Local swimmer Brendan Cullen kicks off his swim across the English Channel to the French coastline in the next few days, weather permitting.
Mr Cullen travelled to the United Kingdom, where he will swim 34km across the Channel in below 20 degrees celsius water from Dover.
He initially expected to begin swimming on July 28.
Yesterday the sea temperature was 18.5C with a brisk seven knot north-north easter wind.
Mr Cullen is a Lifeline Ambassador for Broken Hill Lifeline Country to Coast and is fundraising for Lifeline with this swim.
A spokesperson from the organisation said he was hoping to begin his swim today, depending on the weather.
He has been training for this challenge with Michael Gregory, who swam the English Channel four times.
After one of his training swims at the Broken Hill Regional Aquatic Centre, he told this journalist he realised the enormity of the challenge.
Broken Hill residents can follow Mr Cullen’s swim on the Channel Swimming Association’s live tracker.
When Mr Cullen begins the swim, his support boat, the Sea Leopard, will appear as an icon on the live tracker.
The live tracker shows his location and weather conditions.
You can access the live tracker by going to www.channelswimmingassociation webpage, then click on the swim tab and the live tracking tab.
He is raising awareness for the 13 11 14 Lifeline Crisis Suicide Prevention Number.
Mr Cullen’s mammoth swim effort has raised over $8000 for Lifeline Broken Hill Country to Coast, and donations are still being accepted.
Information about donating to Mr Cullen’s cause to support his swim is available on the webpage https://brendans-english-channel-challenge.raisely.com.
Another way to follow Mr Cullen’s journey is on Instagram’s the.desert.swimmer.
Everyone here at the Barrier Truth wishes him all the best with his swim across the English Channel.
