Oly Rush is taking his pet plesiosaur for a swim
World record-holding super swimmer Oly Rush is to attempt another first – towing a huge dinosaur in the water between Bournemouth’s two piers.
The ‘human fish’ had a model plesiosaur made from 600 plastic bottles and other rubbish collected from beaches.
To raise awareness about plastic pollution he will be towing 15ft-long, 80kg ‘Percy’ on Saturday 29th July between the piers from 7am until 7pm.
It will look like he is being chased by a prehistoric predator during the ‘Trash Tow 2023’ event.
Fellow volunteers from his Project Planet Earth group will be on the sand to explain to beach-goers what’s going on.
Oly, from Upton near Poole in Dorset, is the fastest person to swim around the Isle of Wight and is the only person to have swum around Grand Cayman non-stop.
He said: “I am aiming to raise awareness about plastic pollution in the oceans and Percy the plesiosaur will turn heads.
“The model was made by Glenn Martin, from Ghost of the Sea on the Isle of Wight, who makes some incredible and thought-provoking sculptures.
“When I pull it behind me it should look as if it’s chasing me.
“It was made from plastic collected on beaches and highlights just how much pollution there is out there.
“In September I am going to swim around the Greek island of Ithaca non-stop, which should take 24 hours.
“Thanks to sponsors Green Folk Recruitment I am in full time training and this Trash Tow will be part of it.
“I set up Project Planet Earth as a group to raise awareness about plastic pollution and we’re hoping it will soon be an official charity.
“As well as doing long swims, I go into schools to speak to youngsters and spend my days removing plastic from Dorset’s beaches.
“If everyone does a little bit, it will make a hug difference. Hopefully we’ll have some good weather for the Trash Tow.”
Plesiosaurs were a carnivorous marine reptile that lived alongside dinosaurs in the Jurassic period and they went extinct bout 50m years ago.
Visit ProjectPlanet.Earth for all the details – and from there you can sponsor Oly on his next swim.
Oly on his plesiosaur
