First Cook Strait Crossing
Barrie Devenport, 1962, 11 hours 20 minutes
Overview
New Zealand lifeguard Barrie Devenport swam from Cape Terawhiti on the North Island to the South Island on 20 November 1962 in 11 hours 20 minutes, the first crossing of the strait between the islands. Tidal currents shifting several times a hour make the route notoriously tactical. Dozens now cross each summer alongside kayak pilots.
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