I think that I was slightly naive. I thought that if I showed people the beauty of the Arctic and the beauty of the polar bears that they would care so much that they would stand up and try to make a change. Lewis Gordon Pugh arcticbearbeauty share on social
I wish politicians would put the environment at the centre of every agenda. Lewis Gordon Pugh agendumcentreenvironment Change image and share on social
When I'm preparing for a swim, I imagine absolutely everything about it: the color of the water, how cold it is, the taste of salt in my mouth. I visualize each and every stroke. Lewis Gordon Pugh absolutelycoldcolor Change image and share on social
On 15 July 2007, I swam across an open patch of sea at the North Pole to highlight the melting of the Arctic sea ice. Lewis Gordon Pugh arctichighlightice Change image and share on social
I just never, ever want to give up. Most battles are won in the 11th hour, and most people give up. If you give up once, it's quite hard. If you give up a second time, it's a little bit easier. Give up a third time, it's starting to become a habit. Lewis Gordon Pugh 11thbattlebite share on social
We need to save the Arctic not because of the polar bears, and not because it is the most beautiful place in the world, but because our very survival depends upon it. Lewis Gordon Pugh arcticbearbeautiful Change image and share on social
Not to be too grandiose about it, but in a way I see myself like Sir Edmund Hillary. The water was my Everest. Lewis Gordon Pugh edmundeverestgrandiose Change image and share on social
In the cold, all the blood rushes to your core to protect your heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, and brain. When you leave the water, the blood rushes back to your arms and legs, absorbs that freezing cold, and brings it back to the heart. Lewis Gordon Pugh absorbarmback share on social
On my second swim at Deception Island, the water was very clear and I was looking at hundreds of whale bones beneath me. It was a graveyard from the whaling some time in the 1920s-30s. Lewis Gordon Pugh 1920s30sbeneath Change image and share on social
The days of exploration of Shackleton and Scott are long gone. Everything has been climbed, crossed, done. Now what we're exploring are the full boundaries of human endeavour. It's not physical - it's all in the head. Lewis Gordon Pugh boundaryclimbcross share on social
