《TAIPEI TIMES》 Taiwanese swimmer recounts North Channel swim

Taiwanese marathon swimmer Hsu Wen-erh passes a jellyfish in an undated photograph. Photo courtesy of Hsu Wen-erh via CNA

/ Staff writer, with CNA Marathon swimmer Hsu Wen-erh （許汶而） on Wednesday overcame large jellyfish and generous mouthfuls of seawater to become the first Taiwanese and the 83rd woman to complete a solo swim across the North Channel between Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Hsu on Saturday said she almost did not make it. “The thought of giving up crossed my mind several times,” she said.

The 32-year-old set off at about 3am from Northern Ireland and completed the 34.5km crossing in 12 hours, 46 minutes and 40 seconds.

The swim and finishing time are pending certification by the Irish Long Distance Swimming Association.

Hsu said sea conditions remained relatively calm during the first eight hours of the swim, but she was stung several times by lion’s mane jellyfish during the first few hours because it was too dark to see them.

After daylight broke, she was able to steer clear of the jellyfish, but weather conditions later deteriorated sharply and seawater temperatures dropped, which contributed to hypothermia.

The accumulated jellyfish toxins also took a toll on her, she said.

“Many of the lion’s mane jellyfish were bigger than dining tables, and their neurotoxins remain in the body for 24 to 48 hours, causing pain, muscle spasms and nausea,” Hsu said.

After ingesting seawater, she developed a persistent cough, she said.

She later learned she had developed swimming-induced pulmonary edema, a potentially life-threatening condition in which fluid accumulates in the lungs during swimming, causing acute shortness of breath and coughing.

She said her strokes became almost automatic over the final 2km as strong currents and her deteriorating physical condition forced her to occasionally switch to the breaststroke to breathe easier.

After reaching shore, Hsu was short of breath for more than 40 minutes and was shaking so violently that she could not remove her swimsuit, she said.

She then began vomiting repeatedly and even coughed up blood.

Medical examinations found she had sustained lung injuries, forcing her to sleep in an upright position for three nights, she said.

Reflecting on the experience, Hsu said the challenge showed her “how small human beings are in the face of the sea.”

“I keep challenging myself, and tell everyone to love what they do and the goals they set. You can only find yourself if you do not blindly pursue fame and wealth,” she said.

Hsu first attempted the North Channel crossing in September last year, but was forced to postpone after unfavorable sea conditions persisted for two weeks.

She returned to Northern Ireland in June, spending a month training and adapting to the cold water before making the successful attempt.

Hsu has pursued the Oceans Seven challenge since completing her first major channel swim across the Strait of Gibraltar in October 2023.

After crossing the English Channel and Catalina Channel, and completing the Swim Around Manhattan in 2024, she became Taiwan’s first swimmer to earn the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming.

Hsu said she has three swims remaining to complete the Oceans Seven challenge: the Kaiwi Channel in Hawaii, the Cook Strait between New Zealand’s North and South islands, and Japan’s Tsugaru Strait.

She said she plans to attempt the Cook Strait in December.

Hsu also hopes to lead a team of Taiwanese swimmers in an English Channel relay next year.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES