Dr. Steven Minaglia and Dr. Harry Huffaker [shown above on left] represent the past, present, and future of channel swimming throughout the state of Hawai’i.

Huffaker first crossed the Moloka’i Channel from Moloka’ii to Oahu in September 1967 [shown at first above on right]. During his crossing, he saw a large shark swim underneath him. He recalls, “I immediately headed for my escort boat, but the shark then swam between me and the boat – which was too far away for an easy escape.”

So he put his head down and carried on. He ultimately reached Oahu after 13 hours 15 minutes.

In April 1970, Huffaker pioneered the 47.6 km crossing of the Alenuihaha Channel from the Big Island of Hawaii to Maui in 20 hours 8 minutes after he waited for months for the right conditions. He was the first person to cross this channel after his initial crossing attempt of 17 hours. Then in September 1976, he decided to swim the other direction across the 42 km Moloka’i Channel, this time from Oahu to Moloka’i, making the crossing in 16 hours 15 minutes. He later crossed the Maui Channel, the Kalohi Channel, and the Pailolo Channel and attempted the first Maui Nui Swim between Maui, Lana’i, and Moloka’i islands a few times.

Dr. Minaglia has not only completed five different channel crossings numerous times throughout Hawai’i (Maui Channel, Kalohi Channel, Pailolo Channel, Kaulakahi Channel, and Moloka’i Channel), but he also created and organizes the ʻAu I Nā Mokupuni ʻEkolu Swim Challenge and manages the Hawaiian Channel Swim Association that was formed in 1984 by Carol Lee Heltzel to recognize individuals who swim across any of the 9 major inter-island channels of Hawaii.

From Heltzel to Carl Kawauchi to Bill Goding and Linda Kaiser to Steve Haumschild and Jeff Kozlovich to Bill Goding, Terri Dietz, Ryan Leong, Debbie Merwick, Stefan Reinke, Lectie Altman, Hudson Slay, Alex Webb, Rachael Randall, and Chris Chuck, the documentation and support of Hawai’an Island channel crossings continues.

For more information on the Hawai’ian Channel Swimming Association, visit www.hawaiianchannelswim.org. For all the historical channel crossings, visit here. To challenge yourself and submit documentation on the channel crossings, email hichannelswim@gmail.com.

Dr. Minaglia is documenting the channel records and the first-time crossings:

• Fastest ʻAlenuihāhā Channel crossing (Hawaiʻi to Maui) Penny Palfrey in 2009 in 14 hours 51 minutes
• Fastst ‘Auʻau Channel crossing (Lānaʻi to Maui): Jim Sorensen in 2002 in 3 hours 10 minutes
• Fastest ‘Au’au Channel crossing (Maui to Lānaʻi): under evaluation
• Fastest ʻAuʻau-ʻAuʻau two-way crossing (Maui to Lānaʻi to Maui): Dr. Peter Attia in 2008 in 11 hours 43 minutes
• Fastest ‘Au’au two-way crossing (Lānaʻi to Maui to Lānaʻi): Steven Minaglia and Mark Williams in 2014 in 10 hours 33 minutes
• Fastest ʻAuʻau-Pailolo Channel crossing (Lānaʻi to Maui to Molokaʻi): Harry Huffaker in 1989
• Fastest Ka’iwi Channl crossing (Molokaʻi to Oʻahu): Attila Mányoki in 2015 in 12 hours 2 minutes
• Fastest Ka’iwi Channel crossing (Oʻahu to Molokaʻi): Harry Huffaker in 1972 in 16 hours 15 minutes
• Fastest Kalohi Channel crossing (Molokaʻi to Lānaʻi): Tina Neill and Forrest Nelson in 2011 in 4 hours 25 minutes
• Fastest Kalohi Channel crossing (Lānaʻi to Molokaʻi): Billy Brown in 2013 in 4 hours 47 minutes
• Fastest Kalohi-Kalohi Channel crossing (Molokaʻi to Lānaʻi to Molokaʻi): Billy Brown in 2013 in 10 hours 26 minutes
• Fastest Kaulakahi Channel crossing (Kauaʻi to Niʻihau): Bill Goding, Tina Neill, Forrest Nelson in 2012 in 9 hours 25 minutes
• Fastest Kaulakahi Channel crossing (Niʻihau to Kauaʻi): Matt McGillicuddy, Colby Dimsdale, Joe Guifoyle in 2023 in 10 hours 38 minutes
• Fastest Maui-Around Molokini-Maui counterclockwise swim: 2020, under evaluation
• Fastest Molokini Kealaikahiki Channel crossing (Molokini to Lānaʻi): Terri Dietz, Jerelyn Watanabe in 2024 in 19 hours 35 minutes
• Fastest Pailolo Channel crossing (Maui to Molokaʻi): Jim Sorensen in 2005 in 3 hours 38 minutes
• Fastest Pailolo Channel crossing (Molokaʻi to Maui): Billy Brown in 2012 in 3 hours 59 minutes
• Fastest Pailolo-Pailolo Channel crossing (Maui to Molokaʻi to Maui): Steven Minaglia in 2013 in 11 hours 10 minutes
• Fastest Pailolo-Kalohi-ʻAuʻau Channel crossing (Maui to Molokaʻi to Lānaʻi to Maui): Becca Mann in 2019 in 20 hours 53 minutes
• Note: speed records are meant to be broken: the Alalakeiki Channel and Kealaikahiki Channel are not included in this list because they can no longer be crossed.
• First Alalakeiki Channel crossing (Kahoʻolawe to Maui): Carl Kawauchi, Ulrich Klinke, Alton Motobu in 1992
• First Alalakeiki Channel crossing (Maui to Kahoʻolawe): Linda Kaiser, Laurie Foster, Mike Spalding in 2001
• First ʻAlenuihāhā Channel crossing (Hawaiʻi to Maui): Harry Huffaker in 1970
• First ʻAuʻau Channel crossing (Lānaʻi to Maui): Steve Bobko, Bill Goding, Archie Hapai, Richard Merritt, Gary Neimeyer, Doug Rice, Jim Roumasset in 1977
• First ‘Au’au Channel crossing (Maui to Lānaʻi): Jim Caldwell in 1970
• First ʻAuʻau-ʻAuʻau Channel crossing (Maui to Lānaʻi to Maui): Peter Attia in 2008
• First ‘Au’au Channel crossing (Lānaʻi to Maui to Lānaʻi): Meredith Novak in 2013
• First ʻAuʻau-Pailolo Channel crossing (Lānaʻi to Maui to Molokaʻi): Harry Huffaker in 1989
• First Ka’iwi Channel crossing (Molokaʻi to Oʻahu): Keo Nakama in 1961
• First Ka’iwi Channel crossing (Oʻahu to Molokaʻi) Harry Huffaker in 1972
• First Kalohi Channel crossing (Molokaʻi to Lānaʻi): Harry Huffaker in 1989
• First Kalohi Channel crossing (Lānaʻi to Molokaʻi): Bob Justman in 1978
• First Kalohi-Kalohi Channel crossing (Molokaʻi to Lānaʻi to Molokaʻi): Billy Brown in 2013
• First Kaulakahi Channel crossing (Kauaʻi to Niʻihau): Tom Robinson in 2003
• First Kaulakahi Channel crossing (Niʻihau to Kauaʻi): Matt McGillicuddy, Colby Dimsdale, Joe Guifoyle in 2023
• First Kealaikahiki Channel crossing (Kahoʻolawe to Lānaʻi): Linda Kaiser, Laurie Foster, Mike Spalding in 2005
• First Maui-Around Molokini-Maui counterclockwise swim: in 2020 under evaluation
• First Molokini Kealaikahiki Channel crossing (Molokini to Lānaʻi): Terri Dietz, Jerelyn Watanabe in 2024
• First Pailolo Channel crossing (Maui to Molokaʻi): Jim Caldwell in 1973
• First Pailolo Channel crossing (Molokaʻi to Maui): Carl Kawauchi in 1993
• First Pailolo-Pailolo Channel crossing (Maui to Molokaʻi to Maui): Steven Minaglia in 2013
• First Pailolo-Kalohi-ʻAuʻau Channel crossing (Maui to Molokaʻi to Lānaʻi to Maui): Becca Mann in 2019

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