Stroke by stroke, kilometre by kilometre, Scott Gladman has spent the past 72 days consecutively swimming down the Darling River in outback New South Wales.
The 64-year-old Victorian farmer has firmly set his sights on being the first person to swim the river from top to bottom as part of his "Fight the Current" campaign.
He and his support team are well past the halfway mark on their 1,650-kilometre odyssey.
Mr Gladman has even surprised himself by what he has achieved so far, having previously never swum more than 8 kilometres in a single stretch, a feat made all the more impressive by a heart scare in 2017 that required a triple stent.
"I'm not a great swimmer but, yeah, [I] love water," he said.
"I thought there'd be some stage where I hit a wall … get really sore or lots of aches and pains … but I've been really lucky, everything's been great."
His determination has been unsurprising to those around him including his wife, George Gladman.
"I suggested a few other things and some other rivers … then I realised there was no changing his mind."
Massive swim 'nothing' compared to mates' ordeal
Mr Gladman's journey is not just a physical pursuit; the 64-year-old's goal is to raise money and awareness for both Motor Neurone Disease and Parkinson's.
His mission was in response to his long-term mate Russ Worldle being diagnosed with Parkinson's, and the separate MND diagnosis of 36-year-old family friend Pat Russell.
Mr Gladman said swimming the length of the Darling was "nothing" compared to what his mates and their families were going through.
Scott and George Gladman, and the whole Fight the Current team, have been overwhelmed by the generosity of people following along the journey.
This includes the remote station owners living along the Darling River, who have accommodated them with places to sleep, cook and clean.
"They would give their shirt right off their back for you; it's been absolutely unbelievable," Mr Gladman said.
This included sizeable donations from the tiny towns along the way in the name of MND and Parkinson's.
In Louth, which has a population of roughly 70 people, locals donated $3,700. In the district of Tilpa, with a population of roughly 40, pitched in $4,000.
"You go to Bourke, and they raise money … the people out here [are] just fantastic," Mr Gladman said.
The Fight the Current campaign is just $15,000 short of its $150,000 fundraising target.
But as Mr Gladman makes clear, it is not just about raising funds for those battling MND and Parkinson's.
"It's about raising awareness of the plight that these people have out in the bush," he said.
Not a solo journey
While Mr Gladman is the face of the swim, gliding down the river — he has a rotating team of paddlers, boat drivers, drivers and other support staff accompanying him.
He credited the team with getting him this far.
"To a degree I feel guilty … I jump in the water and, to some people, may get all the glory," he said.
"[But] with[out] all these people in the background, it just wouldn't happen."
Support paddler Mike Bremers travelled from Canberra to assist the swim. Having kayaked the Darling before himself, he was responsible for spotting snags and other obstacles in the river.
"[Scott] said he needed a support paddler and I thought, 'Yeah, I'd give it a go,'" Mr Bremer said.
"Scott's amazing because he … just goes on all day swimming."
Having fun is the secret
For Mr Gladman and the rest of the team, the marathon journey "has got to be fun" no matter what.
This included more than a few frothies at the conclusion of each day's swim.
"I think that's the secret … it's got to be fun, as soon as it becomes a chore, you're in trouble," Mr Gladman said.
His cousin Brian "Tubby" Gladman is in charge of driving Scott and the on-river support team to and from camp each morning and night.
Barring catastrophe, he had little doubt they would reach Wentworth in December.
"He's just a positive mind all the time, [saying] 'If I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna do it,' [and] don't worry, he'll get there," he said.
