Strong enough to swim from Florida to Cuba? ‘There are lots of things in the water’ to stop you, says JU’s Quinton White

Having the endurance to swim across the ocean is one thing, but being able to overcome what lives in the sea is another  — especially during warm weather, says Quinton White, Jacksonville University’s Marine Science Research Institute executive director.

“This is a prime time. There are lots of things in the water — lots of jellyfish, sharks, large fish and plankton,” White told CBC News, the largest broadcaster in Canada, in a June report about the latest endurance athlete’s failure to swim across the Florida Straits.

Also troubling for Florida-to-Cuba swimmers, White said in the CBC News report, are tiny organisms that can cause skin irritation and shortness of breath.

“They release a toxin which gets aerosolized and it can cause respiratory problems, watery eyes, irritation, and coughing,” said White.

Click here to view the CBC News report.