Lejog record breaking swimmer hits Groats after enduring swarms of jellyfish, sharks and a military exercise en route
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Jasmine Harrison completed a record breaking Land's End to John O'Groats coastal swim on Tuesday afternoon and the first to greet her at the harbour was her delighted spaniel Bonnie.
After swimming through 1000s of jellyfish, being followed by a shark, suffering from "salt mouth" and encountering a massive live military exercise, 23-year-old Jasmine has become the first woman in the world to swim the full length of Britain.
"I feel absolutely great but I want my crew to come and celebrate with me and then I'll feel happy," Jasmine told the paper as she walked to the famous Groats fingerpost.
The inflatable boat that was following Jasmine had actually broken down just a mile from the harbour and support crew took to sea kayaks to escort her in. Approaching the Pentland Firth earlier in the day, she said the area where the tides meet was "very choppy" but after that it was fine. "Probably the hardest bit throughout the journey was going by the Isle of Man. I'm doing it for Sea Shepherd UK and Surfers Against Sewage who help the wildlife and keep the oceans clean so I'm not swimming through sewage."
Jasmine said she encountered a lot of sea creatures along the way, such as porpoises and sharks, but was dismayed by the rubbish she encountered as well. “From all the jellyfish to the constant cold and chafing from my wetsuit, it’s been really tough, but at the time it was also incredibly rewarding."
She said the experience has given her a greater appreciation of how "beautiful but fragile our marine ecosystem really is".
The swimming teacher and motivational speaker from Thirsk in North Yorkshire had set off from Land's End on July 1 and was greeted at Groats, not only by her dog Bonnie, but by her parents Susan and Keith as well. It’s a second remarkable record for Jasmine – in 2021, aged 21, she became the youngest woman in the world to row solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
She swam between 4 and 12 hours a day, often in two shifts, broken up by eating and sleeping in her support boat. Much of her swimming took place at night under moonlight, with the dark concealing unnerving surprises such as the approach of a massive whale which swam only a metre below her.
Jasmine spent around 110 days in total swimming, with other days spent waiting for bad weather to pass, or managing logistics like refuelling, crew changes and boat maintenance. During her challenge, she had to contend with numerous difficulties including cold water, busy shipping lanes, painful chafing from her wetsuit and "salt mouth", a condition which strips skin from the tongue and throat and makes it hard to swallow.
Jellyfish proved one of the most difficult obstacles, with Jasmine suffering multiple stings to her face, hands, and feet. During the challenge, she wore a neoprene mask fashioned from a swimming hood to protect her face, which helped – except when tiny baby jellyfish drifted into her mouth.
She was also closely followed by a basking shark, swam through the legendary whirlpools of the Corryvreckan Gulf in Scotland and, at one point, even found herself swimming as live rounds flew overhead during Exercise Joint Warrior, the largest military exercise in Europe which was taking place at Cape Wrath.
More pleasant experiences included swimming alongside whales, dolphins and seals, passing under Skye Bridge and soaking up the striking scenery on the coast of Scotland and a series of stunning sunsets. To provide much-needed energy for the extreme challenge, Jasmine ate a "normal diet, supplemented with plenty of chocolate bars".
“This challenge has further inspired me to work with organisations driven by protecting the environment and I hope too that by doing this I have inspired others and shown that when you put your mind to something, anything is possible and you can overcome any obstacles that are put in your way.
“I’m looking forward to relaxing, getting a good night’s sleep, spending time with my dog and then getting out to share my story to help inspire others.”
