Diana Nyad Success!

[smj]

Originally Posted by minaret

Yeah, and I would have appreciated it more if she had walked on water all the way across. Lets keep it realistic here. This sort of endeavor requires that sort of infrastructure, for the vast majority of people. And it certainly resulted in more publicity and a good press op for Cuban/American relations.

Would she have succeeded without the shark diving team from South Africa? Probably but it would have been harder.
Would she have succeeded without the number one jelly,fish expert in the world? Probably but it would have been harder.
Would she have succeeded without the two kayaker flanking her at all times? Probably but it would have been harder.
Point being is that there's a possibility someone could pull this of on a lower budget.....but it would be a lot harder.

Now for the other side.
I just talked to my friend who was the navigator on this trip as well as the last three trips and I brought up the money question. He said this is a question Diana gets asked all the time, guess I'm not the only one. She came back with an answer I can appreciate.
Number one she makes no profit on this swim, just some press that will help her motivational speeches.
Number two she says there are millions of people following this hoping she will succeed.
Number three she says this is a great experience for all involved.
Number four she's pumping a lot of money into the local economy.
From what my friend says she is no egotistical maniac but this is a dream come true. I do appreciate the way she doesn't take all the credit for the swim and passes most of the credit of to the team. I must admit my stance has changed on the money side slightly and kudos to her and the team on a great job.
Now if you think the swim will make a difference in the Cuban American relationship then I say pass me some of that good legal weed you Washingtonians are smoking now!

[zeehag]

she swam 102 1/2 more miles than i ever did...damn..awesome job

[jkleins]

Originally Posted by smj

Would she have succeeded without the shark diving team from South Africa? Probably but it would have been harder.
Would she have succeeded without the number one jelly,fish expert in the world? Probably but it would have been harder.
Would she have succeeded without the two kayaker flanking her at all times? Probably but it would have been harder.
Point being is that there's a possibility someone could pull this of on a lower budget.....but it would be a lot harder.

This is where we have to disagree. None of those things made it easier for her to swim from Cuba. They all made it "safer" but she still put her arms in the water and pulled the same as if no one was around. I don't think it would have been one bit more impressive if she had done it for a dollar and had one crew giving her water. It would have been more dangerous and could have ended in disaster which would have destroyed everything she was hoping to accomplish but it wouldn't have been one stroke harder.

Jim

[Ocean Girl]

She is awesomeand three cheers to her team!

My parents went RTW with no sponsors, a quiet trip with little fanfare. Our friend Charls was the first Deaf man to go RTW solo. He had sponsors and help along the way. Charls had to work darn hard for sponsorship and such, a lot of expectation, so I'd say my parents had the easier path.
Make sense?

[smj]

Originally Posted by jkleins

This is where we have to disagree. None of those things made it easier for her to swim from Cuba. They all made it "safer" but she still put her arms in the water and pulled the same as if no one was around. I don't think it would have been one bit more impressive if she had done it for a dollar and had one crew giving her water. It would have been more dangerous and could have ended in disaster which would have destroyed everything she was hoping to accomplish but it wouldn't have been one stroke harder.

Jim

I agree, physically it doesn't make it easier but mentally, way easier. I'm not trying to take anything away from her accomplishment but also feel the one million dollars that was spent on the attempts could have helped a lot of people in need. I think she should be commended on her persistence and congratulated on her accomplishment but that's over $9,000 per mile.

[smj]

Originally Posted by jkleins

This is where we have to disagree. None of those things made it easier for her to swim from Cuba. They all made it "safer" but she still put her arms in the water and pulled the same as if no one was around. I don't think it would have been one bit more impressive if she had done it for a dollar and had one crew giving her water. It would have been more dangerous and could have ended in disaster which would have destroyed everything she was hoping to accomplish but it wouldn't have been one stroke harder.

Jim

Just as a side note, if it was neither dangerous nor physically strenuous it would have been done years ago.

[Blue Crab]

Yeah yeah yeah. It's an achievement but so what?

Can anyone remember Florence Chadwick?

Ha! That's my point. In the 50s or 60s she swam all over the place.

My hat's off to Ms Nyad. And Chadwick et al.

[jeanathon]

Originally Posted by smj

I agree, physically it doesn't make it easier but mentally, way easier. I'm not trying to take anything away from her accomplishment but also feel the one million dollars that was spent on the attempts could have helped a lot of people in need. I think she should be commended on her persistence and congratulated on her accomplishment but that's over $9,000 per mile.

I disagree. Her example will help people far more than a handout.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by smj

I agree, physically it doesn't make it easier but mentally, way easier. I'm not trying to take anything away from her accomplishment but also feel the one million dollars that was spent on the attempts could have helped a lot of people in need. I think she should be commended on her persistence and congratulated on her accomplishment but that's over $9,000 per mile.

Seriously? Why don't YOU go out and get people to donate that million to a cause then? This lady and her team worked harder for this than you have ever worked for anything, unless you too have swum 111 miles?! The money was generated out of peoples respect for her endeavor, and a million bucks is chump change in this day and age. Just try doing some real good in the world with that. Naive.

[smj]

Like I have said many times KUDOS to her for an amazing feat! She was awesome and has done something that no one else has ever done. The money spent for me is something I'm not sure about. Maybe I'm not in tune to the costs of accomplishing something nowadays

[jeanathon]

Well then I guess we both can reach for the dramamine.

[smj]

At least we agree.

[jongleur]

Interesting that smj has exactly 1000 posts
and has a seawind 1000 and minaret has
exactly 4000 posts.

Just some cool round numbers.

[DumnMad]

Some are obsessed with money without realising its just a way of trading work.
You may think millions of dollars worth of work were waisted on the swim and its sporting, health, inspirational & entertainment value, but, in that case just look at the billions spent TV programmes.
Or the money spent on a street load of houses which are unnecessarily large for their 1 or 2 occupants. Or look at a marina and the "time wasted."
I think obsession over money wasted is all about jealousy.

[Coops]

Come on folks. Have just deleted several posts which are just bickering. Discuss it by all means, but without the snarkyness.

Coops..