Okay. The swim starts here. Shes going to jump in. Now, inside an extraordinary journey. It seems almost like a dream to me, but its real. From the first strokes to the dramatic finish. Five attempts, four failures, one extreme dream. Monday, september 2nd, 2013. Diana nyad is swimming through her second full night. Ill admit to you, my confidence is cracking, because i dont know if i can do two more 13hour stints. My stomach, i couldnt find anything to eat. From eggs to chocolate, to goo. The second it would go in you were throwing up in the water . Just constantly violently vomiting. And trying again, but going slower. Her best friend, bonnie stoal, has news. She says, youll never have the to put that mask on after tonight. Were not going into a third night. Not going into a third night, because bonnie hopes diana will have reached the shore before then. But she isnt there yet. The hardest miles are the last one. The body and the mind go together. And as soon as the body starts to deteriorate, the mind goes down with it. Within hours, a fleet of boats approaches shore, as a crowd gathers. Go, diana keep her energy up. Keep obstacles at bay. Diana knows, like no one else, that one bad moment at any time is enough to end the swim. A swim that has been her main focus for four years. It all started in 2009. And diana was headed toward a birthday, a big birthday. I was driving in my car, telling myself, youd better get with these life lessons. You cant go back. You better just seize the day. Go forward and 60 isnt old. And i was looking at the cars in the rearview mirror, and i caught a sight of my eyes for a second, and i thought, but wait a second. Maybe i could go back. Maybe that would be the event that would make me feel strong and powerful again. That would define me again. What once defined diana was marathon swimming. In the 1970s, she won races and set records worldwide. Im interested in the most outrageously difficult goals that i can think of. Theyre so difficult. But i get wiser and wiser all the time. Strong, brash, confident. A media darling. In august, 1978, at age 28, diana set out to do the most outrageously difficult swim she could imagine. Cuba to florida. Over 100 miles in vicious currents. 200,000 strokes, 60 hours. She had a shark cage built, headed to cuba, and launched from a beach surrounded by press, despite grave concerns. And i remember, i got down to the shore with my six handlers, and i have a picture of the six of us looking bewildered. Were looking out at a raging sea of white caps. Her navigator promised calmer seas just offshore, but instead, diana battled eightfoot swells for almost 42 hours. Hopelessly offcourse and ravaged by jelly fish bites, her handlers eventually pulled diana from the water. I didnt stop kicking for 42 hours. It was really rough. You can ask anybody. Dianas dream was dashed and her heart was broken. I have never had summoned so much willpower. Ive never wanted anything so badly. And ive never tried so hard. The following year, diana set the record for the longest unassisted ocean swim in history, going from the bahamas to florida. And then she quit swimming. The day i turned 30 was the day i swam up on to that florida shore from the bahamas and i thought to myself, i will never swim another stroke of my life. And for more than 30 years, she didnt. Summer, 2009. As diana nears her 60th birthday, she realizes, theres one dream that never left her. So she changes her mind and quietly returns to the pool. I just started Going Forward to a really tiny country club pool, swimming for 25, 30 minutes. And not bad, just kind of feeling if the stroke was there, seeing if the shoulders and the elbows and the triceps were going to take the pressure. And i knew that the body was going to have to slowly come to it. So for these first couple of months, i was just adding like ten minutes a day. Then early in 2010, everything clicks into place. And i did a 6 1 2hour swim. Cold. I dont like the cold. I dont do well in the cold, but it was cold. I came out just shivering like this, but thats the day i knew, i said to myself, ive got it. I have in my spirit, i have it in my body. This summer, im swimming from cuba to florida. Cuba, home of salsa and cigars. Castro and communism. Just 100 miles south of the florida keys. For diana, its a place both complex and captivating. This is a magical place. You know, i grew up in southern florida. I had many cuban friends. Its not just anywhere, its cuba to florida. Truth is, others have attempted this swim before, even succeeded. But no one has done it the way diana how hopes to. Just imagine this, 60 hours in that ocean with no rest, no shark cage, no flippers. Diana wants to set the record for the longest unaided ocean swim in history. And she wants to set that record at age 60. The plan is audacious and maybe impossible. The swim itself, that shes setting out to do, is a super difficult swim. Well, this is florida. Reporter david merchants makes his living navigating caribbean water. Key west is right here. Its 103 miles and havana is right there. If it was in a swimming pool, 103 miles is a long way. But across the straits of florida, its super difficult. To make it, shell have to build her body into a machine, so shes swimming every day for six, eight, ten hours at a time. Hoping to conquer the one dream that has alluded her. [ bottle ] okay, listen up im here to get the lady of the house back on her feet. [ all gasp ] oj, veggies youre cool. Mayo . Corn dogs . You are so outta here aah cause im reworkin the menu, keeping her healthy and you on your toes. [ female announcer ] the complete balanced nutrition of greattasting ensure. 24 vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and 9 grams of protein. I see you, cupcake uhoh [ bottle ] the number one doctor recommended brand. Ensure®. Nutrition in charge™. 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Get the it card and talk to a real person. Over 100 miles of open ocean stretch between cuba and florida. So far, it would take a swimmer 2 1 2 days to cross. If you think that sounds too crazy to even consider, than youve never met diana nyad. I feel very centered about it. Its going to be difficult. It could be close to impossible. Its going to be a lot, a lot of long hours. Its a big dream that wont come easily. Succeeding will take dianas very best and it all starts with perfect technique. Even the best of swimmers have seen me swim and said, thats a beautiful freestyle, very efficient, high elbows. Probably every 14yearold in this country can swim as fast as i can, frankly, at good level of competitive swimming. But whos got the mind, then . The mind and the will to do something superhuman. Just look at that ocean. And imagine swimming it for so far and so long. It would be a challenge for anyone, even a 20yearold. Diana is three times that age. Shes going to have to train harder, shes going to have to train better to even have a chance. When diana enters the water, shes entering a very hostile environment. Dr. Ken kamler is a surgeon who specializes in extreme medicine and he knows exactly what dianas body will go through. She wont be able to keep up with the energy and heat loss which shes experiencing. Its just impossible to do that . Its impossible to do that. The water is going to drain her so shes going to be running at a deficit. And as time goes on, the deficit will increase and shell just be providing energy for those organs that are central for her survival. Shes swimming alone, but shes actually in a race. She has to swim to florida before her body deteriorates to the point where she can no longer swim at all. To prepare, she pushes herself farther and longer. And by july 2010, dianaed is ready for her first true test. A 24hour training swim. Her longest swim in 30 years. If she fails, it means the end of her extreme dream. Lets call it 8 19. Thats when were going to start the swim. The next morning, she plunges into the ocean. With diana in the water, bonnie stoal assumes command. Dont worry about it. This isnt the time for that. Dont worry about it at all. One hour. Best friend drill sergeant. On your first stroke, here you go. Chief handler. Bonnie is a rock. She is a professional athlete herself. Shes a take charge, nononsense, say it in a few words. She knows me as an athlete. Bonnie will lead an army of handlers that will follow dianas every stroke to nourish, encourage fabulous and protect her. One of their biggest concerns, sharks. These are great waters for sharks. Luke tippel is the teams lead shark diver. He knows just how dangerous these waters can be. Catching this chum box hanging a tough back of the boat. These waters, well be looking for oceanic white tips, this animal has evolved to dominate the ocean. They have a sixth sense. They can feel the electricity in the water. They know that were there. And thats why in 1978, diana swam in a shark cage. Today, she just uses this. Sharks are tremendously sensitive to. This is actually in the kayak its called a shark shield. And off the coast of the bahamas, tippel shows us how it works. Its a sharkfeeding frenzy at this block of chum, until tippel approaches and turns on the shark shield that hang right above it. Now the device emits a strong but harmless signal that overwhelms a sharks senses and forces them to the ocean floor. Okay, green light means its working. To keep diana safe, shark shields are mounted below these kayaks. Their electrical signals surround diana, keeping dangerous predators at bay. We are now thousands of strokes into her 24hour swim. Diana looks strong, but theres a problem. Shes swimming in circles. You veer off a little and veer off a little more and veer off a little more and you end up in jamaica. So after a while, i cant every stroke look at that boat for hours and stay closer, stay here, stay here so i drift. And every time i swim 30, 40, 50 yards off that way back, well add on in the end miles and miles. And that could mean the difference between success and failure. Fortunately, todays swim was about time rather than distance. Beautiful we made it and at 8 19 the next morning, she emerges from the water. There you go there you go exhausted. I was racked. I mean, i was dehydrated and depleted much, much more than i knew i was when i was in there. Watch her head, watch her head. And yet she feels confident. I really pushed. I was like cranking it. There was just never a doubt, there was never a moment of doubt. I feel very strong. I must say. Strong, but its only been 24 hours. Does she have what it takes to survive a swim more than twice as long . My asthmas under control. I get out a lot. Except when its too cold. Like the last three weekends. Asthma doesnt affect my job. You missed the meeting again last week it doesnt affect my family. Your coughing woke me up again. I wish youd take me to the park. I dont use my rescue inhaler a lot. Depends on what you mean by a lot. Coping with asthma isnt controlling it. Test your level of control at asthma. Com, then talk to your doctor. There may be more you could do for your asthma. Its where you email, yshop, even bank. E here. But are you too comfortable . These days crime can happen in a few keystrokes. American express can help protect you. With intelligent security that learns your spending patterns, and can alert you to an unusual charge instantly. So you can be a member of a more secure world. This is what membership is. This is what membership does. [ male announcer ] the allnew 2014 lexus is. This is your move. Where would you go . Iving the away a trip every day. Woman greece. woman 2 i want to go to bora bora. man id always like to go to china. anncr download the expedia app and your next trip could be on us. Expedia, find yours. August 2010, diana nyad is rearing to go and ready to turn her dream into a reality. She arrives in key west. So here we go. The weather seems right. The time has come. Tomorrow diana plans to leave key west for cuba and start her swim. Now, hundreds of things must go exactly as planned. Even one snafu could sink the swim. Hows it going, bonnie . Best friend bonnie stoal, shes dealing with the first problem. The big greenback didnt make it, right . All the bathing suits and gear, i thought i should carry those all in my carryon luggage. A great big green duffel bag. Turns out even elite athletes sometimes lose their luggage. Thank you. Thank. Good luck to you. Good luck finding your bag thats probably going to be harder swimming from cuba to florida. Exactly now everything in key west kicks into high gear. The team flies in, the boats are prepped. Aokay. And then just hours later, the forecast turns. And the Weather Window vanishes. That put everything to a halt. It was a setback for many. It was a chance to improve things for others on the crew, but diana got to have her very first meltdown. Which she needed to have. I just bawled like a baby. For me, its like, will this ever happen . So diana decides to turn that disappointment to her advantage. She takes a team out that night for a training swim. Her goal, to work out a few kings. All right, were ready 7 40, in the water, okay . Like her difficulty swimming in a straight line. To succeed, she must follow the boats course exactly. Its something she often struggles to do. Ive got these fogged over goggles and im just able to catch a little bit of a not a full focus, just a semifocus, 60 times a minute, so im out there in, you know, nevernever land in my mind. To help, david merchant and kayaker stewart nags have rigged this contraption. Take a look. Its an arm that extends from the boat and trails red fabric and fiber optic lights beneath the water. This streamer should provide diana a path to follow in the water, like a lane line in the pool, even when shes swimming in the pitch dark. Were wondering if she sees the fiber optic they set up underwater, because were seeing it now for the first time, because its getting dark. She is not usually this distance from the boats. I dont mean far, i mean perfect. Shes definitely seeing something. This is exactly where we want her. Its a big success and the team feels great again, but not for long. Summer 2010 drags on, days pass, and then weeks, waiting for good weather that never comes. But diana refuses to give up on her goal to swim this summer. So for now, its laps in a local lagoon instead of ocean swims. Avoiding a snorkeler instead of sharks. Theres a lone share instead of handlers. Dianas dream is slipping away. Agonizing. Its not just been frustrating, its been absolutely agonizing. I wake up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night at 3 00, 4 00 in the morning, worried i wont even get my chance. But all the laps in the world cant change the weather. Its rough out there. Its blowing 15 knots of wind with 6foot seas o o s out ther. By october, conditions have bottomed out. Last weekend the water temperature dropped almost 6 degrees over the weekend. And thats once it gets below 80 degrees, she cant do it. I feel like ive let down, but after training a year, handling countless logistics, and spending a huge chunk of her savings, diana manges a gutwrenching decision. Ive just been under tremendous stress. I sat down and i wrote this email a couple of days ago. The day has come. The seas here have dropped to 77 degrees, far below my threshold for such a long time in the water. This was my year. I believe i got in better shape, both body and mind, than even in my 20s. It has been draining, whipping of the spirit to feel it all slipping away from me. Its over for this year. And thats okay. The swim will get done. I dont think i can do it without your inspiration. Shes allowed to be disheartened. Oh, my god, i have to do it again and then that will come to, i cant wait to do it again. Los angeles, six months later. Im now full tilt, you know, in it again. You see, for diana, quitting wasnt an option. And yet these long months of train having taken a toll on 61yearold body. This shoulder has a tear in the biceps tendon, which is right in the front here. I went to an orthopedist. He said its a considerable tear. Youll never do it. So diana found another doctor with a better outlook. Icing around the clock. And at another swimmers suggestion, she even changes the stroke shes had for over 30 years. Youre going to start swimming with your shoulder down. So ive change mid stroke. Im in way better shape, even than last year. Just strong, strong, strong as a bull. Strong and ready. But can the new stroke work . Will the torn shoulder hold . And will that weather ever come . [ male announcer ] whats important to you . At humana, our medicare agents sit down with you and ask. Being active. And being with this guy. [ male announcer ] getting to know you is how we help you choose the humana medicare plan that works best for you. Mi familia. [ male announcer ] we want to help you achieve your best health, so you can keep doing the things that are important to you. Taking care of our customers. Taking care of her. And the next thing on our list is bungee jumping. [ male announcer ] helping you now thats whats important to us. She took an early spring break thanks to her double miles from the capital one venture card. Now what was mrs. Davis teaching . Spelling. Thats not a subject, right . I mean, spell check. Thats a program. Algebra. Okay. Persons a and b are flying to the bahamas. How fast will they get there . Dont you need distance, rate and. No, all it takes is double miles. [ all ] whoa. Yeah. [ male announcer ] get away fast with unlimited double miles from the capital one venture card. Youre the worlds best teacher. This is so unexpected. Whats in your wallet . Diana nyad has worked, waited, and worried, anxious to attempt her historymaking swim. Finally, on august 5th, 2011, diana gets an urgent call from meteorologist dane clark. The weather is here. This is it. Dianas 40person crew hops flights across the country. Diana lands in cuba, again. Team nyad converges at havanas hemingway marina. Here we have, after all the false starts, all the disappointments, all the training, all the logistics, two years of waiting, diana nyad is about to take her shot. The swim starts here. Shes going to jump in, and for 60 hours, push her mind, push her body to the human limit. So its good . Come on. At sunset, august 7th, diana makes her way to the water. And then its showtime. 7 46 p. M. , she entered the water. Diana starts swimming, leaving cuba behind. She expects to have 60 grueling hours of swimming ahead. Sunrise, august 8th, diana nyad has been swimming for nearly 12 hours. Were holding our own now. So were