I thought I would take the time to write a description of the Moloka’i Channel swim, as I know I have been asked many questions about the adventure! After traveling most of the island of O’ahu, I would simply state if you’re looking for a great place to stay, I would pick Waikiki Beach as there are many beautiful places to swim in the area (Ala Moana Beach Park pictured).
If you’re looking for something more secluded, I would choose Turtle Bay Resort (pictured) on the North Shore of O’ahu, as this is great for families and what better a place to learn surfing than the famous North Shore of Hawaii! The best part is they are only separated by about 30 miles, so traveling in between the more tourist-conscience Waikiki and the North Shore isn’t a problem.
When planning a trip to the island of Moloka’i, you need to make sure you book your inter-island airfare, since there are not boats in between the islands. You can book airfare up to the day of the flight over, so there isn’t a need to rush in case you have to wait for a window. I would recommend Hotel Moloka’i in Kaunakaki. Our spacious room was great for housing everyone, and the ability to relax by the water and enjoy dinner and local music is priceless! Be prepared to wear earplugs though, as the wild roosters and dogs will tend to make noise at night. You can rent your vehicle from Island Kine, as you might need off-road capabilities, especially if you’re traveling to meet your pilot at Hale O Lono harbor. This extremely secluded dock is a rough drive from Kaunakaki (off-road drive pictured).
Once you arrive down at Hale O Lono, you will see why it is worth the trip! The landscape is beautiful…
I recommend Matthew Buckman as a pilot, as he did an excellent job with the maneuvering – his boat has two outboard motors which can get you much closer to La’au Point, and closer up Sandy Beach on O’ahu! I also recommend two kayakers, both of which can interchange throughout the trip. This is vital since you need them to stay sharp and aware at all times! Both of my kayakers, Jeff Kozlovich and Steve Haumschild were AMAZING, and both can be contacted via Facebook!
My handlers were my father, Fred and good friend Vince Harding from Pittsburgh. Vince primarily was the feeder, as I interchanged between Gu Roctane and Cliff Shot Blocks for fuel, and a combination of half-water, half-Gatorade plus Maxim for my drink. Every three hours I had a different color fuel for the one which I added Children’s Tylenol for helping calm the flames in my shoulders. I mix all of my drinks, in individual water bottles (bottled water) prior to the swims in the hotel room, and also bring along bananas, pb&j and Nature Valley Sweet and Salty bars in case something happens with the feeds, or my stomach is upset. My good buddy and marathon swimming god Craig Lenning showed me, and I adapted, his “suitcase” full of First-Aid and other supplies which should be brought along in case of an emergency. Aside from the normal bandages, I bring along a space blanket for warmth in the case of hypothermia, Petzl head-lamp, Bullfrog sunblock, tourniquet, QuickClot, SPOT Device, Garmin hand-held GPS, Shark Shield(s), plenty of glow sticks for the kayak and boat, zip ties, extra feeding bottles and rope, rubber bands for holding the Gu to the feeding bottles, personal activated cold pack, rubber gloves, Bag Balm for lubricant and an assortment of other safety items. I also recommend plenty of towels, including a wet towel for the kayaker in case you need to re-apply your grease (which you can use the kayaker towel to wipe off) while swimming.
We left Hotel Moloka’i at 3:00AM on Friday, October 21 and arrived at Hale O Lono at 4:00AM. Once boarded, it took about 15-20 minutes to get over to La’au Point on the southwest corner of Moloka’i. I was lucky enough to have relatively calm conditions, which allowed me to put on some old tennis shoes, and hop into the water. Once Steve and Jeff showed me a great rock to climb out on, I then removed my shoes and tossed them to the kayaker. I jumped off at 4:54:0PM to swim the 26+ miles back to O’ahu.
The first hour or so, in the dark is always a little interesting, but your sense of anxiety will fade, and you will move into the flow of fighting (or working with) the waves. I typically hold a stroke rate of about 65-66 strokes per minute, and needed a while to adjust to swimming in such difficult conditions. The waves were unlike anything I have ever swum in, but I slowly got used to timing my way through. Some of the waves were able to be rode, and some would just crash right into you. At times my kayakers would have to grab their craft because the waves would be large enough to upend them. The temperature would not be a problem, as the water was in the mid-70s, and the sun was hidden behind clouds for 3/4 of the journey. The 85+ heat would have been a serious issue if I had the sun on my back throughout the day!
We had an easterly wind of about 10-15 knots on our back, which helped assist across the channel. We were on track for Sandy Beach about 10 miles out, however we started to catch a southwesterly current, instead of the westerly current we were hoping for. This could have blown us around the point by Hanauma Bay, and out into the ocean, missing our chance to finish. Luckily, Matt and the crew were able to re-adjust our track, and maintain our course for Sandy Beach. As O’ahu began to get closer and closer on the horizon, I had to fight through some heavy surface chop (at times, knocking off my goggles) during the last few miles. Jeff jumped in during the final half-mile, and Vince jumped in near the end and swam in with me. It was great to have such awesome friends who wanted to go ashore together!
I reached the dry sand at 5:06:23PM at Sandy Beach, and I couldn’t have been more excited! It feels good to know I have one of the toughest Ocean’s Seven challenges under my belt, and know that this world record will help market Team Forever, and raise a ton of money for the Forever Fund at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh! Please visit https://www.darren-miller.com/ to make a donation, or to learn more about my non-profit, Team Forever!
As I sit here writing this back in Pittsburgh, I cannot help but to reflect on my time spent back with my great family and (new) friends in Hawaii! It’s hard coming back to thoughts of snow, but I love western PA! I met Helen, a nice young lady from San Diego while swimming at Ala Moana, and aside from a swim at Waikiki (and some amazing sushi) we climbed up Koko Head (my quads still hurt 4 days later!) with Jeff Kozlovich. I was able to take an incredible panoramic of the whole valley – cannot wait to get that one blown up for the house! After a few beers with Jeff, Helen and Steve at Kona Brewing, I headed back to the hotel for an early morning flight.
If anyone has any further questions, or would like the contact information for any of my support, please contact me via Facebook, or through my website. This was an amazing adventure, and I cannot wait to return again… there is plenty of channels to swim in Hawaii! Mahalo…