Summary "The Shark" is ready to jump into a lake for a 30-hour swim while pulling a ton of bricks.
ALGONAC (AP) - A long-distance swimmer who calls himself "The Shark" is ready to jump into a lake near the U.S.-Canada border for a 30-hour swim while pulling a ton of bricks Jim Dreyer calls the brick-filled dinghies his "train of pain."
The 49-year-old began his 22-mile (35-kilometer) swim Monday and plans to end Tuesday in Detroit.
The holder of a number of world records for endurance swimming, Dreyer said he expects to set one this time for longest distance swimming while towing a ton of bricks a record that doesn t currently exist.
"Nobody has ever pulled a ton of bricks any distance," he said. "Pretty surprising, right?" He s doing it without a support boat.
One of the dinghies is equipped with a radar target so Dreyer will show up on radar screens. He has to feed himself and won t leave the water until coming ashore.
Dreyer is swimming with a GPS tracking device that will post his position online. It also comes equipped with a messaging system.
At the touch of a button, Dreyer can send out three pre-programmed messages.
One lets his crew know he s OK. A second tells them he s not and to send a boat. A third shows that he s in a life-threatening situation and requires immediate assistance from the Coast Guard.
Dreyer is trying to raise money and awareness for Habitat for Humanity.
