Andrew Donaldson
Andrew Donaldson
Cook Strait – New Guinness World Record (awaiting ratification)
Time: 4:33:50
Distance: 23.4km (S-N)
Date: 7 March 2023
Avr Pace: 1:10/100m
Water Temp: 14-15 degrees
Tracker: Track here
Skipper: Grant Orchard
Crew: Jacqueline McClelland, Jackson Kibbelwhite
Observer NZOWSA: Jackson Arlidge
Support: Sarah Harrow
Well… we did it team!!! 🙌
A successful Cook Strait crossing from New Zealand’s South to North Island in 4 hours 33 mins 🇳🇿
And boy, I’m truly lost for words with that one…
To swim through the night with a sky full of stars, during a spring tide, with such a wonderful team by my side… that was a special experience that will sit with me forever!! 🌌
We got across safely with perhaps one of my best ever executed swims, and as an incredible bonus, the swim was the fastest Cook Strait crossing ever, lowering one of marathon swimming’s long-standing records, Casey Glover’s 4 hours 37 mins from 2008 🏊♂️
A Guinness World Record. Pretty surreal!
The last few days have been a bit of a whirlwind since the swim… but I’ve had some time to process things, and I thought I’d have a go at sharing a few key takeaways that I gained along the way.
The main one for me being… what I feel I’ll remember and cherish most from my time here in New Zealand probably won’t be the crossing, the time, or the end result, but instead everything around it. The journey, and the incredible people who were a part of it and helped make this swim possible.
When I arrived in Wellington back in Feb without a support team, I felt pretty nervous about how things might go.
And with only a handful of suitable days for a swim attempt here each year, I knew there’d be a lot of uncertainty around whether I’d be able to get out there for a crossing.
As things turned out, we were in for an eventful few weeks… Cyclone Gabrielle smashed the country, a state of national emergency was declared, we experienced two earthquakes, and the interisland ferries were breaking down in the Cook Strait almost every other day. Exactly what you need for building the confidence.
Fortunately over these last few weeks, I’ve never once felt alone. I’ve been in touch with friends, family, and key support almost every single day, and following an introduction to local swim legend Grainne Moss, I’ve met and gotten to know some of the most kind and welcoming people around… swimmers of the aptly named Wellington Washing Machines and Spud Buds!
For many mornings, I would join their swims out to the Point Jerningham Lighthouse and back followed by a post swim hot choc (with marshmallows 😅), and I must say, they were so much fun and a fantastic reminder of why I’m in this sport and doing what I’m doing… because of the people and community.
I also had the privilege to get to know some fantastic swimmers who were attempting or had already done many marathon swims such as those in the Oceans Seven. It was fascinating to hear about their unique experiences in this sport, and I’m always in awe and inspired by people pursuing their dreams.
When it came to the Cook Strait and a swim opportunity finally presented itself, it was one that was a nerve-wracking and rather daunting prospect. The proposal was to attempt a swim through the night, during a spring tide 🌊
A spring tide often sees more water passing through a channel and I’d heard many people say that it was physically impossible to swim across the Cook Strait during one. It just simply couldn’t be done.
To make matters worse, the water temperatures dropped to 15 degrees (I’m not a huge fan of the cold), and just days before the swim, I picked up a pretty bad injury to my lower back. Even now, I still need to hold my hip as I go to sit down! 😅
As the swim drew closer, these things played on my mind, and I grew increasingly worried. I was checking the Windy App far too often, and I was starting to turn into a bit of a nervous wreck!
Fortunately, Wellington swimmers Jackson Arlidge and Sarah Harrow kindly flew over to join me in Picton (we were starting on the South Island) and offered to be there to support on the boat.
Together with messages from some truly great people, they helped me stay calm during those final few hours, and channel my focus back to the things within our control.
All this time, they never seemed to lose faith in me, even when I lost faith in myself… for that I will always be grateful 🙏
Together with Jacqueline McClelland (infinity Channel Swimming) and Grant Orchard (Katabatic Charters), we devised a strategy as a team to navigate the tide and address the challenges of the dark.
We determined how we would communicate with each other, how we would feed, when we would press, how much fuel we would keep in the tank. And once we were out there, it was on! We had a solid game plan and we executed it almost perfectly. It was pretty amazing!
I owe a great thanks to Jacqueline and the team from infinity Channel Swimming for providing me with this opportunity to swim. Together with Katabatic Charters, we challenged the norm and pulled off one of the most fun and memorable swims of my life. It was brilliant!
To my family Mum, Dad, Hannah, RG&J, my friends, and the team back in Perth including my coaches Eoin & Ryan, my mentors Jay & Shelley and many more, thank you for all your support in this journey so far.
You’ve provided be with so much belief and encouragement along the way, and from a swimming perspective, I think all our hard work in training has been paying off. It felt great out there even with the locked up lower back!!
To the Wellington swim community and all the swimmers I’ve met during my time here including those from overseas, thank you for making me feel so welcomed and at home here these past few weeks. It’s been an honour and a privilege getting to know so many of you and I have no doubts our paths will cross again.
A very special thanks to Grainne Moss & The Moss Family, Sarah Harrow & The Douglas Family, Alex Williams, and Jackson Arlidge for all looking after me here. I couldn’t have done this without you.
And as always, a core reason why I’m doing these swims (the Oceans Seven) is to raise funds and awareness for Mental Health.
For me, swimming really helped me through my toughest times, and Mental Health is a cause that will always be close to my heart.
If you’d like to learn more about what we are doing with the Oceans Seven, or should you wish to donate to the charity that I’m supporting (the Black Dog Institute), you can do so at the link below.
Thank you again guys…
A great experience that pushed me massively out of my comfort zone – but I suppose that’s where the growth happens. Nothing ventured nothing gained!
3 down, 4 to go ✔️
Keep your eyes peeled for the next one!
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