John Procope’s daring quest to conquer the treacherous channel

To John Procope: May the currents yield to your will, and may your strokes carve a path through history. May the currents carry you toward greatness. You’re not just swimming, you’re rewriting the map of possibility.

In the vast expanse of the Caribbean Sea, where azure waters stretch between Tobago and Trinidad, a remarkable journey awaits. John Procope, fueled by unwavering determination, is poised to become the first human, of this century, to swim this perilous channel. His mission transcends mere physical endurance—it embodies courage, resilience, and the indomitable spirit of human achievement.

As John’s story unfolds, it resonates as a testament to human courage and unwavering resolve. His quest to swim from Tobago to Trinidad, defying nature’s tempestuous currents and the abyss beneath. John is by no means a stranger to the deep blue. He is a scuba-diving instructor based in Crown Point, Tobago, and has spent most of his adult life preserving the ocean. Even today, he assists local government with the preservation and marine restoration and eradication of the dangerous lionfish lurking in the reefs. He will attempt this journey with his team without floatation devices and resting ever so often to stay hydrated.

What is striking about his journey is the inspiration he draws from the eighteenth century legend – an African slave named Sandy, who escaped captivity by swimming from Tobago to Trinidad and the pioneers who also attempted the journey in the past.

With the challenge ahead, the currents churning between these islands are no ordinary tides. They twist and pull, like ancient sea serpents guarding their domain. Yet John, with sinewy muscles and a heart aflame, will attempt again to brave the bellowing waves of the Atlantic. His goal: to bridge the gap, to defy the odds, and to etch his name into the annals of history and do so before the newcomers of Europe try to attempt the same.

There is always that whisper of doubt as to whether the channel will allow him to complete his journey, if the wind will be favourable since the more recent hurricane had put his swim on hold by a few days, or even the skeptics who question his sanity in pursuing such an endeavour. They point to the jagged rocks, the unpredictable eddies, and the legends of shipwrecks that haunt these waters. But John is deaf to their murmurs. He carries a different tune—the melody of possibility, the rhythm of dreams.

John Procope is not the first to face daunting waters. Centuries ago, explorers sailed uncharted seas, guided by nothing but stars and sheer audacity. They, too, battled currents, storms, and the abyss. Their legacy lives on—a beacon for those who dare to venture beyond the safe harbours of convention.

As islanders, we have learned many lessons from the sea, not to fear the waters but to respect it. The sea demands respect, not fear, and John studies its moods, and has learnt its secrets. He knows that fear paralyzes, but respect empowers. Every stroke is a conversation with the waves—a negotiation for safe passage. He will need to adapt to its commands. The sea is capricious, and John will need to adjust. When the current pushes left, he will have to veer right, when fatigue threatens, he will need to find a hidden reserve with flexibility being his compass. He will need to find the lighthouse within, when darkness looms, to steer him towards hope.

In just three short days, on July 15, 2024 he will leave well-wishers and onlookers on the shore of Grandy in Tobago and make his way to the eastern tip of Trinidad to boldly go where no one has gone before. John Procope represents courage in the face of uncertainty, tenacity against the odds.

When John steps onto Trinidad’s soil, he won’t merely be a swimmer. He’ll be a legend—a testament to human will. His name will echo across the waves, inspiring others to chase their own horizons. And as the sun sets, casting its fiery glow, John will know, he didn’t just conquer a channel, he bridged possibility itself.

Subrina Hall-Azih is a Trinidadian educator.