Meet the Double Amputee Veteran Who Became the First to Swim the Solent
Reading Time: 5 minutes
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Summary:
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Simon Harmer becomes the first double-leg amputee veteran to swim the Solent
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Harmer completes 2.5-mile crossing without a prosthesis
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Lost both legs in a 2009 IED blast while serving in Afghanistan
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Raised over £6,000 for veterans’ and youth music charities
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Sets sights on Alcatraz swim next
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The Solent Strait doesn’t make it easy on anyone. This body of water, separating mainland England from the Isle of Wight, is cold, tidal, and busy with shipping traffic, so anyone attempting to cross will also need to contend with container ships, ferries, and ocean freight navigating these waters. And in July 2026, Simon Harmer swam it despite these obstacles.
He started from Stokes Bay in Gosport, completing the 2.5-mile crossing to Ryde on the Isle of Wight. To the best of his knowledge, no one with double leg loss had ever done this before him.
But Harmer, aged 50, is no stranger to facing tough challenges.
A combat medic for 17 years
Before the Solent and the injury that changed his life, Harmer served as a combat medic in the British Army for 17.5 years, with deployments in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Congo, and Iraq. In October 2009, while on the front lines in Afghanistan with the 1st Battalion The Coldstream Guards, he was injured by an improvised explosive device (IED) blast. His right leg was amputated below the knee, while his left leg was removed above the knee, and his right arm was nearly rendered useless.
Following the accident, he underwent years of surgical procedures at various hospitals and a lengthy rehabilitation at Headley Court, the UK’s military rehab center. On his JustGiving page, Harmer describes striving to create a life he hadn’t originally planned but one he aimed to enjoy nonetheless.
“I set about building a life I hadn’t planned for, but one I fully intend to enjoy.”
The charity Pilgrim Bandits, which supports injured veterans, became part of his recovery: they arranged for him to ride a recumbent bike in a charity event to Arnhem to commemorate the battle’s 80th anniversary, which, in his own words, helped him find a new purpose and a secure job. Harmer said that many people talk about the importance of rehabilitation, but for him, feeling valued and useful again has had a greater impact on him than almost anything else.
A pool conversation turns into a crossing
The Solent swim project began with a simple idea. Harmer met Mark Ryan, 64, at their Winchester leisure center. Ryan, a longtime open-water swimmer who had crossed the Solent three times, asked if Harmer had ever attempted the crossing. Harmer responded that he hadn’t, but he was open to challenges.
Harmer told the BBC that he thought he was the first double amputee to try the crossing.
Crossing the Solent
The crossing took Harmer and Ryan one hour and 40 minutes, with a safety boat accompanying them for the entire 2.5 miles. Harmer swam without a prosthesis, humorously noting he used “a lot of front crawls and, on the plus side, less of me to drag through the water.”
The conditions were tough. The pair dodged jellyfish and navigated around cargo ships in the channel. The most challenging part was at the end; as the water became shallow near the Isle of Wight, the final 500 meters became too shallow to swim, so both men crawled through it. Ryan decided to crawl alongside Harmer rather than walk, preferring to share the same finish.
“It’s celebrating ability”
Both men candidly talked to The Isle of Wight County Press about what the swim represented and what it did not. Harmer expressed hope that the crossing demonstrated that having restrictions doesn’t prevent someone from achieving goals. He added that it can require extra planning or adjustments.
Ryan, who credited Harmer with leading the swim and helping him through the second half, summarized it simply: “It’s about celebrating ability. It’s not about disability; it’s about what you can do, and Simon exemplifies this despite challenging conditions.”
Raising money and raising the bar
Together, they raised over £6,000 for two charities: Simon raised approximately £5,000 for Pilgrim Bandits, the veterans’ charity that helped his recovery, and Mark raised about £1,000 for Winnall Rock School, which offers free music workshops for young people.
For Harmer, the Solent wasn’t a final goal. He has already mentioned planning an Alcatraz swim next, which will also be a cold, current-driven challenge and a chance to explore the same question he’s been asking himself since 2009: what exactly does his “restriction” limit?
Related Reading:
Swimming After Limb Loss: How to Get Started
Why Swimming Is a Great Full-Body Workout for Amputees
The NYC Lab Helping Veterans Thrive After Limb Loss
Triple Amputee on Solo Pacific Sail to Change Perception of Disability
