After 5 Months At Sea, Man Completes Swim Around Great Britain

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(CNN) -- After spending 157 days at sea, 33-year-old Ross Edgleyman came ashore Sunday and became the first person to swim around the mainland of Great Britain, according to Red Bull, the company that documented his feat.

Ross Edgley started the 1,791-mile trek June 1 in Margate, a coastal town in southeast England. On Sunday morning, he returned to the same location and was met by 300 other people who swam the last half mile with him.

"I won't lie, getting a tad emotional now knowing it's coming to an end," he posted on Instagram on Friday.

For the past five months, Edgley has endured rough seas, jellyfish stings, sharks and icy waters.

He never set foot on land throughout his journey and instead rested on a support boat between his six-hour swims, according to Red Bull. He and the company called his effort The Great British Swim.

Edgley faced health issues ranging from chaffing around his neck from his wetsuit and "salt mouth." That condition is caused by the buildup of salt on his tongue, which made pieces of his tongue flake off.

But nothing stopped him from completing his race.

In August, his path around Great Britain was recognized as the Longest Staged Sea Swim propelled only by muscle power (no flippers).

Red Bull documented his journey since the beginning with weekly vlogs posted to their YouTube channel.

"It's my hope that people remember the Great British Swim as an example or experiment in both mental and physical fortitude," he said in a vlog posted by Red Bull on Thursday.

The-CNN-Wire
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