One last note about Jim Bell's swim

No one who has not lived here can understand how dangerous the channel between Saipan and Tinian really is--there is a white cross (actually, quite a few white crosses) at the north end of the island to pay respect to those who have lost their lives crossing this channel.


The following is the most recent article from the Saipan Tribune about this feat:


Saipan Tribune, Wednesday June 11, 2008
Thursday, June 12, 2008
By Rik and Janel Villegas

Superman returns to Saipan


With all the doom and gloom that dominates the news, it's refreshing to learn about someone doing something inspirational. Last Saturday night, we met a mild-mannered gentleman who returned to Saipan to complete a superhuman roundtrip feat that has not been accomplished by anyone.


We asked James H. Bell if his first historic swim across the Tinian channel 27 years ago was submitted to the Guinness Book of World Records. He said that it was, but they decided not to print it because they felt it was too dangerous and they didn't want to encourage others to attempt to swim across the channel. The strong currents and shark-invested waters make it difficult for even small boats to make it across.Jim was in the Navy and stationed on Guam when he tried to get leave to swim the channel the first time, but the Navy denied his request when they discovered his intentions. Undeterred, he waited three months to retire so he could make the trip as a civilian in July 1981. When he left the shores of Saipan, the weather was good and the tides were favorable; however, it didn't take long for the currents to change and turn the waters into a dangerous torrent. Jack Angello was living on Saipan at the time and covering the story for the Pacific Daily News. He remembers the incident well when Jim took off from Ladder Beach Cove. Jim had predicted it would take six hours to complete the trip, so after that time passed he was declared missing at sea and a search and rescue effort was made to find him. Jack got on a boat piloted by Captain Cabrera and headed into what he described as “the perfect Tinian channel storm.” With waves as high as 12 to 15 feet, the boat would go to the top of a wave and then teeter over the edge to the other side. It was Captain Cabrera's expert boatmanship that kept the boat from capsizing, but it didn't keep two other men from passing out. The search was eventually called off because of the danger it posed for those in the boats.


Some concerned people on Tinian started a prayer vigil for Jim at a shrine on the north point.


The memorial was dedicated to Tinian residents lost at sea. Several years earlier, some individuals had tried to haul freshly cut beef to Saipan in a boat. A trail of blood from the beef dripped into the water, which attracted a group of sharks. Rough waters capsized the boat, and when the beef hit the water there was a feeding frenzy among the sharks that left few survivors. Even though the search was called off, Jack was still determined to find Jim. He took the search effort to the air in a Cessna 150 aircraft with Glen Seglum at the controls while Jack acted as a spotter. Luckily, Jim wasn't in the “washing machine” but had been pulled out toward Forbidden Island by the current, and then he swam an arc pattern where he was carried by the current until he eventually ended up close to Tinian. Jim was finally spotted from the air, but Jack saw a huge whirlpool behind Jim that was pulling him back into the channel. The plane flew low enough to get Jim's attention, and then Jack hung out of the plane window and motioned the “cut” sign by moving his hand across his throat, and shouting for him to get out of the water quickly. Glen landed the plane on the north field, taxied through the boonies, and Jack jumped out of the plane to locate Jim on foot. Jim had understood Jack's message and swam to some rocks where he climbed out of the water and was greeted with a helping hand from Jack, who still remembers the huge smile that was on Jim's face, even after 12 and one-half hours of constant swimming in one of the world's most dangerous waters. The welcoming party that had assembled many hours earlier to greet Jim on Tinian had turned into a somber vigil to pray for his body to be found. He was taken to them and as he approached, they were dumbfounded that he had survived the ordeal. Jim said that one lady even brought her baby for him to kiss, and the child would be about 28-years old by now.


Twenty-seven years later on Monday, June 6, 2008 Jim Bell turned 70 and would once again enter the waters he had exited on his last heart-pounding adventure. As a youthful 43 year old, he had built up his stamina for the channel crossing by spending many Saturdays swimming for miles along the Guam shoreline. To prepare for this adventure, Jim spent the last couple of years swimming one mile every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. He planned to arrive on Saipan early enough to start practicing in the ocean and build up his stamina over several days until he could easily swim 3 to 4 miles per day. He left the U.S. a couple of weeks early using free space available flights that the military offers to retired individuals. The only problem is that these flights are the lowest priority, and are only available if there is space. So, after spending a week-and-a-half sleeping in terminals and inexpensive military housing while waiting to catch flights, Jim finally flew into Saipan on Thursday night, less than four days before his 70th birthday. Adjusting to jet lag and not having practiced in the ocean like he planned, he was still determined to accomplish his goal, so he left for Tinian on Sunday night to get some rest for the next morning. At 6:48 a.m., Jim entered the water with no escort and just his swimsuit, goggles, tee shirt, and a lot of suntan lotion. He said, “The normal current is east to west and it can be very strong. When you swim, you have to assume it's going to be that way. I swam straight north, and I took a position check and found out that I am going straight north, so there was no current. So I just headed for one of the beaches. “I headed for the radio antenna, and I wasn't making progress. I realized that the current was flowing west to east. At this time I was really tired. The waves were beating on the rocks. I saw a small patch of beach near the golf course. I hit a rip current that kept me back, so I started swimming to the east and looking ahead.”


After finding a safe exit point, Jim climbed out of the water at 10:38 a.m. at Coral Ocean Point, just 3 hours and 50 minutes after he started the five-mile swim. While walking along the golf trail he was met by a worker who took him to the clubhouse, where they recognized him because the Tribune newspaper had a front-page story about him that day. This channel swim was less eventful than the first, but no less amazing. When asked why he wanted to do something like this, he responded: “I wanted to do something that hadn't been done before. I want to be an inspiration to others (I don't want to encourage people to take up channel swimming), but being 70 shouldn't keep you from doing what you want to do. You don't have to look at things as if they are written in stone.” With more adventures planned in the coming years, Jim is not letting age slow him down. So what's keeping you from accomplishing something you've always wanted to do? The next time you don't believe you can accomplish your goals, just remember the day that Superman Jim Bell returned to Saipan to brave the Tinian channel alone. Anything you want to do should be easy, safe, and fun by comparison. God bless you Jim in your amazing life adventures, and thanks for bringing us a ray of hope that is so needed now.


I feel quite priviledged to have been a small part of this feat of daring--especially since I told Jim the night before that I thought he was crazy! I fully expected to hear that he had been swept out to sea, eaten by a shark, or simply 'gone without a trace.' I was astonished when I got a call from Dell Benson (the Branch President of the Mormon Church on Saipan), that Jim had made it, and was already giving an interview with the local TV station! Will wonders never cease!