Lewis Pugh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lewis Pugh
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Lewis Pugh
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| Born | 5 December 1969 |
| Nationality | British |
| Citizenship | United Kingdom, South Africa |
| Alma mater | Jesus College, Cambridge University of Cape Town |
| Occupation | Endurance swimmer and Ocean advocate |
| Parent(s) | Surgeon Rear Admiral P.D. Gordon Pugh and Margery Pugh |
| Honours | Order of Ikhamanga (Gold Class) 2009 Doctor of Science 2015 Mungo Park Medal 2019 |
Lewis William Gordon Pugh is a famous British and South African endurance swimmer. He is also a strong supporter of protecting our oceans. People call him the "Sir Edmund Hillary of swimming" because he was the first person to swim long distances in every ocean. He often swims in places that are in danger to show everyone how important it is to protect them.
Pugh is well-known for his swim across the North Pole in 2007. He did this to show how the Arctic sea ice was melting. In 2010, he swam in a lake on Mount Everest. This swim highlighted how glaciers in the Himalayas were shrinking. In 2018, he swam the entire length of the English Channel. This was to ask for 30% of the world's oceans to be protected by 2030.
The World Economic Forum named Pugh a Young Global Leader in 2010. The United Nations also made him their first UN Patron of the Oceans in 2013.
In 2016, Pugh helped create the world's largest marine reserve. This special protected area is in the Ross Sea near Antarctica. The media called his efforts "Speedo Diplomacy." This was because he swam in freezing Antarctic waters. He also traveled between the US and Russia to help make the agreement happen.
Pugh works as a professor of International Law at the University of Cape Town.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Lewis Pugh was born in Plymouth, England, on December 5, 1969. When he was 10, his family moved to South Africa. He went to school there and later studied politics and law at the University of Cape Town.
Later, he returned to England and studied international law at Jesus College, Cambridge. For ten years, he worked as a lawyer dealing with sea-related laws. During this time, he also served as a Reservist in the British Special Air Service.
Amazing Swims and Records
Over 30 years, Lewis Pugh has completed more famous swims than any other person. In 2013, he was added to the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame.
First Swims and Challenges
Pugh had his first real swimming lesson when he was 17. Just one month later, he swam from Robben Island to Cape Town. In 1992, he swam across the English Channel. He also broke a record in 2002 for swimming around Robben Island the fastest.
He was the first person to swim around Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point in Africa. He also swam around the Cape of Good Hope and the Cape Peninsula. Pugh was also the first to swim across an African Great Lake, Lake Malawi.
Swimming in Cold Waters
After 2003, Pugh focused on swimming in the world's coldest and toughest waters. He always swam wearing only a Speedo swimsuit, cap, and goggles. He was the first to swim around North Cape, Norway, Europe's northernmost point. The next year, he swam the entire 204 km length of Sognefjord in Norway. This swim took him 21 days.
In 2005, he broke the world record for the farthest-north long-distance swim. He swam 1 km at 80° North in Spitsbergen. Five months later, he broke another world record. He swam 1 km at 65° South near Antarctic Peninsula, becoming the farthest-south long-distance swimmer. In November 2017, Pugh was the first person to swim in the Antarctic waters around South Georgia Island.
How Pugh Stays Warm
Scientists studied Lewis Pugh's body during his Arctic and Antarctic swims. They noticed he could raise his body temperature by almost 2°C before entering freezing water. They called this "anticipatory thermo-genesis," meaning his body creates heat before an event. This ability had not been seen in any other human. Pugh believes it's his body's response to fear after years of cold-water swimming.
Winning Gold in Finland
In 2006, Pugh raced Russia's best cold-water swimmers in Finland. This was at the World Winter Swimming Championships. He easily won the 500-meter race and took home the gold medal.
Swimming All Five Oceans
In 2006, Lewis Pugh achieved a huge goal in swimming. He became the first person to complete a long-distance swim in all five oceans of the world:
- Atlantic Ocean – across the English Channel in 1992.
- Arctic Ocean – around the northernmost point of Spitsbergen in 2005.
- Southern Ocean – across Whaler's Bay in Deception Island in 2005.
- Indian Ocean – across Nelson Mandela Bay in 2006.
- Pacific Ocean – from Manly Beach to the Sydney Opera House in 2006.
Environmental Swims for Our Planet
River Thames Swim
In 2006, Pugh became the first person to swim the entire length of the River Thames in England. He did this to show the dangers of global warming and a severe drought. The 325 km swim took him 21 days. The river's upper part had no water due to the drought, so Pugh had to run the first 42 km.
While swimming through London, Pugh visited the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street. He asked the United Kingdom to use less carbon. Soon after, the Prime Minister introduced a new law about climate change.
Maldives Swim
In February 2007, Pugh was the first person to swim across the width of the Maldives. He did this to raise awareness about how climate change affects low-lying islands. The 140 km swim took him 10 days.
North Pole Swim
In July 2007, Pugh completed the first long-distance swim across the Geographic North Pole. He swam 1 km across an open patch of sea. The water was minus 1.7°C (29°F), and the swim took 18 minutes and 50 seconds. This swim happened when the Arctic sea ice was at its lowest level ever recorded.
Mount Everest Lake Swim
In May 2010, Pugh swam across Lake Pumori, a glacial lake on Mount Everest. He wanted to show how glaciers in the Himalayas were melting. This melting affects the water supply for millions of people in countries like India and China. The 1 km swim was at an altitude of 5,300 meters. The water was 2°C (35°F), and the swim took 22 minutes and 51 seconds.
Swimming the Seven Seas
In August 2014, Pugh completed the first long-distance swim in all Seven Seas. He did this to ask for more protected areas in the oceans. He swam 10 km in each of the following seas:
- Mediterranean Sea (off Monte Carlo)
- Adriatic Sea (off Zadar)
- Aegean Sea (off Athens)
- Black Sea (off Şile)
- Red Sea (off Aqaba)
- Arabian Sea (off Rass Al Hadd)
- North Sea (a 60 km Thames swim from Southend-on-Sea to the Thames Barrier)
After these swims, Pugh wrote that he saw "no sharks, no whales, no dolphins" and "no fish longer than 30 centimeters." This showed him how urgent the problem of ocean health was.
English Channel Swim
In July and August 2018, Pugh swam the entire length of the English Channel. He started in Cornwall on July 12 and arrived in Dover on August 29. This swim took him 49 days at sea. He swam between 10 and 20 kilometers each day. Pugh swam the 528 kilometers (328 miles) to ask for 30% of oceans to be protected by 2030.
Martha’s Vineyard Swim for Sharks In May 2025, Lewis Pugh became the first person to swim around Martha’s Vineyard. He covered 99.7 kilometers (62 miles) over 12 days. The water was almost freezing. He did this swim to support shark conservation. The swim happened around the 50th anniversary of the movie Jaws. Pugh wanted to change how people think about sharks. He also wanted to show the harm caused by killing too many sharks. He called it "ecocide." Pugh said he was "really frightened of a world without sharks." He swam for about 24 hours in total. He described it as one of his most difficult swims. He saw sunfish, seals, and terns, but no sharks.
Kayaking for the Arctic
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In September 2008, Pugh tried to kayak 1,200 km from Svalbard to the North Pole. He wanted to show more about the melting sea ice. His team had to stop 135 km from the start. They could not find a clear path through the ice. Pugh later wrote that global warming actually made it harder. The melting ice from other areas pushed more ice towards them. He saw that the ice was much thinner than before.
Speaking Up for the Oceans
Lewis Pugh is a great speaker. He has given talks at the TED Global Conference. The Financial Times called his 2010 TEDGlobal speech "the perfect TED talk." His speech on environmental leadership was also named one of the "7 Most Inspiring Videos on the Web."
Pugh has spoken at the World Economic Forum in Davos. He also gave important speeches for big companies like Coca-Cola and Swiss Re.
Protecting Our Planet
When he was young, Pugh visited many National Parks in South Africa. His father taught him to love and respect nature. In 2003, Pugh stopped working as a lawyer. He decided to work full-time to protect the oceans. He often talks to world leaders and business owners. He discusses climate change, overfishing, and pollution. He stresses the need for more protected ocean areas and cleaner energy.
In 2009, Pugh worked with Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu. They gathered information from people across Africa about climate change. This information was shared at the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference.
Polar Defense Project
In 2008, Pugh started the Polar Defense Project. This project works to protect the Arctic and solve disagreements about ocean borders. In 2009, it won an award for Best Project for the Environment.
Speaking Out on Pollution
Pugh has spoken strongly about the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. He also opposes fracking for gas in South Africa. In 2018, he was named one of the most influential people talking about how to stop plastic pollution on social media.
Media Appearances
Pugh has been on many TV shows. These include Good Morning America, Jay Leno, and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He has also been featured on CNN and BBC Breakfast. In 2009, he appeared in a show where he trained actor Robson Green to swim in a cold lake in Wales. In 2013, he was on the cover of The Big Issue magazine, holding a penguin.
Books by Lewis Pugh
In 2010, Pugh's autobiography, "Achieving the Impossible," was published. It quickly became a best-seller.
In 2013, Pugh wrote a second book called "21 Yaks and a Speedo." The title refers to his swim on Mount Everest. The book shares 21 short stories about his adventures and the lessons he learned.
Awards and Recognition
- 2019 - The Mungo Park Medal from the Royal Scottish Geographical Society
- 2018 - Inducted into the Ice Swimming Hall of Fame
- 2017 - SAB Environmentalist of the Year
- 2017 - Named one of "50 Most Adventurous Men in the World" by Men's Journal
- 2015 - Doctor of Science (honorary degree) from Plymouth University
- 2015 - National Geographic Adventurer of the Year
- 2013 - Appointed as the United Nations Patron of the Oceans
- 2013 - Inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame
- 2010 - Named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum
- 2009 - Received South Africa's highest honor, the Order of Ikhamanga (Gold Class). This was for his amazing sports achievements and for raising awareness about global warming.
- 2009 - Best Project for the Environment – Beyond Sport Awards
- 2007 - Fellow of The Explorers Club, New York
- 2006 - Freedom of the City of London
Personal Life
In 2009, Lewis Pugh married Antoinette Malherbe. They met when they were in school.
