Graco Morlan Will Start on Oahu into the Realm of the Uncharted

Graco Morlan (@gracomorlan) is planning to enter the realm of the unknown, the uncharted, and the untested.

On September 10th, the 48-year-old Mexican marathon swimmer will step off the island of Oahu at Sandy Beach and head towards the island of Molokai. This is a rare attempt of the tough 45 km Molokai Channel – which is mostly attempted in the other direction from Molokai to Oahu.

But then Morlan, under the escort of Michael Twigg-Smith, plans to walk onshore on Molokai…and head immediately back to Oahu.

Like the pioneering 67 km two-way crossing of the English Channel between England and France by Antonio Abertondo of Argentina that took the 43-year-old Argentine swimmer a total of 43 hours 10 minutes in 1961, the first 70 km two-way crossing of the North Channel between Northern Ireland and Scotland by Sarah Thomas that took the 40-year-old American swimmer 21 hours 48 minutes in 2022, and the first 64.6 km two-way crossing of the Catalina Channel by Greta Andersen that took the 31-year-old Danish-American swimmer 26 hours 53 minutes in 1958, Morlan has the experience to achieve his goal.

Morlan has spent 9 years building up his Big Swim Memory. In the Reto Acapulco swim in his native Mexico, he started in 2015 with a one-way 10 km crossing. Then, he advanced to a two-way crossing in both 2016 and 2018. Then he completed an unprecedented four-way crossing of Reto Acapulco in 2019 and another unprecedented five-way crossing of Reto Acapulco in 2022 that took him a long 18 hours 24 minutes.

He also completed a 40 Bridges swim, twice around Manhattan Island, in 2018 in 20 hours 39 minutes, a 25 hour 37 minute two-way crossing of the Catalina Channel in 2019, and a cumulative time of 38 hours 20 minutes in the 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim in 2017.

He also knows failure. He did not complete a planned two-way attempt of the English Channel in 2020. As he posted, “…you can’t fight nature. After swimming more than 15 hours, the captain told me that there was no way to reach England that day…I’m happy because I showed the will and the determination that I have...”

Morlan is ready. His previous successes and DNF, along with his other impressible life experiences, are encoded in his memory banks. He understands well the physical discomfort and mental challenges that come with a two-way of the water, rough waters in Hawaii.

His support team is ready.

Pre-Crossing Prediction

Twigg-Smith says, “Everything has fallen into place for this trip, preparations are going well. For the crew, I have first mate Kainoa Lopes, veteran kayaker (and additional boat driver) Jeff Villinger, veteran kayaker Salvacio Aloisio, and Spanish-speaking kayaker Octavio Cordon of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

We are expecting a swim between 30 and 35 hours. There will be a small North swell hitting the west side of Molokai, so we are heading for Papohako Beach, a 2-mile long beach all sand, no rocks. This is where Graco will exit the water for a maximum of 10 minutes before swimming back to Oahu.

Graco is up for this swim, with excellent support of feeders Irina Requena and both of his parents.”

Now it is time for the Ka’iwi Channel, or the Channel of Bones, and weather to cooperate – which are rarely guaranteed.

Follow Graco here on his two-way crossing adventure.

Departure Update

Graco started his historic attempt at a double Molokai at 8:08am from Sandy Beach on the eastern shore of Oahu.

His Garmin tracker showed 45 km to North Papohako Beach on the eastern shore of Molokai Island where Captain Twigg-Smith headed. He chose this bearing because there is a small North swell and the headland at the north end of Papohako Beach provides protection and calmer beach access.

Mid-channel First Leg Update

At just over 12 hours, Graco had swum within 7 km off Papohako Beach on Molokai. Graco continues to swim well at about 2.9 km per hour. The weather continues to be outstanding.

Captain Twigg-Smith expects Graco will reach the beach around 11 pm HST.

First Leg Update

Over the last 3 hours, Graco has progressed 10 km.

Graco exited the water on Molokai at 11:41 pm for a 15 hour 33 minute first leg. He returned to the Pacific Ocean at 11:50 pm.

Captain Twigg-Smith has set a straight-line course for Alan Davis Beach 43.2 km away and reports the ocean is still super calm with no wind or current.

Second Leg Update and Conclusion

Captain Twigg-Smith reported that Graco got out of the water on his second leg at 5:24 am. After battling the Molokai Channel for 20 hours 58 minutes, he faced fatigue and the fumes from the boat were a factor.

After finishing the first leg in 15 hours minutes and swimming for 78 km back on his second leg, Graco called it a day and a night and an early morning.

He did not complete his planned historic two-way crossing of the Molokai Channel, but he swam the furthest distance at one time in the Molokai Channel.