The first man swimming the length of the English Channel has just passed by the South Hams.

Lewis Pugh, the UN ambassador for the world’s oceans is attempting the 560km challenge this summer in just his cap, goggles and Speedo swimming trunks and has recently passed by Dartmouth.

This will be Lewis’ toughest swim yet and he is hoping it will enable him to call on the British Government and all the governments in the world to strength our ocean protection.

The Long Swim which started at Lands End and will end in Dover, is the equivalent of 16 English Channel crossings and will take an estimated 50 days, depending on tides and the weather.

Steve McMillan from Brixham and Dart Seaboat, was invited aboard Aquila, the support boat and catamaran on Monday, July 30, to photograph Lewis swimming to Portland.

He said: “From the minute I stepped aboard, I could see this was akin to a military-style operation, everyone knew their job and when to do it.

“The crew had a brief meeting, going through weather reports, current, wind direction etc. and Lewis greeted me warmly before disappearing below.”

Steve and the team headed out of Dartmouth on a Monday morning and when the exact GPS position of Lewis’ last swim was reached the engines were cut and Lewis jumped into the water covered in goose fat, explained Steve.

Steve said the skipper had told him the water temperature was lower than expected, at about 14C. Lewis swam in the water for one hour and 45 minutes, covering eight kilometres.

“Watching Lewis power through the water was incredible, like a metronome” said Steve. “Occasionally riding huge swells and then finding the rhythm again instantly.

“Once only he stopped for juice and then powered on. He made it look easy, but I later found out that all was not as it seemed.

“I got a sense that I had just watched a superhuman, a modern day superhero in action. The man is a machine in water.”

Lewis has said the inspiration which drives him is his love of the oceans. He has completed many impressive challenges in the water including swimming across the North Pole in 2007 and swimming across a glacial lake on Mt Everest in 2010.

“I undertake swims in the most vulnerable parts of our oceans to campaign for the creation of Marine Protected Areas, which are akin to National Parks in the sea” Lewis said.

To see more of Steve’s photographs please visit his Facebook page Steve McMillan Photography (@brixhamphoto) or his twitter page @BrixhamSeaboat.