Catalina Channel

On the 15th of September 2006 I started my Catalina Channel swim from the Island of Catalina at Midnightand I swam for 11 hours and 33 minutes and arrived at the mainland of Los Angeles. This swim was interesting to do a swim throughout the night for the first 6 hours, even though I am blind it still felt odd starting at Midnight. My paddlers found it a bit hard at times through out the night to blow the whilstles and keep me on track. We had beautiful conditions both in the water temperture starting with 22 Degrees Celcius and reducing to 16 degree Celcius as I finished the swim. There was not much wind and the swell was in my favour and no fog to contend with. When I completed this swim I had completed the Triple Crown of Open water swimming, that being the English Channel which I completed in 1998, the Manhattan Island marathon swim in 1999 and the Catalina Channel in 2006. Not only had I become the first blind person to do so but I also became the first Australian to do so.