Straits of Florida
From Openwaterpedia
The Straits of Florida or the Florida Strait or Florida Straits is a strait located south-southeast of the North American mainland, generally accepted to be between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, and between the Florida Keys of the United States and Cuba. It is 90 miles wide at the narrowest point between Key West and the Cuban shore. The strait carries the Florida Current, the beginning of the Gulf Stream, from the Gulf of Mexico.
The boundary between the Exclusive Economic Zones of the US and Cuba is halfway between Cuba and Florida, as determined by a 1977 treaty between the US and Cuba.
Marathon Swimming
The Florida Strait has been the site of many solo marathon swim attempts:
- Jose Cortinas, Leo Vigil, Rolando Elejalde, Luciana Nunez attempted a relay.
- Skip Storch attempted a solo swim.
- Chris Green attempted a solo swim.
- Diana Nyad repeatedly attempted solo swim.
- Penny Palfrey attempted a solo swim.
- Chloe McCardel attempted a solo swim.
- Paul Chotteau (1 May 1898 - October 1963) spent 30 hours covering 114 miles.
- 65-year-old American Walter Poenisch completed a crossing from Cuba to The Little Duck Key in Florida at the age of 68 on 11 July 1978, covering 128.8 miles (207 km) in 34 hours 15 minutes, escorted by Captain Bendt Lynge, observer and authenticator J. Marvin Mims, President of the International Federation of Professional Ocean Swimmers and Divers, Glenn Drummond, escort boat owner, and his wife Fayette Poenisch, using fins, snorkel, and a shark cage.
- 22-year-old Australian Susie Maroney completed a 180 km (111.8-mile) crossing from Cuba to the USA in 24 hours 31 minutes on 12 May 1997, aided by a shark cage covered in mesh in order to keep out Portuguese man-o-war.
- 64-year-old American Diana Nyad completed a crossing of the Straits of Florida on 2 September 2013 in 52 hours, 54 minutes on her fifth attempt, protected by a stinger suit.
External links
- Increased Shark Encounters, Shark Attacks During Moonless Night Sky Channel Crossings
- Simon Griffiths Explains ‘Just Doing It’ On WOWSA Live
- Open Water Heroes Aren't Like In The Movies
- The Year That Boosted Walter Poenisch To (The Hall Of) Fame
- Chloe McCardel, Swimming From Cuba To Florida In 2013
- The Art And Magic Of Open Water
- Cuba To Florida. It's Possible. Is It Probable?
- Chloë Can Do Half Million For CanTeen And Can Assist
- New Ways To Fight Box Jellyfish To Be Announced
- Chloe McCardel Dreams Big In Bathers, Goggles, Cap
- Swim, Speak And Greet Chloe McCardel
- 11-day Window For Chloë McCardel
- Chloe McCardel, The Calm Before The Calm
- Susie Maroney Criticized For Cuba-Florida Crossing
- Sting Stopper Does The Trick For Diana Nyad
- The Other Shore Movie
- Getting (to) The Other Shore
- Diana Nyad
- Within 50 Years Will It Be Crossed?
- Marathon Swimmers Federation To Test Stinger Suits
- Diana Nyad To Deliver Commencement At Middlebury
- If She Can Do It, We Can Do It
- Swimming, Boating, Rafting From Cuba To Florida
- 1978, The Year That Was
- World Open Water Swimming Association
- Walter Poenisch Inducted In Swimming Hall Of Fame
- Fay And Walter Poenisch Enter Swimming Hall Of Fame
- World's Strongest Endurance Swimmer, Walter Poenisch
- Walter Poenisch Showcased On Travel Channel
