MARCH 1, 2017 MIDWEEK 63

CURRENTS Ron Mizutani Blazing A Trail Across Channel

IONEER: a person Cape Town,” she says with who is among the first pride. “The Molokai Channel to explore or settle a will be my first major channel newP country or area. crossing.” (Synonyms: settler, colo- Ferguson learned about nizer, frontiersman, frontiers- Molokai Channel while vis- woman, explorer; trailblazer) iting in 2011. You can add channel swim- “I was invited to do my mers Bill Pai, Keo Nakama, very first ocean race in Ha- Harry Huffaker and Robin waii, and while at the race I Isayama to that list of syn- saw the island of and onyms — all four were pio- the thought entered my head neers who took on the Molo- to do the crossing from the kai Channel and won. Big Island to Maui,” says • Pai was the first to swim Ferguson. “After doing some across the Molokai Channel research, I stumbled across in 1939. (Pai was rowed 50 Linda Kaiser, who directed yards offshore to begin his me toward Molokai Channel journey, so his crossing is as my first channel crossing.” not considered an official And it was Kaiser, the only crossing.) woman to successfully swim • Nakama, an International all nine major channels in Ha- Hall of Famer, was the first waii, who convinced Fergu- to officially cross the Molokai son to chase her dream. Channel in 1961 in 15:30. “My love of ocean swim- • Huffaker was the second ming started in Hawaii, and Sarah Ferguson moments before a swim in Durban, South Africa person to cross the channel I was keen to try to do some- PHOTO COURTESY CHRISTY HERSELMAN six years later in 13:34 and thing challenging and dif- the first to swim from ferent,” explains Ferguson. mental, and I work closely “I have a huge respect for TermiteTermite && PestPest ControlControl to Molokai (the opposite di- “After chatting to Linda, she with a sports psychologist the ocean and all that is in rection) in 1972, in 16:15. helped persuade me that this to help me with this prepara- it,” says Ferguson. “My main • In 1994, Isayama became was a better, viable option tion on a weekly or biweekly concern is the Portuguese basis,” she explains. “I try to Man-of-War.” “My love of ocean swimming expose myself to challenging In the end, this one will be started in Hawaii, and I was keen situations.” personal. to try to do something challenging And that includes night “One of my primary rea- and different.” training in Cape Town’s cold sons for doing this swim is to water, 24-hour pool swims create awareness for ocean and sessions in high surf. conservation and to use this Congratulations the first woman to swim than my original plan.” “I have done some swims swim as a platform to devel- Martin Kraut across the channel in 15:21. The Pilates instructor has in big swells and unpredict- op my nonprofit organiza- January Contest Winner of FREE Sentricon South Africa’s Sarah been focused on her goal able seas, and I’m planning tion Breathe Conservation monitoring for Ferguson hopes to add her ever since, swimming 20-40 on a swim with sharks to pre- and highlight the state of our 1 year. name to that elite list. Later kilometers every week in the pare for potential interaction oceans,” says Ferguson. “Be- Sentricon this summer, Ferguson will pool and the ocean, while with sharks and the best way side it being a personal chal- attempt to become the first training in the gym at least to respond,” she says. lenge, I am swimming for a South African to swim across twice a week. And while sharks are a big cause bigger than myself in Molokai Channel. But she understands this concern for Ferguson, who the hope that I can somehow “I was the first woman will be more than just a spent 15 years swimming make a sustainable difference to swim a stretch of sea in physical test of strength and competitively while repre- through this swim.” *Some restrictions apply. Durban, South Africa, and I endurance. senting South Africa in mul- It’s what pioneers do. Cannot be combined with any other offers. have done the Robben Island “I believe a huge portion of tiple World Cups, they’re not 591-2922 Offer expires 3/31/17 . and Cape Point crossings in the swim and prep for it are her main concern. [email protected] www.xtermcohawaii.com Lic.#: PC-201