CHRISTOPHER WOODWARD SWIMS 30KM IN THE ARCTIC CIRCLE
We were proud to be supporting Christopher Woodward, the Director of the Garden Museum as he embarks on what was his fourth (and at the time what he vowed would be his final!) – sponsored swim in support of The Garden Museum.
THE CHALLENGE
In one week, Christopher swam 30 kilometres within the Arctic Circle to raise money to display two objects of natural history and complete our recreation of John Tradescant’s Ark with a crocodile from the River Nile and the skeleton of a 17th century whale.
Click here for more information and for Christopher’s sponsorship page.
CHRISTOPHER SAYS:
I am swimming 30 kilometres in the Norweigan sea, within the Arctic Circle, to raise money to finish our recreation of the Ark of John Tradescant, the 17th-century gardener and collector whose life was the inspiration for the Garden Museum. We want to display two specimens of natural history which were once in his Museum: a Nile crocodile, and a whale. The Natural History Museum has found two splendid ‘surrogate’ specimens which will startle and intrigue visitors, just as they did in Tradescant’s time. The whale is really exciting: a skeleton of a right whale recently discovered in the Thames shore, and which has been dated to Tradescant’s time. Having swum the Hellespont, Strait of Gibraltar, and the Thames from Oxford to London to raise money to enhance our Museum, this time I’m retracing part of Tradescant’s journey to Russia in 1618, when he watched whales from the deck. The cost? £75,000 for conservation and display cases. The challenge? Not the distance but the cold! I HATE cold water, and it will be really cold!
SWIMQUEST SUPPORT
SwimQuest provided full pre-challenge consultation, safety, route planning and swim support for this challenge. John and Alice travelled with Christopher to Svolvaer and stayed with Christopher for the week, battling tricky conditions each day to ensure Christopher reached his target safely.
CHRISTOPHER’S DIARY
You can read more about Christopher’s experience via our blog pages:
- Day one – “Swimming to Mordor!“
- Day Two – “A dark sea of rocks and black birds”
- Day Three – “To the red house”
- Day Four – Video diary
- Day Five – The final push
FIND OUT MORE
Thinking about completing your own unique challenge or thinking about swimming in the Arctic Circle? Get in touch or check out our Lofoten Islands Holidays here.
