Ross Edgley becomes first person to swim around Iceland

British endurance swimmer Ross Edgley became the first person to swim around Iceland after spending nearly four months circumnavigating roughly 1,000 miles (1,609 km) of coastline, finishing on Monday afternoon in Reykjavík.

The 39-year-old from Cheshire completed the final leg after alternating six hours of swimming with six hours of rest on a dedicated support yacht. He was greeted on arrival in Reykjavík with a viking horn and champagne.

Edgley began the expedition in Reykjavík on May 17 and faced a range of harsh conditions, including choppy seas, encounters with killer whales and water temperatures that fell as low as 3C. He documented the challenge extensively on social media, sharing footage of swims he described as taking place in "extreme" conditions and the recovery routines he used between swims.

To help guard against hypothermia, Edgley said he consumed more than 10,000 calories a day to build insulating mass. He reported suffering severe wetsuit chafing and saltwater damage to his tongue during the journey. He has previously described the project in light-hearted terms as "the closest thing yet to swimming around Asgard," and said the idea for the swim came from actor Chris Hemsworth.

Edgley framed the endeavour as both an athletic challenge and a scientific expedition for ocean conservation. He collected daily environmental DNA, or eDNA, samples from waters around Iceland’s coast to help build a picture of local biodiversity and microplastic distribution. The research was conducted in collaboration with a number of scientific organisations, including the University of Iceland.

The swim adds to a series of high-profile endurance feats by Edgley. In 2018 he completed a 1,791-mile (2,882 km) swim around the coast of Great Britain in 157 days, and he has covered 317 miles (510 km) along the Yukon River in Canada. He also appeared in episodes of the documentary series Limitless, hosted by actor Chris Hemsworth.

Support for the Iceland circumnavigation included a dedicated crew and a support yacht that provided rest periods, medical oversight and logistical assistance. Edgley said he alternated swim and rest blocks to manage exhaustion and recovery, and that the team used the daily stops to process eDNA samples and review conditions.

Scientists collaborating on the project said the eDNA samples will contribute to ongoing efforts to map marine biodiversity in the North Atlantic and to track the prevalence and distribution of microplastics. The data will be analysed in partnership with Icelandic and international research institutions.

Organisers and Edgley have not announced any immediate plans for another circumnavigation, but noted that the expedition will produce both scientific data and film material documenting the swim and its logistical and environmental challenges.