Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California.

David Dawson had an unexpectedly great day.

Dawson became the first New Zealander to cross the 21.6-mile Loch Lomond.

The 12 hour 21 minute traverse in Scotland on August 12th was a fundraiser for the Rotorua Community Hospice where Dawson raised more than $8,000.

Chris Sifleet of Swim4miles recalls the crossing, “The conditions were not ideal. We started this off as a training swim as it was a gusty force 3 blowing completely contrary to the Met Office predictions. The first two hours were very tough. Then the wind drop a bit and as per typical, Loch Lomond went around every point on the compass. Dave swam so strongly all the way, the training swim got extended and he did the distance and raised a lot of money for his chosen charity.”

Dawson was escorted by kayakers Tracy Clark, Andy Clark, and Stewart Griffiths, together with the help of Sifleet, on a swim that started on his 50th birthday.

His charity page is here.

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