can be found at https://www.justgiving.com/page/thesevenseas
