The World’s First Island Circumnatation
Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California. In early July 1976, Dr. Sean O’Connell, a mathematics lecturer at Bermuda College and a member of the 24-hour Club, attempted the first recorded attempt at swimming around the island of Bermuda.
Seven weeks later, Dr. O’Connell made a second attempt on August 21st. After 45 miles (72.4 km) later, he completed the first circumnatation around Bermuda.
“The swim was not a circumnavigation,” Dr. O’Connell explains of his 43 hour 27 minute swim. “Navis means boat in Latin. Natare means swim. I did not ‘sail around the island’, but rather ‘swam around’, so my exploit was a ‘circumnatation’ of Bermuda. The Guinness Book of World Records 1978 UK edition changed its category designation of such events from circumnavigation to island circumnatation at my suggestion.”
Copyright © 2015 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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