Avonthediver
Contributor
By Heather Sorentrue, Reporter
Last Updated: Friday, September 16, 2011 6:26 PM
GROVELAND --
A Lake County diver set a new world record Friday for spending more than five days underwater.
People gathered around Groveland's Lake David to rally around diver Allen Sherrod, 47, as he stepped foot back on land.
Around 9 a.m. Sherrod broke the world record for the longest freshwater dive by just about 15 minutes.
"This was like amazing. He's tried this two times before. This whole week we knew he could pull it off," said Nicole Plussa, 17, who attempted the women's world record but had to resurface after about 13 hours.
Sherrod walked out of Lake David with a bottle of champagne and his sense of humor still intact.
Sherrod started his dive Sunday at 8:46 a.m., 10 years to the minute since the first hijacked plane struck the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.
He emerged five days, 14 minutes and 32 seconds later.
Sherrod dedicated this third attempt to helping veterans pursue diving by raising money for Wounded Warriors.
"I feel good. I'm glad I did it," Sherrod said. "I'm the only one that's made 3 dives in 13 months that total almost 300 hours at one time in three dives. So that's an accomplishment on its own."
Sherrod attempted the same dive twice last year, but he had to resurface after the water got too cold and he started to get sick.
Sherrod built up so much nitrogen in his body from being underwater this time that he had to spend hours hooked up to an oxygen tank to adjust back to life on land.
For the last five days he survived on a liquid diet of Ensure and Gatorade.
He had some underwater entertainment with a waterproof monitor and keyboard where he could watch movies and even check Facebook.
Still, Sherrod said the worst part was all the waiting around.
"I'm not a patient person," he told friends while wearing his oxygen mask.
Sherrod's safety divers told News 13 the last night was definitely the hardest, and Sherrod was shivering the whole time.
"It really takes a strong mind, a strong heart to be able to do this," Lead Safety Diver Jose Mijares said.
Allen Sherrod is now the only one in the world who has done it.
Mijares said despite the record-breaking attempt he would not have hesitated to pull Sherrod out of the lake if his life had been in danger.
Way to kool