Michelle Macy explains in elaborate detail about her unprecedented swim across Clarence Strait in Alaska, from Revilligegado Island to Prince of Wales Island, near the famed Pennock Island Challenge in Ketchikan. Michelle’s 6 hour 36 minute swim for 15 miles in sub-10°C (50°C) water was difficult enough, but ride on the boat back was a classic description of the beauty and challenges in swimming in Alaska.
With nearly 34,000 miles (54,720K) of tidal shoreline in Alaska, we suspect Willie Schultz’s renowned Pennock Island Challenge, Claudia Rose’s solo swim and her 10K Adventure Swim in Sitka Sound, and Michelle’s Clarence Strait swim are just the precursor to many other swims in another great open water swimming frontier.
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.