
Swimming Across A Rare Stretch Of Blue
Swimming Across The Big Blue
Courtesy of Jeff Kozlovich, Kahoolawe, Hawaii.
The Kealaikahiki Channel is a body of water between the islands of Kahoolawe to Lanai in the state of Hawaii. It is rarely crossed.
Captain Sidney Akiona escorted software engineer Quinn Carver (10 hours 24 minutes) and retired U.S. Air Force pararescueman Bill Goding (10 hours 44 minutes) in April 2009 across the Kealaikahiki Channel from Kahoolawe to Lanai.
The duo followed Linda Kaiser, Laurie Foster, and Mike Spalding who pioneered this 17-mile crossing in 2005.
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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.