Courtesy of Ned Denison who shows Koda with his two close friends: Daemo Dams and Steve Foster.

While the human swimmers continue to rack up hundreds of 1.6 km laps of Sandycove Island in Kinsale, Ireland, they have a new canine-swimming lapper.

Koda, a Nova Scotia duck-tolling retriever, logged his first lap around Sandycove Island at a pace of 2 minutes 27 seconds per 100 meters. He received a “OneTurian” cap for the swim. His tail thumped at the mention of a future 100 lap cap.

Who needs a ferry, boat or oar, when Koda simply swam ashore?
Around the island, tail held high, With salty fur and a determined eye.

The fish looked up in sheer surprise — “That dog’s gone slightly mad!” their cries.
But with every cheer from family and friends, Koda just kept paddling to the very end.

So here’s to Koda, bold and bright, Who made a long swim look just right.
With wagging tail and paws of gold, You’ve given us a story to proudly be told!

Other Canine Open Water Swimmers

• Finn McCool is a Newfoundland canine swimmer from Ocean Beach, California.

• Swimmer Paula Yankauskas with kayaker Deb Beier, and canine support crew member Picard in Vermont’s Island Pond during a 2016 Northeast Kingdom Open Water Swimming Association event.
• Manaia was a Labrador-Irish setter that swam faster than 400 of the 922 human entrants in the 1980 Waikiki Roughwater Swim, completing the 2.4-mile swim in 90 minutes across Waikiki Beach in Hawaii.
• Guri Bosch is a labrador retriever who completed the 5-mile Lake Willoughby Swim in Vermont.
• Digger from Orlando, Florida completed over 100 Lucky’s Lake Swims in Orlando, Florida.
• Robbie is a Labrador that has saved his fellow canine friends.
• Barney is from Sarasota, Florida.
• Jake from La Jolla, California finished 72nd out of 500+ open water swimmers at the Alcatraz Invitational in San Francisco.
• Massi is a Newfoundland that served as a canine lifeguard in Ostia Beach, Rome together with labrador Rambo and labrador Romeo.
• Udaine is a Belgian Shepherd that serves as a sniffer dog in South Africa.
• Butch is a Labrador cross pointer that serves as a sniffer dog in South Africa

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