Nearly 100 swimmers took to the magical waters of Heron Island on the Great Barrier Reef last year.
At the invitation of online open water swimming pioneer Oceanswims, the Heron Island Ocean Swim was a spectacular splash for the inaugural event in the warm coral cay paradise.
The 1K and 3K swims were preceded by a swim clinic with Graeme Brewer, a 1980 Olympic freestyle medalist and one of the greatest waterman of his generation.
The 1K was a short swim to the HMCS Protector, a wreck that was towed to the entrance channel at Heron Island in 1945 to form a dive and snorkeling site.
In an example of a phenomena that has been increasing in many open water swims around the world, 64% of the participants in the Heron Island Ocean Swim were female.
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.