Endurance athlete to swim around Marthas Vineyard where Jaws was filmed to change public perception of sharks

Lewis Pugh has followed an unspoken rule during his career as one of the world’s most daring endurance swimmers: Don’t talk about sharks.But he plans to break that this week on a swim around Martha’s Vineyard, where “ Jaws” was filmed 50 years ago.The British-South African was the first person to complete a long-distance swim in every ocean of the world — and has taken on extreme conditions everywhere from Mount Everest to the Arctic.“On this swim, it’s very different: We’re just talking about sharks all the time,” joked Pugh, who will, as usual, wear no wetsuit.For his swim around Martha’s Vineyard in 47-degree water he will wear just trunks, a cap and goggles.Pugh, 55, is undertaking the challenge because he wants to change public perception around the now at-risk animals — which he said were maligned by the blockbuster film as “villains, as cold-blooded killers.”He will urge for more protection for sharks.On Thursday, beginning at the Edgartown Harbor Lighthouse, he will swim for three or four hours in the brutally cold surf, mark his progress and spend the rest of his waking hours on the Vineyard educating the public about sharks.Then, he’ll get in the water and do it again — and again, for an estimated 12 days, or however long it takes him to complete the 62-mile swim.He begins the journey just after the New England Aquarium confirmed the first white shark sighting of the season, earlier this week off the coast of Nantucket.“It’s going to test me not only physically, but also mentally,” he said, while scoping out wind conditions by the starting line.

“I mean every single day I’m going to be speaking about sharks, sharks, sharks, sharks.Then, ultimately, I’ve got to get in the water afterwards and do the swim.

I suppose you can imagine what I’ll be thinking about.”Pugh said the swim will be among the most difficult he’s undertaken, which says a lot for someone who has swum near glaciers and volcanoes, and a...