To the Editor:

Hello from New Zealand, where on March 11 my brother, Eric, a former Voorheesville swim team member, became the oldest person to complete a successful swim across the Cook Strait, the channel between New Zealand's north and south islands.

He is 70.5 years old, and swam south to north, from near Picton to the coast near Wellington.

The strait is approximately 14 miles across, although swimmers rarely advance in a straight line due to the push and pull of tides and currents.

This swim is challenging due to the strait's low temperatures and constantly changing conditions. In the end, it lasted 9 hours and 53 minutes in water ranging from 14.4° C to 13.9° C, very choppy at first but sunny and smoother towards the end.

Three delighted family members accompanied Eric on the boat, delivering hot water and protein gel “feeds” every 30 minutes. Swimmers are not allowed to touch the boat. It was boat captain Grant Orchard’s 70th crossing; a nice coincidence given Eric's age.

As Eric approached the north island coast, a pod of friendly dolphins swept past him and under the boat. Other wildlife spotted included an albatross. 

Benefits of a successful crossing include a lifetime pass for travel on the Interislander ferry linking the two islands and the right to sign the wall of Picton’s Irish Pub. 

Another adventure!

Chris Durban

Paris, France

Editor’s note: Chris Durban wrote in 2024 about her brothers, Eric and Lars Durban, both Voorheesville swim team members in high school, completing the Triple Crown, which means successfully swimming the Catalina Channel off California, the English Channel, and the Manhattan Island Marathon — circumnavigating the island.