Harry Huffaker
From Openwaterpedia
Harry Huffaker on Sandy Beach on Oahu after swimming across the Molokai Channel in September 1967 in 13 hours 15 minutes with his paddlers
75-year-old Dr. Harry Huffaker preparing for a crossing of the Molokai Channel in Hawaii. Photo by Mike Lewis of Ola Vista Photography
Dr. Harry Huffaker (born 27 December 1939 in Long Island, New York, died 27 January 2026) was an American open water swimmer from Idaho. The dentist who swam at the University of Michigan represents the very best of the open water swimming community who was recognized for his unprecedented adventures and world-class exploits in the channels of the Hawaiian Islands.
Contents
Open Water Swimming Highlights
- He was inducted in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in its Class of 2011 as an Honor Swimmer.
- He is a member of the Hawaii Swimming Hall of Fame in the Class of 2002.
- He serves as a Vice President in the Channel Swimming Association.
- He made two attempts of the English Channel in 1963 and 1964.
- He is a pioneer in ocean swimming the dangerous channels in Hawaii. Throughout his illustrious career in the pre-GPS era, he has faced sharks up close, jellyfish, massive ocean swells and extremely strong currents during unprecedented swims in the tropical waters of Hawaii.
- During his September 1967 Molokai Channel swim from Molokai to Oahu, he saw a large shark underneath him and immediately headed for his escort boat, but the shark then swam between him and his boat, which was too far away for an easy escape. He continued on and ultimately reached his goal after 13 hours 15 minutes.
- In September 1976, he completed a 42 km crossing of the Molokai Channel from Molokai to Oahu in 13 hours 35 minutes.
- On 24 April 1970, he completed a 47.6 km crossing of the Alenuihaha Channel from the Big Island of Hawaii to Maui in 20 hours 8 minutes. He was the first person to cross this Alenuihaha Channel after his initial failure of 17 hours.
- He was the first person to cross between Oahu to Molokai in 1972 after a failed 20-hour attempt when he ran into strong currents, a tiger shark and a brood of Portuguese man o war.
- In September 1972, he completed a 42 km crossing of the Molokai Channel from Oahu to Molokai in 16 hours 15 minutes.
- At the age of 50 in 1989, he swam from Lanai to Maui, then Maui to Molokai, then attempted to complete his final Molokai-to-Maui leg before being pulled after 18 hours.
- He has swum the Maui Channel three times.
- He was the first person to cross the 9.3-mile Kalohi Channel (1989) from Molokai to Lanai.
- He crossed the 8.5-mile Palilolo Channel from Maui to Molokai (1989).
- He spoke at the 2012 Global Open Water Swimming Conference and the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame induction ceremonies on the RMS Queen Mary on 22 September 2012 in Long Beach, California.
- At the age of 24 as a University of Michigan dental student, he was rescued semi-conscious from the English Channel three miles off the English coast on an attempt to make the crossing from France to England in 1964 He had been swimming 8 hours 30 minutes when he was saved by Reg Barratt who was his observer for the Channel Swimming Association.
- At the age of 50 in 1989, he attempted an unprecedented 63 km 3 Islands Swim, a solo non-stop swim attempt between Maui, Lanai and Molokai in the state of Hawaii, but was pulled after 31 hours and 35 miles.
- He helped plan the 63.9 km Maui Nui Triangle Swim by Becca Mann between the islands of Maui, Molokai and Lanai in the state of Hawaii on 18-19 August 2019, completed in 20 hours 53 minutes.
3 Islands Swim
63 km 3 Islands Swim, a solo swim attempt between Maui, Lanai and Molokai in the state of Hawaii in 1989 by Harry Huffaker.
Oahu-to-Molokai Crossings
- Harry Huffaker, 32 at time of crossing, USA in 1972 in 16 hours 15 minutes
- Forrest Nelson, 40 at time of crossing, USA in 2006 in 16 hours 36 minutes
- Graco Morlan, 49 at time of crossing, Mexico in 2024 in 15 hours 33 minutes.
- Paul Leonard, 52, Great Britain in 2025 in 13 hours 50 minutes
- Bogusław Ogrodnik, 60, Poland in 2025 in 21 hours 59 minutes
- Edie Hu, 50, USA in 2025 in 16 hours 9 minutes
- Loren King, 57, Canada in 2026 in 13 hours 18 minutes
External links
- Harry Huffaker obituary
- Living Life To The Max: The Incredible Life of Harry Huffaker
- Edie Hu Becomes First Woman to Cross from Oahu To Molokai
- Paul Leonard’s Molokai Channel Redux Is A Success
- Jonathan Writing Up A Storm About Channel Swimming
- Tina Neill Has A Dream Swim, Big Island of Hawaii to Maui
- Marathon Swimmers Federation bio
- A Marathon Swimming Inflection Point: New York City, June 2011
- Jon Urbanchek, Inspirational Icon At The Pool Deck, Passes Away
- 8th Annual ʻAu I Nā Mokupuni ʻEkolu Maui Nui Swim in Hawaii
- Moonless Night Sky Increases Isistius Species (Cookiecutter Shark) and Live Human Contact
- The Open Water Swimming Heroes of Hawai'i
- International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Patrons
- Do Women Find Male Swimmers Attractive?
- Hawaiian Channel Swimming, A View By Dr. Steven Minaglia
- When Paths Cross Among Hall Of Famers
- Kings And Queens Of The Hawaiian Island Channels
- Swim Alternatives To Cross Kealaikahiki Channel and Alalakeiki Channel In Hawaii
- Swimming In The Sawtooths
- Harry Hukkaker Talks About Global Adventures On WOWSA Live
- Mary Margaret Revell's Romance With The Water
- Bryan Finlay Honored By International Marathon Swimming Hall Of Fame
- International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame
- Dr. Harry Huffaker Honored In New York
- Aloha Dr. Harry Huffaker
- Dr. Harry Huffaker Marathon Swimming
- Thank You Very Much Mr. Frayne
- A Window Of Opportunity In The Open Water World
- Harry Huffaker Travels To Molokai Like Never Before
- Michael Read Remembers The Channel
- New Experiences In The Open Water World
- That's A Whole Lotta Miles Represented
- Aloha From One Island To Another
- International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame Inductees
- Looking Up, Breathing And Enjoying Nature's Beauty
- Swimming With Aloha...Hawaii Swimming Hall Of Fame
- Highlights And History Of the Ka'iwi Channel
- Places To Swim - Molokai
- What Is The Fairest Channel Of Them All?
- What If...In The Molokai Channel?
- World Open Water Swimming Association
- Daily News of Open Water Swimming
- At 76 Years Old, Harry Huffaker To Tackle Molokai Again
- Being Old Once Again
- Huffaker Of Big Blue To Swim Across The Big Blue
- All Hands On Deck And In The Water
- WRS Swimmers Come From All Over The Pacific
- 75 Years And Counting Down
- A Swimmer In Need Is A Friend Indeed
- Shark Encounters Of The Closest Kind
- Ocean Adventurers Weigh Risks And Rewards, Part 2
- Ocean Adventurers Weigh Risks And Rewards, Part 1
- Shark Spawning Season In September
- What Is Your Perfect Swim?
- What Is Your Least Favorite Open Water Swim?
- Steve Walker Succeeding With One Arm And A Broken Foot
- Waikiki Roughwater Swim Is Stacked With Studs
- Connectivity, Camaraderie, Caring Among Swimmers
- Doppelgängers In The Open Water
- Open Water Swimming Dual Inductees And Dual Honorees
- Endurance Challenge
- 3 For 3, The ʻAu I Nā Mokupuni ʻEkolu Swim Challenge
- Marathon Swimmers Federation bio
- When Legends Meet After Crossing Molokai
- Harry Huffaker's Three Islands Swim
- Beautiful Becca. Mann Masters Maui Nui
- Becca Mann 2 Channels Down, 1 To Go
- Becca Mann, 1 Channel Down + 2 To Go
- Mann Up, Maui Nui Is A Go
- From Lima To Lanai, Becca Mann To Attempt The Maui Nui Triangle
- 30 Year Déjà Yu, Becca Mann To Attempt Maui Nui
