West
Grandma braves sharks, jellyfish in 17-hour swim to remote island
![Grandma braves sharks, jellyfish in 17-hour swim to remote island Grandma braves sharks, jellyfish in 17-hour swim to remote island](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/GRANDMA-SWIMMER-2.png)
A grandmother recently completed a historic, 17-hour-long swim through shark-inhabited waters off the Northern California coast – all without a wetsuit.
Swimmer extraordinaire Amy Appelhans Gubser, 55, completed the aquatic journey on May 11. She began at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge at around 3:27 a.m. and ended up at the Farallon Islands at around 8:30 p.m. that night.
According to the Marathon Swimmers Foundation, Gubser is the only swimmer to complete that specific route without a wetsuit. Two men successfully completed the swim in 2014, and there were also three documented failures between 2012 and 2015.
The Pacifica, California, resident told Fox News Digital that she swam along intense fog in the Pacific Ocean, which she described as a “sensory deprivation bubble.”
93-YEAR-OLD GRANDMA GOES VIRAL FOR DATING LIFE ‘MORE EXCITING’ THAN MOST MILLENNIALS
Amy Appelhans Gubser, 55, completed the 17-hour swimming journey on May 11. (John Chapman)
“I had a thought bubble around me that only allowed us to see 100 meters in any direction,” she explained. “And then the water had red tide, so I couldn’t see past my fingertips.”
“For 17 hours, I had no idea where I was, what was going on…I went into a meditative state.,” she explained. “There were some 30 minute time intervals that passed very quickly. Others seemed like they were 300 hours.”
The swimmer was not allowed to touch the boat on the journey, but had teammates who periodically fed her hot chocolate, chicken broth and canned peaches to keep her energy up.
Gubser also confirmed that the waters were shark-inhabited, but she kept a cool head during the trek. She suffered a few jellyfish stings, but her helpers watched out for sharks and seals.
“I really had to be very thoughtful and careful about how I approached this swim because of the sharks,” she explained. “And April, May, June is when a very big migration of great white sharks takes place away from the Farallon Islands. That’s why the swim has to take place during that timeframe.”
GRANDMOTHER TAKES HEAT ON REDDIT FOR SENDING HUNGRY 5-YEAR-OLD TO BED: ‘HE’S NOT STARVING’
![Split image of Amy in swimsuit and boat in fog](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1716563557_916_Grandma-braves-sharks-jellyfish-in-17-hour-swim-to-remote-island.png)
Gubser told Fox News Digital that she swam competitively in college, but took a 24-year break before picking the hobby up again. (John Chapman)
Gubser, who works as a fetal cardiology nurse at the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital in San Francisco, told Fox News Digital that she swam competitively in college. But she didn’t pick up the hobby again until five years ago.
“I swam through college right after college, hung up my suit, and I did not touch the water for 24 years,” she said. “Ten years ago, I went back in the water with a friend of mine who challenged me to go in…it was 52 degrees, no wetsuit, in February.”
“I thought it was the craziest thing I could possibly do. I cried, I had a panic attack…[but] within 15 minutes, my body got this warmth that you generate from moving. And every cell in my body became alive.”
Gubser sacrificed warmth and the ability to easily float by not having a wetsuit. The waters got as cold as 46 degrees Fahrenheit.
ULTRA-RARE FISH, ALMOST NEVER SEEN BY HUMANS, WASHES UP ON OREGON COAST FOR FIRST TIME
“Wetsuits are a great piece of equipment, especially for people that are starting out in open water,” Gubser explained. “But I follow the Marathon Swim Federation rules and the open water swim world rules that, for the last 150 years, have been the same. Which is a swimsuit, a cap, some form of goggles, earplugs and a nose clip.”
![Image of Amy standing with other people](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Grandma-braves-sharks-jellyfish-in-17-hour-swim-to-remote-island.jpg)
Amy Gubser (second to right) had a team of helpers to feed her and watch out for sharks. (John Chapman)
“When you wear a wetsuit your skin rubs against the material,” Gubser added. “And the last thing that I really wanted was for my skin to bleed near a shark island.”
Gubser also told Fox that her newfound fame came unexpectedly. Her family is thankful that the swim is over.
“My whole family is so relieved, because I have been talking about this thing for five years, and my husband will be the first to tell you he’s just grateful it’s done,” she said.
Gubser’s grandchildren are too young to grasp the magnitude of her historic swim, but she predicts her achievement will become a piece of family lore down the line.
“My grandkids are so young…My two-year-old, she just swims in the bathtub with her goggles on and thinks she swam as far. Which is lovely, I love that,” she laughed.
![Wide shot of deck of boat in Pacific Ocean](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1716563557_798_Grandma-braves-sharks-jellyfish-in-17-hour-swim-to-remote-island.jpg)
The historic May 11 swim began at around 3 a.m. and ended past 8 p.m. that night. (John Chapman)
“I’m just grateful that I can give them a good legacy in the future of, you know, ‘Your grandma did that’.”
The nurse also said she is overjoyed at the positive response she has received, and hopes her story inspires others to achieve their fitness goals – regardless of age or physical condition.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP
“I hope this story inspires somebody to not be challenged by a number [like] their age or their weight. I mean, all of my body got me across that. That’s pretty impressive,” she said.
For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.
Read the full article from Here
![](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/np-logo.png)
Alaska
Easiest business class flights to book, United complains about Alaska/Hawaiian and yet another Hyatt acquisition (Saturday Selection)
![Easiest business class flights to book, United complains about Alaska/Hawaiian and yet another Hyatt acquisition (Saturday Selection) Easiest business class flights to book, United complains about Alaska/Hawaiian and yet another Hyatt acquisition (Saturday Selection)](https://frequentmiler.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/United-complaining.jpg)
United complains to the feds about the Alaska/Hawaiian merger, Hyatt buys another boutique brand and the easiest business class flights to actually book. All that and more in this week’s Saturday Selection, our weekly round-up of interesting tidbits from around the interwebs (links to the original articles are embedded in the titles).
United complains to DOT about Alaska/Hawaiian merger
It’s time for this week’s thrilling episode of “As the Merger Turns.” First of all, a quick recap for those folks who haven’t been on pins and needles while following the latest action of the Alaska/Hawaiian merger. Alaska Airlines surprised nearly everyone last year when it announced that it was grossly overpaying for its “off-the-mainland” compatriot, Hawaiian Airlines. While it was a arguably questionable deal for Alaska shareholders, it was very exciting for most of us points and milers. Hawaiian brings a Pacific-Oceania route map and some fresh, widebody 787s that have never before darkened an Alaska hangar, while at the same point providing some potentially exciting ways to load up on roundabout Alaska miles. The DOJ, who hasn’t been a fan of domestic airline mergers over the last few years, spent several months reviewing the transaction, asked for two extensions before finally letting the review period expire without objection. That usually means smooth sailing, so points and miles folks started flocking like Emperor Penguins towards previously ugly ducklings like the Hawaiian credit cards and a transfer bonus from American Express to HawaiianMiles. But, not so fast, my friends. That champion of domestic airline competition and pedigreed consumer advocate, United Airlines, has filed a complaint saying that the merger would violate its own codeshare agreements with Hawaiian, leading to over-consolidation and a negative impact on consumers…an interesting argument from an airline that has an almost 80% market share in Houston International and a 65%+ market share at Newark and Dulles Airports.
So is the merger on or off? Who can say. But, like the Beatles famously sang, “I don’t know why you say aloha when I say aloha.” Or is it the other way around?
The easiest business class flights to book with points
Who doesn’t like international business class? Getting to fly across an ocean or continent in your own bougie little cubby with a seat that doubles as a lie-flat bed is one of the great, obtainable luxuries in modern travel…something that us funny-money hoarders sometimes don’t fully appreciate. That said, it isn’t always easy to find and book space on these pleasure cruises, and seats during school breaks can be like finding cigarettes in prison. Last week, Thrifty Traveler compiled a list of what they consider to be the six easiest business class products to actually seal the deal with when using points and miles (trigger warning – it’s also a bit of an advert for their premium service). Some folks on the East Coast might quibble with the Japan Airlines inclusion, but it’s nonetheless a good rundown on products that tend to have more availability than many others and are worth considering when you’re trying to find a bed in the sky.
Hyatt acquires a small, boutique brand again for the very first time
![](https://frequentmiler.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/The-Standard-Maldives.jpg)
Hyatt’s been on a bit of an acquisition bender of late. In the last year or so, World of Hyatt has picked-up the boutiqu-y marketing consortium Mr & Mrs Smith (MMS), Germany’s me and all Hotels, and the high-end “glampground” company, Under Canvas. Now, Hyatt is diving even further into the depths of chic, hipster lodging by purchasing the international chain Standard Hotels. Standard is a far-flung company, to say the least. It only has 24 properties, but they’re scattered to the winds, with locations in Australia, Thailand, Singapore, China, The Maldives, Ibiza, London, Mexico and the US. Hyatt describes Standard as being part of an eventual “lifestyle” division that includes other “lifestyle brands” like Andaz, Dream, Thompson, and Hyatt Centric. One wonders how many “lifestyle” brands a company needs to feel well-centered…or even what a “lifestyle brand” is. Regardless, ever since the addition of Mr & Mrs Smith, we hold our breath a little when we see a new Hyatt purchase, waiting to see if these will be a part of the company’s very good-value award chart or the poor-value, dynamically-priced awards that MMS subjects us to (and that’s also shared by Under Canvas). We reached out to Hyatt to see what the pricing would look like on these properties and are still listening to the crickets in the backyard. Hopefully, that’s not an omen of dynamic pricing to come.
Points, miles, FOMO and lifestyle inflation
![](https://frequentmiler.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/park-hyatt-new-york-1-bedroom-city-view-premium-suite.png)
For points and miles collectors (and spenders), it’s easy for our eyes to be bigger than our stomachs. Ideally, this “hobby” that we’re all involved in is something fun and rewarding, adding rich experience to our families and lives. But, it can be a compulsion as well. The combination of social media and fear of missing out (FOMO) can quickly draw people into spending more time, money and effort than they intend to in pursuit of “maximizing” all those rewards floating around out there. A couple of years ago, I wrote a post about how points and miles should serve our lives and the way we travel, not the other way around. Last week, Leana over at Miles for Family wrote an interesting post in a similar-ish vein about her “…struggle to not let miles and points derail our financial future.” She paints the picture of someone who gets in the “game” looking for points to help take a family vacation to Florida and ends up manufacturing spend in pursuit of vacations to the Maldives and first class flights…that they may never take. It’s a worthwhile weekend read and something to consider for anyone who reads points and miles blogs on the weekend, like me.
![](https://frequentmiler.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/PodcastEmail-icon.png)
Want to learn more about miles and points? Subscribe to email updates or check out our podcast on your favorite podcast platform.
Arizona
Arizona Basketball Reportedly Has ‘Moved On’ From Recruitment of Top 20 Player
![Arizona Basketball Reportedly Has ‘Moved On’ From Recruitment of Top 20 Player Arizona Basketball Reportedly Has ‘Moved On’ From Recruitment of Top 20 Player](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4808,h_2704,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/inside_the_wildcats/01j6n74w50b9eekgnctc.jpg)
While all eyes in Tucson are on the Arizona Wildcats getting their football season underway, basketball is slowly starting to get things in motion.
Two scrimmage dates have been announced for fans to get their first look at this year’s team, with one being held on their home floor and the other being played in Glendale.
Expectations are high for the Wildcats to hit the ground running during their first season in the Big 12 Conference, and with the way this program has performed under head coach Tommy Lloyd, that should be of little surprise to anyone.
In the three years since he’s taken over, Arizona has won two Pac-12 regular season titles and two Pac-12 tournaments, earning a top two seed in the NCAA Tournament every year.
But despite that success, they have topped out on the national stage by being unable to advance past the Sweet 16 round.
Solving that riddle will be the key for Lloyd during his time in Tucson, and by being inserted into a more competitive conference, it will be more difficult for them to maintain a stranglehold on the regular season.
So how can Arizona emerge as true national powers again?
They need to start recruiting at a much higher level than they have under Lloyd.
His first full cycle in charge was the 2022 class, and since that time, the Wildcats have failed to secure a ranking in the top 15.
There are signs this is changing since they finished with the 16th overall class last year, but only landing two four-star recruits makes it tough to maintain long-term success when they have to rely on the transfer portal.
Seemingly knowing that, Lloyd and his staff are attacking the recruiting trail by trying to land some of the best players in the 2025 class.
With visits set up for the fall, the Wildcats are poised to make a huge splash this year.
However, there is at least one recruit in this cycle Arizona had interest in who they are moving on from.
When referencing Tounde Yessoufou, Joe Tipton of On3 reports, “Arizona has moved on from his recruitment and will look to fill the small forward position elsewhere.”
The California native is ranked as the No. 19 player in this class and has garned national interest from some of the top programs around the country like Kentucky, Baylor, UCLA, Tennessee, Kansas, and UConn.
The 6-foot-5, four-star forward has taken two trips to see Arizona, including an official visit back on June 16.
But clearly they feel like their attention is better served elsewhere, whether that’s because the interest has waned from a singular party, or if both are more interest in other options.
Still, this cycle will be one to closely monitor for the Lloyd and the Wildcats as they look to secure their best recruiting class in this era.
California
Some artificial dyes could be banned from California schools
![Some artificial dyes could be banned from California schools Some artificial dyes could be banned from California schools](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/authoring-images/2024/08/31/USAT/75032936007-usatsi-24090018.jpg?auto=webp&crop=4175,2349,x0,y0&format=pjpg&width=1200)
Psychologist provides simple tips to manage ADHD and symptoms
Dr. Ali Mattu explains how efforts like making checklists or being physically active can help manage ADHD.
California public schools could soon be banned from serving certain artificial dyes in food over concerns about developmental harm in children.
Dubbed a “first-in-the-nation” measure, state lawmakers this week passed Assembly Bill 2316 to prohibit six additives that are permitted by federal regulators to make food more colorful. California’s AB 2316, known as the California School Food Safety Act, is now on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk.
The bill says state research suggests such synthetic dyes can result in hyperactivity and other behavioral problems. Similar previous research prompted the European Union to restrict food coloring. Nearly all of the products that the California bill would ban in schools require warning labels in E.U. products.
The bill would ban commercial dyes of Blue 1, Blue 2, Green 3, Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6, in public schools in the nation’s largest state.
“California has a responsibility to protect our students from chemicals that harm children and interfere with their ability to learn,” state Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, a Democrat who authored the bill, said in a statement. He said that he struggled with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, and he is now a parent.
On Saturday, a spokesperson said Newsom’s office didn’t comment on pending legislation. The deadline for Newsom to sign or veto legislation is Sept. 30, the spokesperson said.
The nonprofit Environmental Working Group and the California Medical Association, which represents doctors, supported the bill.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approvals for the dyes banned under AB 2316 date back decades, the environmental nonprofit said. Those approvals were based on old studies not designed to detect behavioral effects in children, the medical association had said in its support of AB 2316.
The Consumer Brands Association, a dye industry representative, opposed the bill because it overrode existing food safety rules, and the group disputed findings about adverse health effects. John Hewlitt, the association’s senior vice president of packaging, sustainability and state affairs, said the bill was “advancing a political agenda.”
“The passage of this bill could cost schools and families money, limit choice and access, and create consumer confusion,” he said in a statement provided to USA TODAY. “The approach taken by California politicians flies in the face of our science and risk-based process and is not the precedent we should be setting when it comes to feeding our families.”
A 2021 state Environmental Protection Agency assessment found American youth diagnosed with ADHD increased in the last 20 years, which prompted the state to look at food dyes. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has similarly tracked increases in ADHD diagnoses in children in recent years.
Focusing on seven food dyes, including those that would be banned under AB 2316, state researchers reviewed prior studies on the effects of these dyes in humans and laboratory animals. Findings indicated they were linked to adverse neurobehavioral outcomes in children, and children varied in sensitivity.
On Friday, an FDA spokesperson told NBC News they had reviewed literature cited in California’s legislation. While saying most children have no “adverse effects” when they eat foods with color additives, the spokesperson reportedly said some evidence suggests certain children may be sensitive.
If signed into law, California’s ban would take effect in schools beginning in 2027.
-
Connecticut1 week ago
Oxford church provides sanctuary during Sunday's damaging storm
-
Technology1 week ago
Breakthrough robo-glove gives you superhuman grip
-
Politics1 week ago
Clinton lauds Biden as modern-day George Washington and president who 'healed our sick' in DNC speech
-
Politics1 week ago
2024 showdown: What happens next in the Kamala Harris-Donald Trump face-off
-
News1 week ago
Who Are Kamala Harris’s 1.5 Million New Donors?
-
Politics1 week ago
Trump taunted over speculated RFK Jr endorsement: 'Weird as hell'
-
Politics1 week ago
Vivek Ramaswamy sounds off on potential RFK Jr. role in a Trump administration
-
World6 days ago
Portugal coast hit by 5.3 magnitude earthquake