The Peaceful Sea vs. The Angry Channel
Home to four of the seven Oceans Seven challenges (Catalina Channel, Molokai Channel, Tsugaru Channel and Cook Strait), the Pacific Ocean can be an inviting place … as opposed to the irascible English Channel (see Donal Buckley‘s video below of this week’s conditions seen from Dover Harbour).The Pacific Ocean’s name was given by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan during his world circumnavigation in 1521. He encountered favorable winds as he reached the ocean and called it Mar Pacifico in Portuguese, meaning “peaceful sea”.
Photo shows Greg O’Connor crossing the Catalina Channel in the Pacific Ocean in 2010.
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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.
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