Lewis Pugh is diving headfirst into shark diplomacy by swimming around Martha's Vineyard in freezing 47-degree waters, hoping to upgrade sharks’ image from horror movie villains to misunderstood oceanic misfits.

With an ambitious 62-mile swim around Martha's Vineyard starting at the Edgartown Harbor Lighthouse, Pugh aims to rebrand sharks from their cinematic portrayal as bloodthirsty monsters to valuable ocean inhabitants. As he plummets into icy waters without a wetsuit, Pugh hopes to shed light on the alarming fact that 100 million sharks are killed each year, championing their protection while he prepares to face the real danger—chilly temperatures and, hopefully, far fewer humans frightened by their dorsal fins.

Pugh, who holds the impressive title of the first individual to accomplish a long-distance swim in every ocean, is no stranger to extreme conditions. When asked about his latest endeavor, he stated, "Swimming in 47-degree water without a wetsuit just felt like the natural next step. It’s either that or a polar bear plunge, and I’ll take my chances with the sharks. At least they’ll probably be more frightened of me than I am of them."

The swim is expected to take around 12 days and will start at the Edgartown Harbor Lighthouse, during which Pugh will don only a pair of trunks, a cap, and goggles. While many might question his sanity—and rightly so—he is determined to swim in 47-degree water without a wetsuit. Pugh intends to educate the public about sharks during the swim and highlight the need for increased protection of the species.

In what could be termed the most thrilling educational campaign since someone decided it’d be wise to teach children about road safety while they’re crossing, Pugh is using this swim to educate the public on the necessity of shark protection. His goal is to mitigate decades of fear woven into our cultural fabric, primarily stemming from the infamous film 'Jaws.' This classic flick has done more for shark-hostility than any rogue scientist with a vendetta.

Pugh isn't venturing into the ocean totally alone; he’ll be accompanied by safety personnel and armed with a 'Shark Shield' device. This device aims to keep sharks at bay without inflicting any harm—because, naturally, they shouldn’t suffer just because he has a personal vendetta against the cold.

The grim reality Pugh aims to confront is shocking: approximately 274,000 sharks are killed globally each day. That’s a staggering statistic that fails to convey just how ludicrous the situation has become. In the movie world, sharks were painted as villains, and in the real world, they find themselves the subject of humanitarian campaigns—an unintentional plot twist, to say the least.

In the wake of 'Jaws', Lobster Roll enthusiasts everywhere might have forgotten that sharks are not lurking around every beach waiting to ruin summer vacations. Greg Skomal, a marine fisheries biologist, confirmed this, adding that many people simply refuse to swim due to the terror inspired by film’s sharky antagonist. "It's as if ghosts still scare people at Halloween, or assorted clowns do on any given Tuesday," he mused on the enduring effects of the film.

Even the creators of the shark horror epic aren't immune to retrospective haunting. Both director Steven Spielberg and author Peter Benchley have expressed regret over the fear that continues to plague anyone contemplating taking a dip in the ocean. Benchley once remarked, "If I had known the impact, I might have opted to write a heartwarming story about sea turtles instead. Although, let’s be real—where's the tension in that?"

As Pugh prepares for his icy expedition, he emphasizes the need for understanding rather than fear. Current studies on shark populations highlight that commercial fishing presents the greatest threat to these creatures, making Pugh’s swim not only an act of endurance but one of advocacy. "If humans can swim alongside sharks, maybe we can share the ocean instead of turning it into an aquatic horror flick," he muses, evoking a vision of future humanity sharing beach towels with sharks doing their best impressions of friendly dolphins.

With humor, bravery, and a touch of insanity, Lewis Pugh is ready to dive into the deep end—quite literally. His swim around Martha’s Vineyard is a quest to change public perception of sharks, which he believes have been maligned as 'villains, as cold-blooded killers' by the film 'Jaws.' As he starts his swim, we can only hope the sharks are watching closely, and perhaps even taking note of a swimmer willing to dive into their world. Pugh will be swimming in 47-degree water without a wetsuit, using only trunks, a cap, and goggles, while accompanied by safety personnel and utilizing a 'Shark Shield' device to deter sharks without harming them.

While we can’t predict how effective his swim will be in changing minds, at the very least, he’ll have a great story for sharing around the beach bonfire—if he makes it back, that is. And who knows? Perhaps, in the cold darkness of ocean depths, the real impact could be the rekindling of a long-lost friendship: between humans and sharks, one chilly stroke at a time.