Jesus Samuel Neri Gutiérrez (62, Mexico, MSF bio here, @triton_mexicano) and Hank WIse (58, USA, MSF bio here, @dolphin_boy) are tied up in their career Catalina Channel crossings at 10 each.

They have shared the title of the King of the Catalina Channel on and off over the years.

But that may change.

On Sunday early morning at 3:30 am, Wise sets off on crossing #11 from Arrow Point on Santa Catalina Island during an El Niño October.

His tracker link is here.

He describes his 11th crossing, “There has been so much ocean change in such a short amount of time. I can really see the uptick in the El Niño effect. It is pretty significant. The water temperature is not dropping like the usual in October – the water is still over 22°C. There is no thermocline decrease in temperature as you dive down to the bottom.

There are also King Tides plus a big south swell plus Kelvin Waves plus water washing into people’s homes on the Long Beach Peninsula, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach and other beaches. Beaches are washing away in those same locations and others in Southern California. And as for the Catalina Channel, there is a consistent current running up through the Catalina Channel.  This current has been steady for over a week at 1.1 miles per hour. 

Our usual prevailing westerly current has not been present.  The usual tidal flow affecting currents in the Catalina Channel do not seem to be following the pattern for the last couple of weeks. When you research the Kelvin Wave effect on the California Coast, it mentions a few of these variables. 

My friend and boat Captain on this swim, Sean Lieppman, and I have been really noticing these variables present in the data and in the feel of our local ocean. What’s so significant is that in the period of two months ago (swim #1 of three during this 2026 season) or even one month ago (swim #2 with Brandon Samaniego), it seems that this change has quadrupled up in strength and noticeability. Its in this backdrop of massive change due to the El Niño effect that this swim will take place.

For me and our team, and the two Catalina Channel Swim Federation observers, we are all playing it cool. However, the ocean has dealt some severe cards to our neighborhoods and beaches up and down the coast. This swim offers the standard 32.3 km endurance challenge; however, the strange northbound current offers additional challenges all of its own.  I have decided to stay calm during this swim, to enjoy the warm water temperature, and enjoy swimming through a long summer-ish day on the water. 

My team and I are experienced and ready for a possible long duration swim.  It is uncertain how challenging these sideways currents running up the coast will be.  Our primary goal as a team is to finish.  My primary goal as the swimmer is to maintain a positive headspace with grit and gratitude the whole way.

We will start the swim at approximately 3:30 am with our destination of Terranea Beach in Palos Verdes.  Our launch spot in Catalina will be determined tomorrow after we gain first hand experience of how the currents are traveling. Adam Luco (@adamluco) will be on be on the kayak; his fourth kayak crossing of the season.  He’s become quite experienced at kayak navigation in a short amount of time.  Adam has been there for all our training swims and game-day swims this summer and fall.

Captain Sean Lieppman and First Mate Brennan Rose, two very experienced watermen will be handling the support boat.  Sean has strategized and supported most of my Catalina Channel swims.  He is such a great partner to have on these missions.  Sean and his family have really helped to make these swims a reality. The Catalina Channel Swimming Federation observers will be Dave Sundius, a retired engineer who loves swimming and running super marathons, and Daulton Freeman whom I look forward to getting to know.

We will transit tomorrow at 3 pm to the Isthmus and will eat dinner together on shore.  Rest, relax, sleep and at 2:00 am begin transiting to our launch spot, ready the kayak and slather me up for the swim.

The vessel is Sean and Brennan’s 24’ Parker, a sturdy pilothouse vessel used often in our coastal waters by divers and fishermen.  We also used this vessel on swim #1 of the season. This swim will be #3 of the season and #11 in my lifetime.  I am grateful to have the mind, body, spirit which allows these swims to happen.  And it goes way beyond that – I am thankful for my supportive family, my wife Kristin and my son Fox, who have supported me every step of the training and these actual game day swims.  I’m also extremely grateful for our swim team, SWIM Long Beach, from which we have built a literal swim family with whom we spend dozens of hours swimming in the pool, the ocean, and having warm beverages afterwards.  Our Rocket Fish Swim Families – our youth swim team – also gives me lots of energy and joy.  Its a good and fortunate swimming life I lead.The wild and mysterious ocean awaits. 

Swimming calmly and joyfully, I’ll see you on the other-side of the channel.”

Crossing #10 finish with Brandon Samaniego. Photos by Loren Wright

Catalina Crossings of Hank Wise, Co-King of the Catalina Channel

1. October 2010, age 42: 32.3 km Catalina Channel from Santa Catalina Island to the Palos Verdes Peninsula in 8:07:03
2. June 2015, age 47: 32.3 km Catalina Channel from the Palos Verdes Peninsula to Santa Catalina Island in 8:07:37
3. October 2015, age 47: 32.3 km Catalina Channel from Catalina Island to the Palos Verdes Peninsula in 10:56:44 at the age of 47.
4. November 2016, age 48: 32.3 km Catalina Channel from Catalina Island to the Palos Verdes Peninsula in 8:20:10 at the age of 48.
5. October 2017, age 49: 32.3 km Catalina Channel from Catalina Island to the Palos Verdes Peninsula in 10:14:00 at the age of 49.
6. November 2017, age 49: 32.3 km Catalina Channel from Catalina Island to the Palos Verdes Peninsula in 10:01:52 at the age of 49.
7. October 2018, age 50: 32.3 km Catalina Channel from Catalina Island to the Palos Verdes Peninsula in 7:55:06
8. September 2025, age 57: 32.3 km Catalina Channel from Palos Verdes Peninsula to Catalina Island on Arrow Point in 8:07.53
9. August 2026, age 58: 32.3 km Catalina Channel from Arrow Point on Catalina Island to the Palos Verdes Peninsula in 9:38:35
10. September 2026, age 58: 32.3 km Catalina Channel from Doctor’s Cove on Catalina Island to the Palos Verdes Peninsula in 9:22:15

Catalina Crossings of Samuel Neri, Co-King of the Catalina Channel

1. September 2011, age 46: 32.3 km Catalina Channel from Catalina Island to the Palos Verdes Peninsula in 13 hours 44 minutes
2. July 2013, age 48: 32.3 km Catalina Channel from Catalina Island to the Palos Verdes Peninsula in 12 hours 16 minutes
3. October 2014, age 49: 32.3 km Catalina Channel from Southern California mainland to Catalina Island in 17 hours 32 minutes
4. October 2015, age 50: 32.3 km Catalina Channel from Catalina Island to the Palos Verdes Peninsula in 11 hours 55 minutes
5. October 2016, age 51: 32.3 km Catalina Channel from Catalina Island to the Palos Verdes Peninsula in 11 hours 50 minutes
6. June 2017, age 52: 32.3 km crossing of the Catalina Channel from Catalina Island to the Palos Verdes Peninsula in 14 hours 40 minutes
7. November 2019, age 55: 32.3 km Catalina Channel from Catalina Island to the Palos Verdes Peninsula in 13 hours 7 minutes
8. June 2023, age 59: 32.3 km Catalina Channel from Catalina Island to the Palos Verdes Peninsula in 15 hours 17 minutes.
9. November 2025, age 61: 32.3 km Catalina Channel from Catalina Island to the Palos Verdes Peninsula in 15 hours 27 minutes
10. September 2026, age 62: 32.3 km Catalina Channel from Palos Verdes Peninsula to Catalina Island in 17 hours 46 minutes

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