Which Magician Walked On Water?

I often get asked, which magician walked on water? So, why the fascination with spiritualists walking on water?

We’ve all tried this at some point or another in our lives.

Some of us still do after a few drinks…

But how did we get to this point?

Throughout historical literature – including religious texts such as the Bible – there have been instances of individuals accomplishing seemingly impossible goals.

Levitation is one, walking on water is another.

As we break it down, to walk on water is nothing short of mortal hubris – there is no justification for any of us to be able to achieve this. Such an ability would only be possible under the Divine.

The OG – Jesus Christ was the first to seemingly accomplish this as dictated by the Gospels.

It detailed Christ walking along the Sea of Galilee to rejoin his disciples, who had kickstarted their own journey in a ship. As Christ caught up to the vessel, the disciples on board acknowledged him as the true son of God.

Please note, however, that I am by no means labelling Christ as a magician. However, his feats certainly were trailblazers and laid down the blueprints for us to follow! When we look at which magician walked on water, it is hard to qualify whether it is a close up magic effect or a stage magic effect – I’ll leave that for you to decide – let us know in the comments!

The water walkers

So which magician walked on water? A high-profile instance which occurred in 2011 involved Dynamo, born Steven Frayne, walking across the River Thames towards the Houses of Parliament. Aged 28 years old, the performer accomplished this feat in front of hundreds of spectators. Nothing short of remarkable! The story behind the feat would not look out of place in a Hollywood blockbuster.

In an interview with Holly Willougby and Phillip Schofield, the illusionist detailed that he would often have fantasies of running across water. He went on to reveal this was due to him being bullied by his classmates because he did not fit in.  The sheer willpower and determination to make this dream a reality is a powerful arrow in any true magician’s quiver.

Criss Angel performed his own version five years previously where he walked across a swimming pool. Furthermore, there was was a live crowd in attendance swimming in the pool! What are your thoughts on Criss Angel? Love him or otherwise, no one may honestly dispute that he revolutionised the industry in the US as performance magic would very quickly join the ranks of mainstream entertainment.

A worthy mention

When we are talking about which magician walked on water, there is another instance in modern history where this feat was accomplished that does not take magic into consideration, but remains highly impressive nonetheless.

Remy Bricka walked across the Pacific Ocean – from Los Angeles to Sydney. He did this using nothing more than a pair of skis, a double-sided paddle, and a catamaran (a multi-hulled watercraft). This was tied to his waist and towed behind him storing his provisions whilst also serving as his bedchamber.

This is actually the second venture of this kind that the French musician undertook. He would previously walk across the Atlantic Ocean from the Canary Islands to Trinidad.

This stellar accomplishment granted him a seat at immortality! It landed him in the Guinness Book of World Records for longest distance walking across water at a staggering 3,502 miles!  Again – not a magical feat – but the sheer willpower required is something out of this world!

It makes me contemplate if I should travel to France to pick his brain!

Martial Arts

A true embodiment of spiritualist training of walking – or in this case, running – on water became a staple of the famed Shaolin monks.  Employing two hundred floating plywood planks in a row, Shi Liliang successfully ran across a full one hundred and twenty five metre body of water: another extraordinary record!

No magic was ever claimed to have been used by the monks.  Instead, they preach an unwavering devotion to their daily physical training and resilient mental strength to achieve their unprecedented goals. The monks apply Qi Gong as well as a particular mechanism of breathing via their lower abdomen which may temporarily alter their already strengthened bodies. This supposedly forms an almost bullet-proof state! With that being said: should you ever come across a Shaolin monk, please do not aim your firearm at them…

In all seriousness, the order has come to be known for its open teachings and acceptance of all cultures. While it remains impossible for a foreigner to assume the mantle of Shaolin monk, you could very well be adopted and recognised as a disciple. The Songshan Temple in Henan routinely accepts foreigners to embark on their specialised training.

I now pose the question to you, dear reader: if you could potentially walk across any body of water, how would you accomplish the feat? As a skilled athlete? An adventurer with unique equipment? A daring magician? A dedicated monk? Who do you think would hypothetically come out on top?

Please leave your thoughts in the comments section below; I would love to hear from you!

Take care, and speak soon!