Diana Nyad begins another attempt to swim Florida

Diana Nyad begins another attempt to swim Florida

HAVANA (AP) - American swimmer Diana Nyad resistance began his second attempt in two months to travel the 103 miles of sea between Cuba and Florida, say goodbye to people before you leap to your feet in the water even in a Havana harbor, then stroking toward the horizon.

The 62-year-old woman from Los Angeles hoped to break his own world record swim in open water without a shark cage that is set in 1979 when she stroked from the Bahamas to Florida.

His last attempt at the crossing from Cuba to Florida August 9 failed due to an asthma attack that forced her gasp paralyzing the water after 29 hours.

Nyad insisted that this time was willing to brave the choppy sea, schools of jellyfish and the limits of human exhaustion to fulfill his dream of a lifetime.

As night fell, about half an hour of swimming, Nyad team sent a message on Twitter that he was "strong."

Just before we left the Marina Hemingway in on Friday night, attendees rubbed shoulders grease to prevent friction during the planned trip of 60 hours. They pumped their fists in the air and his support team sounding horns and cheered the waiting ships.

"I feel good. I feel very well," said Nyad. "But as you know, really does not matter how I feel right now."

Recognized to be a little more subdued than the last time you left this port.

"Not that I ever was arrogant, but having been through this now and has been so profound, emotionally disappointed, I do not take anything for granted," said Nyad.

"Not that I enjoy every moment and enjoy it, but it does no good to act like" Hey I have a this in the bag, this is going to be easy. "

Before jumping, Nyad was weighed, tipping the scales at 146 pounds. He said he expected to lose about 15 pounds over the course of the trip. Call your schedule to get to Florida early Monday.

She hoped to capitalize on what he called a "magic window" in calm seas and favorable weather expected to last until the weekend.

Last month after his last failed attempt, Nyad had promised there would be no repetition, but joked earlier on Friday that no one should have believed her.

"Do not listen to the athletes when they say it's over," he said.

Nyad was compared with the former boxer Roberto Duran, who retired in 1998 at age 47 only to re-enter the ring a year later.

Nyad deny their problem at the last attempt had something to do with his age, saying it could have struggled through the choppy waves and "terrible" pain in the shoulder. But she had not expected an attack of asthma in 11 hours that she attributed to a reaction to medication he had never used before. She said that asthma had been churning in the water "like a dying fish struggle."

Despite these problems, which was about 50 miles (80 kilometers) in the 103 miles (166 kilometers) to carry.

In the following weeks, concluded that the failed attempt was not so much a failure as a dress rehearsal, some unplanned but needed a training regimen that includes lots of short anything.

"Asthma was me, but ironically, that was swimming 29 hours of training as a bath very, very expensive," said Nyad, who earlier this year estimated that it took half a million dollars, to take the first try.

"I'm in better shape than before. I'm more prepared than ever," he said.

Without a cage, Nyad relies on special equipment that surrounds it with an electric current is imperceptible to humans, but strong enough to keep most of the sharks at bay. Kayakers paddling along are also products gently away any that pass through.

For the duration of the voyage, Nyad not allowed to touch the boat if the record has to count. Nor can his team physically help her more than to move food, medicine, a new swimsuit and so on.

She will try to keep their energy consumption by the likes of peanut butter sandwiches and pasta, and said that she sings Beatles, Bob Dylan and Janis Joplin songs in her head to keep his mind occupied, especially at night.

"I never, ever - is the golden rule - never look up because it's very depressing to see the horizon, no light, no nothing, and never asked my coach here in the boat or what time is," Are we almost there . yet? '"Said Nyad." They're going to say when we're about 10 hours away. "

Nyad first tried to cross the Straits of Florida as an endorsement of 28 years of age in 1978, while swimming in a shark cage of steel about 42 hours before terminating the attempt.

62, after celebrating his birthday on August 22, has said he hopes to inspire people to lead an active life in their golden years. He also called symbolic swimming to increase understanding between the United States and Cuba, two countries torn by five decades of animosity and distrust.

Marina Escrich Commodore Jose Miguel Diaz, who Nyad described as a dear friend who helped with logistics in Cuba, gave him an honorary membership at the yacht club early Friday and called the swim a "bridge of friendship" between countries.

"Whoever attempts has been successful," said Escrich in the breath, citing Cuban poet and independence hero José Martí.

Nyad team had hoped to attempt the swim in 2010, but was unable to make arrangements in time. This year the Cuban authorities were very supportive in organizing the logistics and coverage of the media.

"We are ready for everything we could on our way this time," said Nyad, "and I can not imagine another ending to the ending that I want, it is to get across." 

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