Lewis Pugh, one of the world’s greatest aquatic adventurers of the modern era, will be instantaneously informing the world’s media and his followers about his assault on Mount Everest that will culminate in his 1K swim in a glacial lake at over 17,000 feet (nearly 6,000 meters) up the highest mountain on Earth in what will be one of the riskiest open water swims in history.
Via Twitter and Facebook, Lewis is truly in touch with the rest of the world on a moment’s notice and in near real-time.
Back on the morning of May 29th in 1953 when Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reached the summit of Mt. Everest for the first time in human history, there was no Twitter, Facebook, mobile communications or any of the modern conveniences.
Instead communications of such a momentous event took a completely different route.
According to the London Herald of June 2nd – four full days after the triumph on Mt. Everest – the article, “EVEREST CONQUERED!”, reported that “signals from Kathmandu have concluded all is well.”
“News of the triumph of Hillary and Tenzing has been carried from the summit, down through the successive camps and then by runners, on foot, along the massive distances from Everest to Kathmandu, where is could be communicated to London.”
So while we will know of Lewis‘ progress and status in near real-time, news took a different route back in the era of Sir Hillary and Tenzing.
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.