While attempting the Oceans Seven marathon, open water swimmer Adam Walker encountered something terrifying in the ocean until a group of dolphins could rescue him. Since then, Walker has learned his experience is not so unique, but that has not deterred him from stopping his free swims in open waters…
Completing The Oceans Seven Marathon
Adam Walker, an experienced ocean distance swimmer, is one of only ten swimmers to have completed the Oceans Seven Marathon, a dangerous challenge that involved free-swimming across all seven seas. His final swim, The Cook Strait, left him with some unforeseen challenges…
Close Encounters
Walker has seen just about everything while out on the water. Choppy waves, intense currents, sharks, dolphins, jellyfish – you name it. It’s one thing to watch marine life from a boat. It’s another to be face to face with sea creatures with nothing to protect you…
Portuguese Man O’ War
One of Walker’s most dangerous encounters was with a Portuguese Man O’ War jellyfish, which is as venomous as a cobra. Walker was stung, and couldn’t feel his spine for five minutes. He had no choice but to keep swimming, even though he thought he’d been paralyzed. But that still is not the most dangerous thing that has happened to him…
Complete Darkness
On an earlier adventure, Walker swam the Catalina Channel off the coast of California. The worst part was – he had to swim half of the journey in complete darkness. Freezing and sick, unable to see anything around or below him, Walker somehow persevered…
Shark Sighting
While swimming the Tsugaru Channel in Japan, Walker felt a shark swim below him. To make things worse, the current was picking up, and Walker had to spring swim for 11 hours against 12 foot waves. He had to outswim a shark, but that still wasn’t the worst of it…
Freezing Temperatures
Another treacherous swim, between Ireland and Scotland in the North Channel, is famous for being the most difficult distance swim in the world. Along with freezing temperatures, Walker also had to face a wall of lion’s mane jellyfish…
The Cook Strait
On April 22, 2014, Walker took on The Cook Strait. The waters between the North and South Islands of New Zealand are notoriously the most dangerous and unpredictable waters in the world. During his swim, he felt anxious, but he had no idea what was about to happen mid-way through the feat…
Walker Spots A Fin
About three hours into the swim, a fin surged past Walker, then he felt the creature dive underneath him. He felt scared. Was he being pursued?
Dolphins, And Something Unseen
Walker spotted a second fin, and he realized he was surrounded by a school of dolphins. That seemed harmless enough, and he was so happy to be swimming alongside the joyful creatures. However, the reason they were there wasn’t exactly just for fun…
Something’s In The Water
Slowly, Walker looked down and realized there was a huge shark swimming below him. While he knew the risk of swimming close to a shark during one of these endeavors, he wasn’t prepared to see one so close. What was he going to do now?
Stay Calm
He had to stay calm. Walker knew if he radioed back to his team then they’d make him get on the boat, and his energy would have been wasted. He didn’t want to stop. He liked the company of the dolphins, but he was completely unsure about what to do with the shark below him.
This Wasn’t His First Shark
From his experience, Walker thought that the best solution was to pretend the shark wasn’t there. It was just so close. But of course he couldn’t help looking down at it. He felt a strange mix of anxiety and adrenaline, swimming with both friendly dolphins and a deadly shark…
What Lies Beneath
Eventually, the shark left, and Walker wondered if it was because he hadn’t panicked or if it was because of his dolphin protectors. His team watching by boat didn’t know about the shark, but they could see the dolphins, and they assumed that was the reason for Walker’s hesitation.
Safe And Sound
The dolphins followed Walker all the way to the finish line. It was surreal, and they had boosted his morale and confidence in order to finish the race without giving into lethargy or fear.
A Champion Athlete
Adam Walker grew up in Nottingham, U.K., and he’s been an excellent athlete all his life. He particularly enjoyed cricket and rugby when he was young. Swimming was not on the horizon for him for several years…
An Honest Living
When Walker graduated university, he pursued a career in sales in order to guarantee a stable living. He’d earned a respectable title as a national saleslman, thanks to his dedication and easy-going, charismatic nature.
“On A Clear Day You Can See Forever”
Walker’s eye-opening moment occurred during a flight to Australia. He was watching the film, “On a Clear Day You Can See Forever,” about a man who decided to swim the English Channel. Walker was so inspired that he decided he was going to do the same thing.
Intense Workout Regimine
Walker knew that if he was going to commit to doing this, he needed to step up his workout routine. He needed to acclimate his body to cold water and mentally prepare himself to be around deadly sea creatures.
Oceans Seven
On July 14, 2008, Walker conquered the English Channel just like he’d hoped to. However, it was incredibly difficult. He felt sick from the swells, the water was choppy, and the temperature was freezing. However, he was determined to continue making distance swims, which eventually led him to The Cook Strait.
Grateful And Determined
After finishing The Cook Strait swim in 8 hours and 39 minutes, Walker took to Facebook to share his success and thank his supporters. He told the unbelievable story of the dolphins and the shark and said it was the most difficult swim of his life.
A New Technique
Because Walker ruptured a tendon during his first long-distance swim, he had to come up with a new stroke if he was determined to continue these intense swims. His normal stroke irritated his shoulder, so he devised a new method that involves propelling his body with his core muscles.
Ocean Walker Ltd.
Though he no longer works in sales, Walker and his girlfriend Gemma started the Ocean Walker Ltd. business, which coaches swimmers of all ages in pools and open waters.
Motivational Speaking
Motivational speaking has become another aspect of Walker’s life. He is passionate about talking about his swims, his business, and his travel experiences.
Man vs. Ocean
Walker published his book, “Man vs. Ocean” in 2016, and it discusses his life journey and all the treacherous waters and marine animals he had to face to achieve his dreams. It was Amazon’s bestselling sports autobiography.
Spotting Dolphins Is Common
Walker’s experience being protected by dolphins has actually happened to others. There are ancient stories of dolphins guiding sailors to safety. Dolphins have also been seen protecting humans and other large sea creatures, like whales.
Dolphins To The Rescue
In July 2002, fisherman Grant Dickson’s trawling boat was overturned off the coast of Queensland, Australia. He was severely injured and bleeding heavily in the water. A group of sharks had started to circle, and then a pod of dolphins arrived to scare the sharks away.
Surf Scare
In August 2007, a surfer named Todd Endris went out into the waters by Monterey, California, and a 15-foot great white shark bit him twice. He was severely injured and lost half his blood. He was close to death when a group of dolphins came and rescued him.
Protective Instincts
In 2004 in New Zealand, a young woman and several lifeguards were out at sea doing a training exercise when a great white shark started swimming around them. Suddenly, a group of dolphins appeared and started distracting the sharks by splashing around and creating a barrier between it and the people. The shark swam away and left the people safely.
Red Sea Rescue
In Israel in 1996, a group of tourists were watching a pod of dolphins swim, and some of the people decided to swim in the water. One tourist lingered away from the group, and a shark approached and bit him. Amid the chaos, three dolphins surrounded the man and scared the shark away until he could be rescued.