Six Across 72 Miles In The Kaieieiwaho Channel
Linda Kaiser, Randy Brown, Michelle Macy, Joel Swartz, Billy Brown and Mike Spalding swam courageously for two straight days.Not just anywhere – but across the Kaieieiwaho Channel between the Hawaiian islands of Oahu and Kauai – sharks, Portuguese Man-o-War – if there were ever a truly dangerous channel to cross, this was it.
This effort took 47 hours 55 minutes, every moment filled with risks. They stared down a shark and ignored the pain of the Portuguese Man-o-War for days as they entered open water swimming history.
During one shark encounter, they describe, “…I heard Linda yell SHARK, SHARK, SHARK…The boat went into high alert. But Randy was already on the ama ready to jump in…”
Photo shows Mike Spalding with his Portuguese Man-o-War scars.
Copyright © 2010 by World Open Water Swimming Association
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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