Molokai: The Swim

​After my third AT section back in May 2024, I immediately started training for Molokai swim. I had only four months left to get ready for this mega swim planned for mid-October. Being a lifelong swimmer, it took me just one month to feeling good in the water. During the summer months, I increased the number of practices, up to nine per week, and distances. I did several 10k swim at Walden Pond, MA on the weekends. Finally, I joined the MIT masters swim team in September, to try to get some speed and motivation from my teammates. Overall, it was as good a preparation as I could do, considering I still work. However, I also understood that it was a minimal training for a 28 miles (45km) open water ocean for two reasons: I only trained in a pool or a pond, never in the cold Atlantic Ocean, and the longest open water I have ever done was the 12k swim in Lake Mont Tremblant, Quebec back in 2022. I was relying on my decades of swimming, a good weather window and the right mindset.

Come October, I was checking windy.com app every day as our window for the swim was October 18-20. Finally, Ivan, my boat captain from Honolulu, sent me an email on Oct 12 saying that the swim was a go for the night of Friday Oct 18 to Saturday 19. We immediately bought plane tickets and prepared everything. Upon our arrival to HNL on Thursday afternoon, we met Ivan and Rachel, who would be my feeder, at the Ala Moana Park. We gave them my food and drinks and we went over the details of the swim and the feeding schedule. It was a lot to handle, especially right after an 11hrs flight, and Anne and I were somewhat overwhelmed. However, there was no time to think, as the weather window was only good for Friday night, a little over 24hrs after landing! We then went to our condo and settled in. After a short night and being awake early due to jetlag, we ate breakfast and went for a walk in Waikiki. Anne had decided early on that she would not go on the boat, for fear of being seasick and/or too nervous during the swim.  I totally got that, as this swim was terrifying for both of us. Then, it was time to go our separate way, her at the condo and me at the airport for my one-way to Molokai!

After a 30min flight where I had the chance to look down to my goal, the massive Channel of Bones, aka Kaiwi channel, I took a taxi to Kepuhi Beach and waited there. Around 4:30pm, Rachel texted me that they would be at the beach in 10 min, coming in fast from Honolulu harbor. I quickly got myself ready and put on Desitin all over my body to avoid chafing and sunburn. Once the boat arrived, she swam to the beach to take my dry bag back to the boat, and at 4:58pm, I entered the water. Finally, I started the swim that I dreamt of for several years. It was a big relief because the weather looked good, and the water was a nice 78F.

 We had 1.5 hrs. daylight until sunset, and I settled into my usual pace. Since Ivan couldn’t have a full crew, there was no kayaker next to me, which is not usually the case. I didn’t mind, as long as the boat was on the side I breath, so I can always see it. The feeding schedule was every 30’, and not only it gave me the calories I would need but also helped breaking down the swim into smaller increments. My nutrition was mostly liquid-based, with alternating Carbo-Pro, Gatorade, and flat coke. At sunset, after having swum close to 5 miles in 90 min, and with the incredible light and the energy of the crew, I felt great and happy to be moving away from Molokai. However, night was coming, and I was not sure how I would react to swimming into darkness for hours on end. It was a new experience for me and there definitely was some anxiety. During my training, I always envisioned sharks being around me - after all that’s their territory – and what I would do if one shark gets too close for comfort. I watched many YouTube videos with divers gently pushing sharks on their nose and redirect them away from them. However, it was dark now and I could not see anything below me or coming at me. So, there was no point stressing about things that I had no control over. Therefore, I forgot about what was below the surface and focused only on the boat and swimming towards Sandy beach, Oahu.

Aside from sharks, a much bigger problem, and one that ruined many swimmers’ dreams of crossing the channel, was jellyfish, especially the Portuguese man o’ war. Ivan told me beforehand that I would get stung at some point during the swim. And it happened the first time, at around mile 10, on my left arm. It was not bad and didn’t bother me too much. However, the second time, around mile 15, was much more painful, again on the left arm. But since I got stung several years ago in Hawaii, I knew what to expect and that the burning sensation would decrease after 10-15’. Now it is 11pm, and I have already swum 17 miles in 6hrs. I still felt good, despite feeling like being in a washing machine since the start. My pace was still great for a fast crossing, although my right shoulder was getting tighter. An hour later and it was getting worse. Rachel gave me some Advil at the next feed, and I started doing backstroke a bit and breathing on the left side to relax the shoulder. We were now only 8 miles from Sandy beach, and I knew that these miles were going to be challenging.

I slowed down significantly after mile 20, because the right shoulder was really painful. But even though my technique was gone, luckily, the energy level was still there, and I kept making progress. However, Ivan warned me before the start that there is often a strong current as we approach the Oahu coastline, that pushes back swimmers to Molokai. And very often, swimmers get stuck there, sometimes for hours, only 6km from Sandy beach. It got me worried for the first time, as I was not sure how long the shoulder would hold before giving up. I would stop every 15-20’ to stretch it and asked them how far the beach is. But eventually, I started seeing lights in front of me, and Ivan told me that there was only 3 miles left. It was 4am and it meant that I would probably finish in the dark, before sunrise. I was so close and yet, anything could happen. An hour later, I clearly saw strong lights and Ivan stopped me for my last feed. He then told me that lights were from my wife’s and someone else’s cars, waiting for me at Sandy beach. He would stay there as the boat could not get any closer, and told me to swim towards the lights, as it was still very dark outside. I was about half a mile from the beach, and I swam on my own for the first time, without the safety of the boat and crew, but knowing that it was the final stretch. It took me only 10-15’ and after dreaming of this moment for many months, I finally touched the ground and exited the water at 5:16am.

There was no fanfare or big crowd waiting for me at the beach, just a handful of people. But I didn’t mind, as I was done with the swim, and Anne was the only person I wanted to see. She has been extremely stressed about this challenge, and I was happy that we both could finally put Molokai behind us. After recovering a bit, we drove to a harbor close by where we met Ivan, Kevin and Rachel for celebratory pictures and big hugs. The next day, we went to Tracks Beach Park where we met several local swimmers and members of the Kaiwi Channel Association, who gave me and Bengisu, a young Turkish female swimmer who crossed the channel that same night, our official certificate. She did the 4th fastest crossing in history in 12hr10, and I did the 8th fastest in 12hr18. Not only that but I became the oldest male finisher at 61 years old (only 1 day shy of my 62nd birthday).
 
Captain Ivan, 2nd pilot Kevin and Rachel, my feeder, have been amazing all night long, and I cannot thank them enough to have always kept an eye on me. They gave me confidence and boost when I needed, and I knew I could trust them. The members of the Kaiwi Channel Association have all been very supportive, and Anne and I hope to join them in their morning swim once I retire for good. And Anne, well now you can relax a bit.
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5 down, 10 to go!