Molokai Channel

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(Redirected from Canal de Molokai)
Steven Minaglia with Andreas Waschburger after his 9 hour 55 minute crossing of the Moloka'i Channel from Lā'au Point on Molokai to Sandy Beach on Oahu on 7 October 2024 when Waschburger swam with a broken nose
Haley Chasin in the middle of the Molokai Channel on her record-setting 11 hour 59 minute crossing between Molokai and Oahu
Crew chief Jasmin Waschburger, record holder Andreas Waschburger, and producers Janis Scheuermann and Rouven Pagliarini before crossing the Molokai Channel
Escort kayaker and a swimmer in the Molokai Channel
Harry Huffaker on Sandy Beach on Oahu after swimming across the Ka'iwi Channel in September 1967 in 13 hours 15 minutes with his paddlers
Linda Kaiser of the Molokai Channel Swimmers Association with Mark Tan on the shores of Sandy Beach after Tan's 15 hour 19 minute crossing of the Molokai Channel on 30 June - 1 July 2018
Ion Lazarenco Tiron completed the Ka'iwi Channel on Oahu in 18 hours 11 minutes in October 2016
Whale breeching during Abhejali Bernardová's crossing of the Molokai Channel
Ion Lazarenco Tiron walking onshore on Sandy Beach on Oahu after his 18 hour 11 minute crossing of the Ka'iwi Channel in October 2016
Doug McConnell in the Molokai Channel where he swam for 16 hours 4 minutes over 49.4 km in turbulent conditions between Molokai Island and Oahu Island
Adrian Sarchet of Guernsey doing a 17 hour 24 minute crossing of the Molokai Channel on 11 July 2016 under the escort of Captain Michael Twigg-Smith, escort kayaker Jeff Kozlovich, and support crew Pete Rowland and Mandy Mackelworth on Sarchet's fifth Oceans Seven channel swim
Marcy MacDonald and Elizabeth Fry on Sandy Beach after completing a tandem crossing of 17 hours 30 minutes across the 42 km Molokai Channel from Molokai Island to Oahu in Hawaii on 9-10 April 2016
Mackenzie Miller finishing on Sandy Beach on Oahu
Penn State Altoona commencement speaker and Oceans Seven swimmer Darren Miller, photo courtesy of Steve Haumschild in the Molokai Channel
Islands of Hawaii showing the 9 main channels: Auau Channel (or the Maui Channel), Kalohi Channel, Alalakeiki Channel, Pailolo Channel, Alenuihaha Channel, Kaulakahi Channel, Kealaikahiki Channel, Ka'iwi Channel (or Moloka'i Channel) and the Kaieiewaho Channel
Kimberly Chambers being congratulated by Linda Kaiser and Joseph Locke after a 19 hour Molokai Channel crossing
Kayaker and swimmer in the Moloka'i Channel
Swimmer exchange between Mark Royer and John Royer in the middle of the Molokai Channel, photo by Keano Pavlosky
Steve Haumschild (paddler) with Antonio Argüelles Díaz-González on 22 March 2016 after a 23 hour 18 minute crossing of the Molokai Channel and paddler Jeff Kozlovich on Sandy Beach, Oahu, Hawaii

noun - The Moloka'i Channel (also known as the Ka'iwi Channel, meaning the Channel of Bones or Canal de Molokai in Spanish) is a waterway between the islands of O'ahu and Moloka'i in the State of Hawaii. The nearly always rough channel is 41.8 kilometers (26 miles wide) with an abundance of marine life including sharks, jellyfish, whales, turtles and dolphins. Its maximum depth is 2300 feet (701 meters). Laau Point is the traditional starting point of swimmers who attempt to swim from Molokai Island to Oahu.

There are annual paddle boarding and outrigger canoe paddling contests which traverse this channel and it is considered one of the most difficult swimming channels in the world.

The Molokai Channel, part of the Eight Seas, has a lot to challenge the marathon swimmer and is part of the Oceans Seven. Swims in the channel are governed by the Hawaiian Channel Swim Association and relays are governed by the Kaiwi Channel Association.

Kaiwi Channel Swim

The Molokai Channel is also site of the Kaiwi Channel Swim, the first relay competition across the Ka'iwi Channel, held on 24 August 2014 from Kepuhi Beach on Molokai to Sandy Beach on Oahu. It is governed and hosted by the Kaiwi Channel Association.

Molokai Channel Swimmer List

The individuals who has successfully swum across the Molokai Channel include these Molokai Channel Swimmers who are members of the Ka'iwi Channel Swimmers Association:

1. 1961 - Keo Nakama (age 40), finishing in Hanauma Bay on Oahu, 15 hours 40 minutes
2. 1966 - Harry Huffaker (26), 14 hours 45 minutes
4. 1972 - Harry Huffaker (42) from Oahu to Molokai, 16 hours 15 minutes
4. 1974 - Jonathan Ezer (18), 14 hours 4 minutes
5. 1979 - Michael Miller (25), 16 hours 50 minutes
6. 1979 - Ian Emberson (28), 16 hours 50 minutes
6. 1994 - Robin Isayama (26) first female, 15 hours 21 minutes
8. 2006 - Forrest Nelson (40) from Oahu to Molokai, 16 hours 46 minutes
9. 2006 - Forrest Nelson (41), 15 hours 55 minutes
10. 2006 - Bill Goding (54), 15 hours 55 minutes
11. 2007 - Mike Spalding (60), finishing in Hanauma Bay on Oahu, 15 hours 15 minutes
12. 2007 - Kelly Gleason (42), finishing in Hanauma Bay on Oahu, 15 hours 15 minutes
13. 2007 - Linda Kaiser (56), 15 hours 0 minutes
14. 2009 - Mackenzie Miller (18), 14 hours 52 minutes
15. 2010 - Chris Palfrey (52), 12 hours 54 minutes
16. 2011 - Tina Neill (45), 16 hours 16 minutes
16. 2011 - Forrest Nelson (46), 16 hours 16 minutes
18. 2011 - Darren Miller (28), 12 hours 12 minutes
19. 2011 - Michelle Macy (44), 14 hours 12 minutes
20. 2011 - Anna-Carin Nordin (40), 18 hours 22 minutes
21. 2011 - Samantha Simon (21), 14 hours 41 minutes
22. 2011 - Penny Palfrey (49), 12 hours 6 minutes
23. 2012 - Stephen Redmond (46), finishing at China Walls in Maunalua Bay on Oahu, 22 hours 40 minutes
24. 2012 - Adam Walker (44), finishing near Diamond Head volcano on Oahu, 16 hours 1 minutes
25. 2012 - Michael Ventre (45), finished at China Walls in Maunalua Bay on Oahu, 22 hours 40 minutes
26. 2012 - Kathleen Wilson (49), 20 hours 49 minutes
27. 2012 - Oliver Wilkinson (46), 14 hours 5 minutes
28. 2012 - Kim Chambers (45), finishing at China Walls in Maunalua Bay on Oahu, 19 hours 26 minutes
29. 2012 - Beth French (45), 24 hours 10 minutes on 2 December 2012
30. 2014 - Leahi Camacho (16), 14 hours 44 minutes
31. 2014 - Katie Benoit (44), 18 hours 0 minutes
32. 2014 - Yesenia Cabrera Fuegos (41), 16 hours 50 minutes
33. 2014 - Cameron Keith (15), 14 hours 55 minutes
34. 2014 - Victoria Rian (46), 14 hours 42 minutes
35. 2014 - Jim Barber (54), 14 hours 42 minutes
36. 2014 - Rohans More (29), 16 hours 28 minutes
37. 2015 - Attila Mányoki (42), finishing at Makapu'u Beach on Oahu in 12 hours 2 minutes
38. 2015 - Andre Wiersig, finishing on Sandy Beach on Oahu in 18 hours 26 minutes
39. 2016 - Antonio Argüelles Díaz-González (56), finishing on Sandy Beach on Oahu in 24 hours 18 minutes
40. 2016 - Elizabeth Fry, finishing on Sandy Beach on Oahu in 16 hours 40 minutes in a tandem swim with Dr. Marcy MacDonald
41. 2016 - Dr. Marcy MacDonald, finishing on Sandy Beach on Oahu in 16 hours 40 minutes in a tandem swim with Elizabeth Fry
42. 2016 - Thomas Pembroke finishing in 15+ hours on Oahu
43. 2016 - Adrian Sarchet finishing on Sandy Beach, Oahu in 16 hours 24 minutes
44. 2016 - Dr. Tom Hackett in 14 hours 54 minutes
45. 2016 - Stephen Junk in 14 hours 50 minutes on 5 October
46. 2016 - Ion Lazarenco in 18 hours 11 minutes on 5 October
47. 2016 - Beth French in 16 hours 59 minutes on 6 December 2016
48. 2016 - Cameron Bellamy in 16 hours 1 minute on 26 February
49. 2016 - Steve Walker in 18 hours 8 minutes on 26 February
50. 2016 - Abhejali Bernardova in 21 hours 52 minutes on 26 March
51. 2016 - Pat Gallant-Charette (66) in 24 hours 54 minutes on 21 May
52. 2016 - Prabhat Raju Koli (16) in 16 hours 22 minutes on 6 June
53. 2016 - Nora Toledano in 14 hours 28 minutes on 10 July in a tandem swim with Mariel Hawley
54. 2016 - Sarah Ferguson in 16 hours 56 minutes on 25 July finishing on Makapu'u Beach, Oahu
55. 2016 - Toni Enderli in 20 hours 45 minutes on 2 September 2016 finishing on Sandy Beach, Oahu
56. 2016 - Jorge Crivilles Villanueva 57. 2016 - Ryan Leong, swimming in a tandem swim with Stefan Reinke, in 19 hours 42 minutes on 4 September 2016 finishing on Sandy Beach, Oahu
58. 2016 - Stefan Reinke, swimming in a tandem swim with Ryan Leong, in 19 hours 42 minutes on 4 September 2016 finishing on Sandy Beach, Oahu
59. 2017 - Mariel Hawley Davila
60. 2018 - Dean Summers in 20 hours 12 minutes on 26 April
61. 2018 - Mark Tan in 15 hours 19 minutes on 1 July
62. 2018 - Lynton Mortensen in 14 hours 49 minutes on 1 July
63. 2018 - John Zemaitis
64. 2018 - Joe Zemaitis
65. 2018 - Dina Levacic
66. 2018 - Jonathan Ratcliffe
67. 2018 - Anna Strachan
68. 2019 - Paul Georgescu in 14 hours 9 minutes in April
69. 2019 - Christian Jongeneel
70. 2019 - Florin Tomos
71. 2019 - Paul Feltoe
72. 2020 - Steve Minaglia
73. 2020 - Debbie Merwick
74. 2021 - John Batchelder
75. 2021 - Dmitry Petrov
76. 2021 - Barbara Hernandez
77. 2021 - Andrey Bozhko
78. 2021 - Edie Markovich, 15 years old, youngest to cross the channel
79. 2021 - Sarah Thomas
80. 2022 - Marcia Cleveland in 17 hours 45 minutes in March
81. 2022 - Mark Sowerby in 14 hours 23 minutes in April
82. 2022 - Suwei Chen
83. 2022 - Guy Moar
84. 2022 - Daniel Vivero
85. 2022 - Jaime Lomelín Gavaldón
86. 2022 - Rene Martinez
87. 2022 - Herman van der Westhuizen
88. 2022 - Nathalie Pohl
89. 2022 - Zach Margolis
90. 2022 - Terri Dietz
91. 2022 - Lori King
92. 2022 - Sayani Das
93. 2023 - Karen Ennis
94. 2023 - Kieron Palframan
95. 2023 - Rob Woodhouse
96. 2023 - Lauren Lesyna
97. 2023 - Alessandra Cima
98. 2023 - Chris Allshouse
99. 2023 - Edward Lomicka
100. 2023 - Jorge Ivan Agudelo Vargas
101. 2023 - Eziquiel Becerril
102. 2023 - Eduardo Collazos
103. 2023 - Grainne Moss
104. 2023 - Andy Donaldson
105. 2023 - Steve Leitch
106. 2023 - Maya Merhige
107. 2023 - Andy Walberer
108. 2024 - Tsanko Tsankov
109. 2024 - Caitlin O'Reilly
110. 2024 - Patrick Autissier
111. 2024 - Bengisu Avci
112. 2024 - Andreas Waschburger
113. 2024 - Michael Moreau
114. 2024 - Anshuman Jhingran
115. 2024 - Izebel Sierra
116. 2024 - Graco Morlan (Oʻahu to Molokaʻi)
117. 2024 - Christopher Chuck
118. 2024 - Rachel Randall
119. 2024 - Halani Christina Moss-Vete
120. 2024 - Ryan Utsumi
121. 2024 - Petar Stoychev
122. 2024 - Colby Dimsdale

Note: William K. (Opelu) Pai (Bill Pai) reportedly completed the first Molokai Channel crossing in 1949 when he rowed out to sea off the island of Molokai and swam to Oahu. This is an uncertified crossing by the Hawaiian Channel Swim Association.

According to the book Hawai’I Sports: History, Facts and Statistics, the Hawaiian fisherman started his swim at Ilio Point and finished at the Blowhole near Sandy Beach on Oahu in 18 hours and 56 minutes. However, he was rowed 50 yards from shore to start his swim off Molokai. Because the Hawaiian Channel Swim Association rules require that swimmers must complete certified swims from shore to shore, Keo Nakama is recognized as the first official swimmer across the Molokai Channel in 1961.

Channels in the Hawaiian Islands

There are 9 main channels in the Hawaiian Islands that individuals attempt to swim: Auau Channel (or the Maui Channel), Kalohi Channel, Alalakeiki Channel, Pailolo Channel, Alenuihaha Channel, Kaulakahi Channel, Kealaikahiki Channel, Kaiwi Channel (or Moloka'i Channel) and the Kaieiewaho Channel.

Oceans Seven

The Oceans Seven consists of the following 6 waterways around the world first proposed in June 2008 by Steven Munatones and first achieved by Stephen Redmond of Ireland in July 2012:

1. North Channel between Ireland and Scotland
2. Cook Strait between the North and South Islands of New Zealand
4. Molokai Channel between Oahu and Molokai Islands in Hawaii
4. English Channel between England and France
5. Catalina Channel between Santa Catalina Island and then Southern California mainland
6. Tsugaru Channel between the islands of Honshu and Hokkaido in Japan
6. Strait of Gibraltar between Europe and Africa

Videos

Molokai Channel Attempt with Ranie Pearce


On 2 July 2016 while escorting Ranie Pearce during a shark encounter on her Molokai Channel attempt

Molokai Channel Crossing by Adrian Sarchet

Molokai Channel Crossing by Tom Hackett


Molokai Channel crossing by Tom Hackett in 14 hours 56 minutes on 11 September 2016 escorted by Captain Mike Twigg-Smith and filmed by Daniel Hildebrandt

Oldest Swimmers of the Oceans Seven Channels

As of September 2016, the oldest swimmers to have successfully crossed each of the Oceans Seven channels are as follows:

Cook Strait:

  • Tom Hecker (USA) age 60 in 10 hours 46 minutes from north to south in 2012
  • Toshio Ogawa (Japan) age 60 in 11 hours 51 minutes from south to north in 2015 [shown above]
  • Dr. Marilyn Korzekwa (Canada) age 58 in 11 hours 44 minutes from south to north in 2016

English Channel:

  • Dr. Otto Thaning (South Africa) age 64 years in 12 hours 52 minutes from England to France in 2014
  • Sue Oldham (Australia) age 65 in 16 hours 11 minutes from England to France in 2010

Tsugaru Channel:

Molokai Channel:

  • Mike Spalding (USA) age 60 in 15 hours 15 minutes from Molokai to Oahu in 2006
  • Linda Kaiser (USA) age 56 in 15 hours 0 minutes from Molokai to Oahu in 2006
  • Liz Fry (USA) age 56 in 16 hours 40 minutes from Molokai to Oahu in 2016

North Channel:

  • Graeme Lowe (Jersey) age 50 in 12 hours 26 minutes from Northern Ireland to Scotland in 2015
  • Fergal Somerville (Ireland) age 50 in 12 hours 21 minutes from Northern Ireland to Scotland in 2014
  • Pat Gallant-Charette (USA) age 65 in 14 hours 22 minutes from Northern Ireland to Scotland in 2016

Strait of Gibraltar:

  • Dr. Euler Konrad Paul Herbet (Germany) age 64 in 4 hours 9 minutes from Spain to Morocco in 2009
  • Carol Sing (USA) age 64 in 5 hours 26 minutes from Spain to Morocco in 2005

Catalina Channel:

  • Jim McConica (USA) age 64 in 10 hours 48 minutes from Catalina to the mainland in 2015
  • Pat Gallant-Charette (USA) age 60 in 14 hours 11 minutes from Catalina to the mainland in 2011

External links

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