In over 50 hours of swimming, Swiss swimmer Noam Yaron has reached a new personal milestone. Despite fatigue, pain, and turbulent weather, he continues his 180 km challenge to raise awareness about protecting the Mediterranean.
Tuesday evening, after nearly 40 hours in the water, Noam Yaron was approaching 90 km, halfway through the course. Midway between Calvi and Monaco, he had to contend with changing weather conditions. Relative calm at times, long periods of disturbance the rest of the time. Waves and opposing currents made progress difficult.
Repeated salt ingestion irritated his tongue, swollen to the point of hindering his eating. He is hydrating more to limit the pain. Early in the evening, the installation of the nighttime setup was disrupted by a technical incident: a rope got stuck in the boat’s propeller. The team responded quickly, cutting the rope to free the propeller.
Despite the conditions, Noam Yaron continued his journey. The night settled over a turbulent sea, while the crew hoped to catch sight of shooting stars between the waves.
Marine Observations and Personal Records
The arrival of the Excess 11, one of the two support catamarans, enhanced safety and intensified scientific data collection. The team, including the Scientific Council of the Lérins Islands, encountered a mobula ray, a fin whale, and a group of Stenella dolphins, possibly the baby dolphin met the day before by Noam Yaron.
Scientists conducted four environmental DNA samples, collected microplastics, and observed plankton. Among the small species noted were velellas, crustacean larvae, purple snails, and ideotea metallica. The filters will be analyzed at the university to assess microplastic pollution.
This Wednesday morning, after more than 50 hours of swimming, Noam passed the 110 km mark. Thus, he broke his personal record and exceeded the distance reached during his 2024 attempt, which ended at 100 km.
A Difficult Night, A Clear Message
The last night was tough: rough sea, wind, and head-on waves. Tired and disoriented, the Swiss swimmer waited for sunrise to regain energy. He experienced itching due to an allergic reaction, in addition to the tongue pain. The first hallucinations appeared: an imaginary alter ego named Leon, a forest, and even a mouse on the weighted rope.
On the logistics side, the setup remains efficient: replenishment every 30 minutes, breaks every hour, safety ensured by skippers. Meals—potatoes, bananas, eggs, cinnamon—are delivered to him via a buoy.
The crossing also highlighted the dangers of maritime traffic. A cruise ship passed nearby, symbolizing the high traffic in the Pelagos sanctuary. This area concentrates a large portion of worldwide traffic, increasing the risk of collisions with cetaceans.
Scientists remind that reducing ship speed to 10 knots could save many lives.
Amid a marine heatwave with surface water at 30°C, the Mediterranean is experiencing alarming overheating. The ocean, a climate regulator, can no longer absorb so much heat. A direct threat to biodiversity and climate balance.
This is why Noam Yaron continues. His 180 km are a message: protecting the sea is an urgent matter.
