On Friday, May 18, 2007, a sword swallower will face impossible odds as he attempts to swallow a solid steel sword while submerged fifteen feet underwater in a tank filled with live sharks and stingrays at Ripley's Aquarium in Myrtle Beach, SC. To stretch the boundaries of the art of sword swallowing, Meyer will attempt to swallow a 30 inch long solid steel sword while submerged 15 feet underwater surrounded by 80 sharks and sting rays in 85,000 gallons of water.
Myrtle Beach, SC (PRWEB) May 17, 2007 -- On Friday, May 18, 2007, a sword swallower will face impossible odds as he attempts to swallow a solid steel sword while submerged fifteen feet underwater in a tank filled with live sharks and stingrays at Ripley's Aquarium in Myrtle Beach, SC.
Held in conjunction with Myrtle Beach's annual "Bike Week", the underwater feat will promote Ripley's Aquarium's "Pirates, Predators of the Sea" exhibit that educates visitors on the history of pirates, many of whom frequented the Myrtle Beach area. Myrtle Beach's "Bike Week", also set around the pirate theme "Cruisin' the Coast", is expected to draw over 250,000 motorcycle enthusiasts from around the world to Myrtle Beach between May 11-20. "We created this event to promote our "Pirates, Predators of the Sea" exhibit and amaze and entertain Bike Week visitors while making a connection between pirates and the undersea world," explained Ripley Entertainment VP Tim O'Brien. "Having a swashbuckling pirate like 'Captain Cutless' attempt to swallow a sword underwater is the perfect fit!"
"Captain Cutless", better known as Dan Meyer, is a professional sword swallower from Nashville, TN, who has been featured in numerous documentaries, articles and studies on sword swallowing around the world. As Executive Director of the Sword Swallowers Association International, Meyer is widely recognized as one of the foremost authorities in the world on the ancient art of sword swallowing.
To stretch the boundaries of the art, Meyer will attempt to swallow a 30-inch-long solid steel sword while submerged 15 feet underwater surrounded by 80 sharks and sting rays in 85,000 gallons of water.
Of course, there are the obvious dangers in attempting a feat like this -- sword swallowing can cause serious injury and even death. "Swallowing a solid steel sword is incredibly dangerous enough as it is on dry land," Meyer explains. "Last year while swallowing five swords at once, I ended up in the hospital with a serious injury that almost killed me - a punctured stomach that caused fluid around my heart and lungs. The pain was incredible, and I couldn't swallow solid food for several weeks."
This time the dangers will be multiplied with additional challenges besides the obvious risks of cuts, punctures and perforations. "It will be much more difficult to lean my head back and open my mouth when I'm fifteen feet underwater and surrounded by all that salt water. When I open my mouth to swallow the sword, the air will rush up out of my lungs, and I won't be able to breathe underwater. Not only will I have to concentrate on swallowing the sword and not impaling myself, but I'll have to contend with the sharks and stingrays while trying not to drown." Meyer explained. "And most dangerous of all ... I'll be attempting this within 29 minutes after eating!"
Why would someone attempt a feat this dangerous? "I love entertaining and amazing audiences with incredible stunts." Meyer explained. "I've swallowed swords for the past several years, and I swam with sharks and sting rays when I lived on an island in the Bahamas for several years, so I know I can do each of them separately. It just seemed natural to put the two challenges together," Meyer explained. "The question is -- will I be able to do BOTH of them at the same time and survive?"
The general public and the media are invited to witness the historic attempt at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, May 18th at Ripley's Aquarium, 1110 Celebrity Circle in Myrtle Beach, SC. The feat will be held in the 85,000 gallon "Ray Bay" exhibit that is home to over 80 sharks and stingrays. In 2006 "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin was killed on the Great Barrier Reef when a stingray stabbed him in the heart. "We're not taking any chances," explained Peter MacIntyre, General Manager of Ripley's Aquarium. "We will have trained divers in the water to guard Dan, and an ambulance with trained EMTs will be standing by in case of emergency."
If he can successfully pull off the stunt, Meyer will make history by being the first person in America to successfully swallow a sword underwater, a feat that will be considered for inclusion in an upcoming Ripley's Believe It or Not! book. Ripley's Believe It or Not! officials will also be on hand to document the event for possible inclusion in a future Ripley's Believe It or Not! cartoon in the popular cartoon series that runs daily in over 200 newspapers in 42 countries.
The art of sword swallowing started over 4,000 years ago in India, and requires the practitioner to use mind-over-matter techniques to control the body and repress natural reflexes in order to insert solid steel blades from 15 to 25 inches down the esophagus and into the stomach. There are currently less than a few dozen full-time professional sword swallowers actively performing the ancient but deadly art of sword swallowing around the world today.
The Sword Swallowers Association International (www.swordswallow.org) is based in Nashville, TN and is comprised of sword swallower members from around the world. Ripley Entertainment, Inc. (www.ripleys.com) is based in Orlando, FL, and manages over 60 Ripley's branded attractions around the world drawing over 13 million visitors annually.
Media is invited to attend on Friday, May 18, or you can request satellite feed, B-roll footage, and high-res photos of the event. Satellite feed will be available Friday, May 18 from 2-2:30 p.m. EST, and Saturday, May 19 from 10-10:30 a.m. EST. Meyer will be available for media appearances and interviews through Cutting Edge Innertainment. Contact us immediately to arrange satellite feed details, B-roll footage, high-res images, and to schedule appearances.
Media Contact - Appearances/Interviews:
Dan Meyer
Executive Director
Sword Swallowers Association Int'l
Cutting Edge Innertainment
1-(615) 969-2568
Dan @ swordswallow.com
Media Contact - Print/Broadcast:
Satellite Feed, B-roll Footage, High-res Photos
Tim O'Brien
VP Communications
Ripley Entertainment, Inc.
1-(615) 496-5949
obrien @ ripleys.com
Location:
Ripley's Aquarium Myrtle Beach
1110 Celebrity Circle
Myrtle Beach, SC 28577
www.ripleysaquarium.com
For more information:
www.swordswallow.org ; (SSAI)
www.swordswallow.com (General Info)
www.sonicbids.com/HalfdanSwordSwallower (Electronic Press Kit)
www.myspace.com/dan_meyer
www.myspace.com/capncutless
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