Alain Brandeleer: From Croc Attack to Inspiring Ocean Advocate

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What would drive someone to keep swimming after a crocodile crushed his only functional arm? For Alain Brandeleer, the answer is resilience, passion, and a deep love for the ocean. A long-distance swimmer, diver, and ocean advocate, Alain has transformed personal adversity into a mission that reaches far beyond sport.

From crossing the Strait of Gibraltar to planning his Ibiza–Formentera challenge, every stroke he takes is a call to protect the seas we all depend on. His story is not just about endurance—it is about hope, action, and the belief that one person can inspire thousands to join the fight for our oceans.

Introducing Alain Brandeleer: A Swimmer, a Diver, and a Force of Nature

Alain Brandeleer's journey is one of growth and resilience, anchored by an unshakable bond with the sea. Born with an atrophy of his left hand, he learned from childhood to push beyond limits. The water became his freedom: first as a diver, then as a long-distance swimmer whose feats now inspire a global community.

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Alain Brandeleer—turning challenges into a life lived for the ocean.

How a Crocodile Attack Forged His Philosophy

In 2012, Alain survived a life-threatening crocodile attack that crushed his only functional arm. After seventeen operations and months of rehabilitation, he discovered that resilience is not abstract—it is something you build stroke by stroke, day by day.

What could have ended his journey instead forged his philosophy: that limits are more often mental than physical.

Alain explained that these trials showed him "one can fall very low, but there is always a reason to rise again." The attack and its aftermath did not just test his body—they reshaped his view of strength itself. Resilience became, for him, a daily practice, cultivated in every decision to keep moving forward.

Turning Endurance into Action for a Plastic-Free Future

Alain went on to complete extraordinary ocean crossings: the Strait of Gibraltar in 2015, Corsica to Sardinia in 2023, and now Ibiza to Formentera. Each swim is more than a test of endurance—it is a statement of hope.

"I want to show children born with differences that with passion and perseverance, the unimaginable can be achieved."

For Alain, these challenges are never just about distance. Each one is a message carried through the water: proof that what seems impossible can be done. Whether in the iconic Strait of Gibraltar or the channels of the Mediterranean, he swims with the conviction that every crossing can inspire others to believe in their own strength.

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Every stroke counts: Alain Brandeleer powering through the open sea.

Alain ties his feats to a cause larger than himself: ocean protection. Partnering with The Ocean Cleanup, his latest challenge raises awareness about plastic pollution—the silent threat he has seen firsthand on dives from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean.

For him, every movement through the water is a promise: not only to reach the other shore, but to move toward a future where our oceans remain alive for generations.

GET INSPIRED: Alain's Ocean Challenge 2025: Swimming for a Plastic-Free Future

Alain's Example Proves That Passion Can Become Action

For SSI's Blue Oceans community, Alain is proof that passion for the sea can become powerful action. His message is simple: each diver can make a difference, whether by reducing waste, joining clean-ups, or supporting conservation initiatives.

Get started today with SSI's Ecology courses to understand marine life more deeply and take meaningful steps to protect it. These courses, ranging from Coral Identification to Marine Ecology, empower both divers and non-divers to turn awareness into action. They can be completed entirely online, making them accessible to anyone aged 10 and above, wherever they are in the world.

Image: Alain with support boat and crew

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Supported but unstoppable—Alain Brandeleer with his team during a long-distance swim.

One Swimmer's Vision Is Becoming a Global Movement

Alain believes one swimmer alone cannot change the tide—but together, a movement can. Through his challenge, he invites divers, swimmers, and citizens to become "Ambassadors of the Sea." His vision extends beyond swimming to inspire runners, cyclists, and communities everywhere to join forces for the oceans.

Curious what actions you can take right now? Read: How Divers Can Protect the Ocean Every Day

Why Ocean Stewardship Matters Now

Alain's connection with the sea has evolved from playground to partner, from sport to stewardship. Today, he swims not just for himself, but for the future of the ocean we all share.

He has seen the difference a single generation can make. Returning to dive sites he knew decades ago, Alain found places once rich with corals and color now damaged and littered with plastic.

That contrast, he says, shook him deeply and convinced him that "we could lose these wonders in a single generation." It is why he ties his swims to conservation and urges divers to see themselves as part of the solution.

No Swimmer Alone Can Protect the Sea—But Together, We Can

Alain is clear that no single swimmer, no matter how determined, can protect the ocean alone. His vision is collective: to bring together divers, swimmers, and citizens to carry the message further than he ever could. By uniting communities around shared action, he believes change is not only possible, but within reach.

Ready to Get Involved and Make a Difference?

Support Alain's mission directly through his Swimming for the Ocean donation page and join the SSI Blue Oceans community. Together, we can turn passion into action and protect the ocean we all share!