Kim swims. Legendary swim with white sharks

On August 8, 2015, Kimberly Chambers became the first girl to swim 48 kilometers in 17 hours and 12 minutes. Before Kim, only four people had been able to do it, and they were men. The marathon swim from the Farallon Islands to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco is considered one of the most difficult and dangerous in the world. The swim, which Chambers completed, takes her through the “red triangle” in Northern California. This area is known worldwide for its high rate of shark attacks.

When Kim was supposed to do the swim, she was warned that the white sharks that inhabit the “red zone” had returned early. The swimmer was asked to abandon her risky challenge, but she did not. Chambers still swam the entire distance and became the first girl in the world to do so. Kim believes it was her fear that helped her overcome the challenges before and during the swim:

“Each of my swims is a unique journey. But this one was very risky, scary, and that’s why I had to swim it. I was afraid of sharks, afraid of failure, but I was able to push myself and swam the marathon. After all, I had to realize what I was capable of. I love my life and I feel like I am living life to the fullest when I experience such scary moments. Everyone is afraid, but it’s when you get past the fear that you realize what you’re really capable of.”

In October 2017, the documentary “Kim Swims” was released, which tells the true story of Kimberly Chambers, the first woman to swim 48 kilometers through dangerous and cold waters. As the swimmer admitted, she couldn’t even imagine that a movie could be made about her.

“Swimming has taught me to be in the present. I feel like an astronaut of the sea. In an environment where there are no people and only dolphins accompany me. There I am so close to sea lions and seals that I can see their eyelashes. If someone had told me 10 years ago that I would do such a thing, I would have called him crazy. I found something that makes my heart flutter.”

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Kim started swimming since 2009, back then swimming helped her start a new life. She was only 30 when she fell down the stairs and suffered a severe leg injury. As a result, the woman underwent several surgeries and two years of physical therapy. Doctors’ prognoses were disappointing – there was only a 1 percent chance she would be able to walk unaided, as the injury nearly led to the amputation of her leg.

“You would never think that a fall could be a defining moment in your life, more like a car accident or something like that. But that’s when I realized what I was made of.”

Soon, to recover, she began swimming lessons. After that, Kim swam many challenging marathons, including the Strait of Gibraltar and Hawaii.

In 2011, Kim wanted to swim across the English Channel alone, but was ill-prepared and finished the marathon halfway through.

“I was insulted, embarrassed and angry, but I wasn’t prepared. I went back out there in September 2013 to do it again.”

She sailed in harsh conditions, through cold waters, overcoming physical and mental fatigue. Swimming in dangerous bays full of jellyfish and sharks, but she never gave up. Now Kim is almost 40 years old, and she intends to continue swimming in extreme conditions.

“I love the feeling of anticipation that comes from a huge scary event on the horizon. In fact, it’s moments like this that give me a taste of life. Right now, I’m on the lookout for a new challenge!”.