HAMPTON, Tennessee (3 Sep 2004) -- He emerged Friday morning from Watauga Lake after more than 120 hours underwater and signed a contract promising his days of setting such Guinness world records were over. The contract was the perfect present for his wife, Vicky, who turned 42 Friday. "The things a man will do to get away from his wife," she said. Hall slipped beneath the surface of the lake Sunday and had planned to emerge Wednesday after a little more than 94 hours, easily beating his old record of 71 hours, set at South Holston Lake in 2002. He elected to stay down even longer because he felt fine and wanted to see how much more money he could raise for Ronald McDonald House charities. When Hall broke the surface at 10:16 a.m., he was helped to his feet by members of his dive team and then clambered up a plank unassisted and onto a waiting boat. The consensus on the dock was that he looked much better this time than he did two years ago. Hall confirmed that observation. "I feel great," he declared to the crowd. "A lot better than last time." Hall, of Bluff City, gave credit to his dive team for carrying him through the ordeal and giving him all the support he needed. "I feel like I had the easiest part in this dive," he said. Jerry Hall shows his hands after five days underwater. | | Assisted by his dive team, Jerry Hall crawls into a waiting boat after coming up from his 120-hour dive in Watauga Lake. Hall's hands and feet were white and withered from more than five days underwater. He seemed to readjust to the effects of full gravity with ease and was strong enough to offer hugs all around. While underwater, Hall ate as little as possible to avoid having to go to the bathroom. But he didn't expect to stay hungry for long once he surfaced. "I'm just gonna start at the next restaurant and work my way home," he said with a grin. "I'm definitely going to eat and then go home and take me a nice long shower." Knowing it would be his last chance at extending his record-setting time, Hall said he considered staying under even longer than 120 hours. "Physically I could have gone one more day," he said. "I was just starting to get worn down physically and then the team said they were gonna go home." Malcolm Wilson, who helped organized the dive, said he wouldn't know how much money was raised until this afternoon. The plan is to auction off some of the equipment used in the dive. Hall wouldn't rule out other world-record attempts and suggested that his 12-year-old son Seth might one day try to challenge him. For now, though, Hall said he plans to settle down a bit. SOURCE - Bristol Herald Courier |
