It is a dream comes true for a 61-year old Diana Nyad as she attempts to make a record breaking 103 mile swim from Cuba to Key West.
Nyad set off from Havana Sunday evening and is expected to arrived in Key West, Florida on Wednesday to become the first person that swim across in an open ocean this far without any shark cage aid.
She will have 45 people on kayaks (boats) as her support team that will accompany her during the trip. The trip was 103 miles equivalent to 166 kilometers that will take about a 60-hour swim. For a typical woman of about 60s, this attempt will be so dangerous but Nyad show great confidence before she started to swim and said that the flat water was just perfect for such an attempt. Her attempt will be aided by high technology that includes advanced navigation software and shark shields.
As quoted during a news conference, Nyad said that “I also want it to be a moment for thousands, and I dare say millions of people my age, who are going to look and say, ’60!”. “The joke is 60 is the new 40, and it’s true. We are a younger generation than the 60 that went before us.”
She claims that this “symbolic moment” as tagged by her, was to inspire people to live full of energy throughout their golden years and does not to make any “political ramifications” but for the two nations- Cuba and United States that have been a victim of bitterness and mistrust and torn apart by almost five decades.
It is no doubt that this woman will make a history throughout the history. As to note back in 1970s, when same fearless woman Nyad took the record for the world’s longest ocean swim and she still holds that record until now.
Watch video about her set off from Havana:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ocz50PaRXOQ[/youtube]
