:00:12. > :00:17.The Pacific Ocean - largest ocean on our planet. One of the most
:00:17. > :00:23.dramatic environments on earth. And home to some of the most unusual
:00:23. > :00:28.creatures known to man. And it is here I am taking on the
:00:29. > :00:33.biggest challenge of my life and facing my fear of deep, open water
:00:33. > :00:39.by swimming across one of the deepest stretches of ocean on earth.
:00:39. > :00:43.But getting here has not been easy. Three months ago I could barely
:00:43. > :00:50.swim a few months in the safety of a pool, so this challenge seems
:00:50. > :01:00.insane -- barely swim a few lengths. In fact, it could even cost me my
:01:00. > :01:00.
:01:00. > :01:05.Just under three months ago when we first started this, I never thought
:01:05. > :01:09.this challenge was actually going to happen, and now I find myself on
:01:09. > :01:15.a boat, and in an hour's time I'm going to be swimming the furthest I
:01:15. > :01:18.have ever swum in one of the deepest parts of the ocean on this
:01:18. > :01:22.earth. I still can't believe I'm doing this.
:01:22. > :01:26.For three-quarters of the Earth is covered with water. It might look
:01:26. > :01:32.flat on the surface, but take all the water away and beneath the seas
:01:32. > :01:35.you will find mountain ranges that rival even the tallest peaks on
:01:35. > :01:41.land. There are also massive valleys, the deepest of which are
:01:41. > :01:44.in the Pacific Ocean. I will swim five miles across one called the
:01:44. > :01:49.Palau Trench, which has hundreds of miles long. At its lowest point it
:01:49. > :01:54.is over 8000 metres deep, over 10 times the height of the tallest
:01:54. > :02:00.building on earth and more than 80 times the height of Big Ben. I am
:02:00. > :02:03.hoping to be the first person ever to swim across the deepest point.
:02:03. > :02:08.But I'm not just doing this for myself, I want to help inspire
:02:08. > :02:12.other non- swimmers as well. It is all part of the Big Splash, a BBC
:02:12. > :02:15.campaign to help people like me get into swimming.
:02:15. > :02:24.Since I have been on Blue Peter I have taken on all kinds of
:02:24. > :02:29.challenges and faced a lot of my fears, like hides. -- high 80 s.
:02:29. > :02:34.But my fear of deep, open water has always remained and it petrified me.
:02:34. > :02:39.It has stopped me from doing things like the swim on our summer trip to
:02:40. > :02:43.Turkey, my fear held me back. Then I met my trainer Dave, who made me
:02:43. > :02:48.realise I had to face up to my fear. realise I had to face up to my fear.
:02:48. > :02:54.Three months ago I could barely swim. It was frustrating and it
:02:54. > :02:58.showed. Come on, let's carry on. With help from Dave and lots of
:02:58. > :03:04.training in my own time, things started to improve. But no matter
:03:04. > :03:09.how good my technique was, one thing kept holding me back.
:03:09. > :03:15.I just hate deep water, I really, really do. I've also exposed, there
:03:16. > :03:20.is nothing to hold on to. -- I feel so exposed. I see myself from a
:03:20. > :03:24.point of view of a shark or something, just looking up Abbey is
:03:24. > :03:30.dangling feet. When Dave made me swim in a lake, I was almost ready
:03:30. > :03:38.to throw in the towel. I really don't know if I want to do
:03:38. > :03:44.it, if I'm honest. Because this is possibly my deepest fear ever. But
:03:44. > :03:50.with the help of a psychologist, I was getting to grips with my fear.
:03:50. > :03:58.A open-water, deep water... And with Dave's help, my swimming
:03:58. > :04:02.was improving. 29 seconds, excellent! 29, well done.
:04:02. > :04:10.By May, I was ready for my toughest challenge yet, the Great Salford
:04:10. > :04:14.Swim, a mile long competitive event in a former Ship Canal.
:04:14. > :04:21.When you think only a few weeks ago he could barely swim, it is
:04:21. > :04:29.terrific. With 100 metres left to go, all the pain I have experienced
:04:29. > :04:37.over the past three months is suddenly worth it.
:04:37. > :04:46.Yeah, boy! You feel that?! Mate! That was so good! I never would
:04:46. > :04:51.have thought I would do that! Come But my journey is far from over.
:04:51. > :04:57.All this whims I have done so far have been in fresh water. -- all
:04:57. > :05:02.the swims I have done so far. This will be in the sea, meaning waves,
:05:02. > :05:06.currents and salt. This is open water, you have the sea swirling,
:05:06. > :05:11.the currents. These are my fears being realised in front of me right
:05:11. > :05:16.now. You are out of your comfort zone. You can do this, you can do
:05:16. > :05:26.this, you can do this, you can do this.
:05:26. > :05:36.
:05:36. > :05:40.I can't do it, I can't do it! AU, it is cold!
:05:40. > :05:44.As I swim away from the boat, my fear starts to return. Moments
:05:44. > :05:53.later, things take a turn for the worse.
:05:53. > :05:59.I don't like this at all! Even Dave is concerned. Just think
:05:59. > :06:06.about your stroke. I want to come back on the boat. I really don't
:06:06. > :06:11.like it. Do you want somebody to swim with you? Can I come out,
:06:11. > :06:17.please?! He has lost a bit of confidence, I think, panicked a bit.
:06:17. > :06:22.It has got to him a bit. I was just like... I was just swishing around
:06:22. > :06:26.and I just felt I was not going anywhere. You have to get control
:06:26. > :06:31.of your mind, your mind is playing tricks with you. It is no different
:06:31. > :06:39.from in the lake. I have every confidence you can do it. Let's do
:06:39. > :06:44.I decide to give it one more try, but this time with a swimming
:06:44. > :06:48.companion, a local lifeguard. think he is putting on a brave face,
:06:48. > :06:53.if I'm honest, and he is really nervous. He has to think a bit more
:06:53. > :06:57.about what he needs to do, rather than just thrashing up and down.
:06:57. > :07:03.There is more to my challenge than just getting the swimming right. I
:07:03. > :07:08.could be in the water for up to six hours, so eating, drinking and
:07:08. > :07:13.going to the toilets have to be done while treading water.
:07:13. > :07:18.Having someone in the water is really helping, but I mean to prove
:07:18. > :07:28.I can do this on my own. Alice, we're going to bring you back in,
:07:28. > :07:32.
:07:32. > :07:41.please! Andy, you are all on your I get down to the task in hand and,
:07:41. > :07:48.thankfully, the time just flies by. Andy, well done. Swim back towards
:07:48. > :07:53.the boat. I can't believe I have just done that. Over two hours, it
:07:53. > :07:57.shows what you can do. The second half of this is about insurance,
:07:57. > :08:03.believing in yourself and focusing on what you can do. Grab me some
:08:03. > :08:06.fish, I fancy some chips as well! was worried when he started but he
:08:06. > :08:11.did brilliant, he got his head around it and conquered his fear,
:08:11. > :08:15.he proved he can do it, amazing, he swam over three miles. I have
:08:15. > :08:19.earned a fish dinner but I want to know more about the fish I will
:08:19. > :08:23.swim with on my challenge. My final swim takes place in one of
:08:23. > :08:28.the deepest parts of the Pacific Ocean, so to find out more, I have
:08:28. > :08:33.come to the ocean lab at the University of Aberdeen. They are
:08:33. > :08:36.world leaders in deep-sea exploration. Dr Alan Jamieson is
:08:36. > :08:41.one of the few people who have been there to explore the Pacific
:08:41. > :08:45.trenches. What kind of stuff is down there? This really concerns me,
:08:45. > :08:49.anybody who goes into deep water want to know what is at their feet.
:08:49. > :08:54.There are probably more things than you would think. We have found
:08:54. > :09:00.fiche -- fish living as deep as a thousand metres, beyond that we
:09:00. > :09:03.tend to find a small type of shrimp, they are called scavengers. If you
:09:03. > :09:10.present there with any food they will turn up in huge numbers under
:09:10. > :09:13.bow it very quickly. Like human beings, for instance? Yes. You are
:09:13. > :09:18.not just saying that? They will pretty much eat anything you
:09:18. > :09:23.present a with, like you, for example. Do you want to see some of
:09:23. > :09:31.this footage that we have obtained? This was a couple of years ago, a
:09:32. > :09:38.smell fish, nearly 8000 metres. -- a snail fish. That is disgusting! I
:09:38. > :09:44.will regret asking this, but I hear you guys have some actual creatures
:09:44. > :09:50.here from the depth of the sea? Would you like to see one? Yes...
:09:50. > :09:55.Maybe... This is a fish from the deep-sea
:09:55. > :10:00.called a lizard fish. Look at the jaws on that thing! It looks
:10:00. > :10:06.prehistoric. This is quite common in the deep-sea. Imagine one of
:10:07. > :10:12.them coming at you! Are you sure it is dead? Absolutely. They tend to
:10:12. > :10:17.eat small shrimp and other fish, they live on the bottom. More than
:10:17. > :10:23.likely below my feet? Cheers. No time to dwell on sea creatures,
:10:23. > :10:27.it is time to leave for the Pacific Ocean.
:10:27. > :10:32.Because of the risk involved in what I'm doing, Dave and I will be
:10:32. > :10:36.joined by Amy, a skilled expedition doctor. Lots could go wrong so I am
:10:37. > :10:41.glad she is here just in case. There is a whisker of sun exposure,
:10:41. > :10:44.heat related illness, dehydration, we have been informed about the
:10:44. > :10:49.various sharks and deadly jellyfish that might accompany him on his
:10:49. > :10:54.swim, there is a huge amount that could go wrong. Our destination is
:10:54. > :10:59.the tiny island of Po Lyle, population just 20,000. It is one
:10:59. > :11:02.of a string of islands which make up a region called Micronesia. The
:11:02. > :11:10.islands are effectively the top of a huge underwater mountain range
:11:10. > :11:20.and it is so far away it takes well over a day to get there.
:11:20. > :11:30.We have finally arrived, let's just say it is not so bad on the eyes!
:11:30. > :11:32.
:11:32. > :11:38.That is my view. Andy Akinwolere is feeling good. For now, anyway.
:11:38. > :11:46.The waters are about 26 Celsius, so what is the temperature -- twice
:11:46. > :11:56.the temperature of the sea back home. See that arch? That is 1000
:11:56. > :11:58.
:11:58. > :12:04.metres. Let's do this. It is so warm, it is lovely! I tell you what,
:12:04. > :12:08.it beats the English Channel, put it that way!
:12:08. > :12:14.This is only my second swim in the ocean, but it could not be more
:12:14. > :12:24.different to the sea back home. It is a real confidence booster.
:12:24. > :12:25.
:12:25. > :12:30.Andy. I'd say about halfway, Andy. You are about half way. You are
:12:30. > :12:35.looking really good. This practice is only about a quarter of what
:12:35. > :12:40.I'll be doing in my final swim. It feels easy but I know when I am out
:12:40. > :12:45.at sea, things could be very different. For a start, the water
:12:45. > :12:51.beneath me will be five miles deep. I want you to head to the tip of
:12:51. > :13:01.this island on the left-hand side. Andy, just head for the arch,
:13:01. > :13:01.
:13:02. > :13:05.straight through the middle. that is where my troubles begin.
:13:05. > :13:14.I have caught my feet on the coral and the rocks just below the
:13:14. > :13:18.surface, and it hurts. This ain't good. I didn't estimates
:13:18. > :13:23.just how shallow that was, because I was so used to swimming in the
:13:23. > :13:29.deep water, and before I knew it, I was on the coral and the rocks. I
:13:29. > :13:35.didn't even feel like I cut anything, it has shredded my skin.
:13:35. > :13:42.Back on the boat and a meat checks the cuts on my feet. Shall we give
:13:42. > :13:51.that to rinse and spray it? About a mile-and-a-half, use one today.
:13:51. > :13:54.That feels good. -- about a mile and a half, you swam today. It is
:13:54. > :13:59.more than just choral I have to contend with. In the open ocean I
:13:59. > :14:04.might come across all kinds of animals, Dave wants me to get used
:14:04. > :14:09.to swimming with some. I told you this lake was famous for jellyfish.
:14:09. > :14:14.What would you save for swimming in them? You are crazy, I am not
:14:14. > :14:20.getting stung. What have I said they do not sting? I will have to
:14:20. > :14:27.trust you, but if I get stung you owe me. I promise you.
:14:27. > :14:32.Jellyfish Lake is one of the -- a saltwater lake which has come out -
:14:32. > :14:37.- has become cut off from the sea and is home to 20 million jellyfish.
:14:37. > :14:41.Most jellyfish have stinging tentacles, but these feed on small
:14:41. > :14:44.plants called algae, and because they are cut off from the sea they
:14:44. > :14:54.have no predators, so over time they have evolved to become totally
:14:54. > :14:58.
:14:58. > :15:08.Despite the reassurances I am still scared. This feels just a little
:15:08. > :15:25.
:15:25. > :15:32.I am starting to panic. Quickly I find the whole thing too much and I
:15:32. > :15:39.have to get out. Today we went out into jelly fish lake. I completely
:15:39. > :15:45.freaked out. I think it was just a step too far. I now enjoy swimming
:15:45. > :15:50.and being in the water but I've realised than when something comes
:15:50. > :15:54.close to me like a jelly fish I completely freak out. That is
:15:54. > :16:00.something that I need to work on because in the ocean there is a
:16:00. > :16:05.high chance that there could be jellyfish or some other creature.
:16:05. > :16:12.And that really on nerves me. one thing and he needs to improve
:16:12. > :16:17.on his he has to control his mind. That really shook him up and that
:16:17. > :16:23.is something that we could encounter on the great swim. This
:16:23. > :16:28.is only a small place and word has got out about my challenge. I am
:16:28. > :16:33.joined by a very special guest. Even the local television station
:16:33. > :16:43.is interested. And our journey is given a traditional blessing to
:16:43. > :16:44.
:16:44. > :16:49.wish as good luck. With the islanders blessing I feel
:16:49. > :16:58.ready to set sail. The best time for my swim his early morning, so
:16:59. > :17:05.we need to leave at night. It is now dark and we are on the boat out
:17:05. > :17:13.to Palau Trench. It is the first time I have been on a boat like
:17:13. > :17:21.this and it is pitch black. We are miles and miles away from any kind
:17:21. > :17:25.of civilisation or bland. I am really scared. But I want to take
:17:25. > :17:34.this on because I know when I finish it I am going to feel so
:17:34. > :17:41.good. This is different. This is really
:17:41. > :17:47.different. I have never woken up to just their ocean. It puts what
:17:47. > :17:53.we're doing in perspective. That is the massive. I will beat this tiny
:17:53. > :17:59.person trying to swim across. It is a bit daunting. I had better get
:17:59. > :18:04.some breakfast. My swim across the Palau Trench, one of the deepest
:18:04. > :18:09.stretches of ocean on earth, it is five miles long. David thinks it
:18:09. > :18:16.could take up to six hours but I'm hoping it will be less. First, some
:18:16. > :18:21.rules. You are not allowed to touch the boat at all. Even when drinking
:18:21. > :18:28.or eating, you have to stay away. What will happen if there are
:18:28. > :18:38.sharks, can I get on the boat then? We will let him on the boat.
:18:38. > :18:42.there anything else I might encounter? There are tiny creatures
:18:42. > :18:48.and if you got stung by a group of them that is potentially lethal.
:18:48. > :18:54.This is not what I need first thing in the morning! My biggest worry is
:18:54. > :19:04.not about fatigued but about what happens if he sees actually fish or
:19:04. > :19:07.
:19:07. > :19:11.any other creature. Get yourself ready. This is it. This is it. As I
:19:11. > :19:16.went to enter at the water, day reminds me of what I have achieved
:19:16. > :19:21.in the last few months. Then I started I could barely swim a
:19:21. > :19:26.couple of lengths in a pool. But then before I knew what I swam a
:19:26. > :19:34.mile in Salford. Now I have facing my final and most terrifying swim
:19:34. > :19:39.yet. A five-mile stretch in some of the deepest ocean on earth. I
:19:39. > :19:49.cannot delay it any further. With Dave waiting in the safety boat it
:19:49. > :19:53.
:19:53. > :19:57.is now or never. A dodgy the Lyric! He got in the
:19:57. > :20:04.water really confident. That is a good sign. There's just one thing
:20:04. > :20:09.on my mind - keeping my Fiat under control. He has been swimming about
:20:09. > :20:18.25 minutes. In five minutes and will stop him and give him some
:20:18. > :20:24.drink and food. We are just going to have a tea
:20:24. > :20:30.break. This is my first rest break. I must tread water and not touch
:20:30. > :20:40.the boat. I'm just 30 minutes in and have only Tom three-quarters of
:20:40. > :20:45.
:20:45. > :20:51.So far I have not met any jelly fish. The Sharks are staying away
:20:51. > :20:56.and I'm not thinking about just how deep it is. The idea is to have
:20:56. > :21:03.short breaks for food and drink throughout the serene. Time for
:21:03. > :21:08.another. We are going to have a break. Well done. How does it feel
:21:08. > :21:14.to have five miles of water underneath you? I don't want to
:21:14. > :21:24.think about it. I have been in the water just fair an hour. I still
:21:24. > :21:34.have over three miles to go. I'm not even halfway yet.
:21:34. > :21:37.
:21:37. > :21:42.It is starting to rain. It will not make any difference to him.
:21:42. > :21:47.Suddenly it feels as if I'm making no progress at all. We have just
:21:47. > :21:53.heard that the current has changed direction which would explain why
:21:53. > :21:59.he is not making much progress at the moment. That is a bit worrying
:21:59. > :22:05.if I am honest. I am not going to relay it to him at the moment
:22:05. > :22:13.because it could demoralise him. keep going until my break. Feeling
:22:13. > :22:19.all right? A bit tired. I have swum a long way, I'm three miles into my
:22:19. > :22:25.big challenge. With two miles still to go and my body aching, Dave has
:22:25. > :22:32.something he thinks could spurred me on. He have got some good luck
:22:33. > :22:38.messages from your fans. You can do it, we love you. Blue Peter's
:22:38. > :22:43.number one fan - you can do it. Belief in yourself. During your
:22:43. > :22:50.messages of support is an nice reminder that as well as my coach,
:22:50. > :22:54.you guys at home are right behind me. Time is flying by and luckily
:22:54. > :23:00.the current is back in my favour. I have got a rhythm going and it is
:23:00. > :23:07.not long before I have some good news. One mile to go, you are doing
:23:07. > :23:11.fabulous. Just finish this. Just one mile until the finish. On its
:23:11. > :23:17.own it is a distance I know I can finish but it comes after having
:23:17. > :23:27.already swamped for four miles. This will take every bit of energy
:23:27. > :23:29.
:23:29. > :23:33.that I have left. I am retired and the cramped is
:23:33. > :23:43.setting in but I know that completing this swim is all about
:23:43. > :23:47.
:23:47. > :23:57.mind over matter. With 500 metres to go, I see the
:23:57. > :23:58.
:23:58. > :24:04.finish line and I really go for it. I am feeling quite emotional. So
:24:04. > :24:14.many people doubted that he could do it. They said, he will never do
:24:14. > :24:30.
:24:30. > :24:40.Yes! Get me on the boat, now! done. After all that swimming my
:24:40. > :24:45.legs are a bit wobbly. Fantastic. That was immense. There were
:24:45. > :24:52.moments when my mind started to play tricks on me. You did a
:24:52. > :24:58.brilliant job. This is the World Open Water Swimming Association.
:24:58. > :25:06.Beware the first person ever to swim across the deepest stretch of
:25:06. > :25:12.the Palau Trench. You have to world records for stub that is amazing.
:25:12. > :25:22.Absolutely amazing. You guys at home, get out there, go for and
:25:22. > :25:22.