Oceans 7
The Oceans Seven is a marathon swimming challenge consisting of seven open water channel swims. It was devised in 2008 as the swimming equivalent of the Seven Summits mountaineering challenge. It includes the North Channel, the Cook Strait, the Molokai Channel, the English Channel, the Catalina Channel, the Tsugaru Strait and the Strait of Gibraltar.
COOK STRAIT
Geography: Located between the North & South Islands of NZ
Distance: 22 kms
Conditions: Extremely tidal, known to be rough, marine life
Average Sea Temp: 14-19 C
Best time to swim:
December - March
Fastest Crossing Time: 6 hours 37 mins
Number of crossing as at 20/5/2019 = 126
CAITLIN O'REILLY
Completed: 24th February 2017
Time: 7 hours 19 mins 56 secs
Age: 12 years
Youngest female
Youngest New Zealander
Approx kms swum: 30kms
Sea Temp: 17.1 - 18.7 degrees C
Sea State: 10-12 knots variable
MoloKAi ChaNNEL
“Channel of Bones”
Geography: Located between the islands of O’ahu & Molokai of Hawaii
Distance: 42 kms
Conditions: Known to be rough and windy trade winds. Potential aggressive marine life.
Average Sea Temp: 24-27 C
Best time to swim: March/April - September/October
Fastest Crossing Time: 12 hrs 2 min
Number of crossing as at August 2019 = 70
CAITLIN O’REILLY
Swim Date - 18 November 2023
Abandoned - Next Attempt TBA
CATALINA CHANNEL
Geography: Located between Mainland California and Catalina Island USA
Distance: 33 kms
Conditions: Night time start due to afternoon sea breeze, marine life.
Average Sea Temp: 15-21 C
Best time to swim: June - October
Fastest Crossing Time: 7 hrs 15 mins
Number of crossings as at October 2018 = 504
Caitlin O’Reilly
Swim Date - 2nd August 2022*
Abandoned - Next Attempt TBA
tsuguru CHANNEL
Geography: Located between Honshu & Hakkaido Northern Japan
Distance: 19.5km
Conditions: Currents, turbulent water surface conditions, sharks & sea snakes.
Average Sea Temp: 16-18 C
Best time to swim: July - August
Fastest Crossing Time: 6 hrs 11 mins
Number of crossings as at
2019 = 52
caitlin O’Reilly
Completed: 5th July 2022
Time: 11 hours 37 mins 43 secs
Age: 18 years
Approx kms swum: 41.1kms
Sea Temp: 16.9 - 18.2 degrees C
Sea State: 0 - 10 knots variable
ENGLISH CHANNEL
Geography: Located between England and France
Distance: 32 kms
Conditions: Tidal, potentially rough, shipping.
Average Sea Temp: 15-18 C
Best Time to Swim: June - Sept
Minimum Age Required: 16 years
Fastest Crossing Time:
7 hrs 17 mins
Number of crossings as at:
2019 = 1652 solo
Caitlin O’Reilly
Completed: 9th August 2023
Time: 9hrs 34mins
Approx Distance Swum: 43.2Kms
Sea Temp: 17.5 degrees C
Sea State: Moderate to Calm
Fastest female time of 2023 season
STRAIT OF GIBRALTAR
Geography: Located between Gibraltar & Morocco
Distance: 14.4 kms
Conditions: Currents, major shipping route and fog.
Average Sea Temperature: 16 - 23 degrees C
Best Time to Swim: August & September
Minimum Age Required: 18 years
Fastest Crossing Time: 2hrs 16 mins
Number of crossings as at: 27/8/2019 = 693
Caitlin O’Reilly
Completed: 11th September 2023
Time: 6 hours 5 mins
Approx Distance Swum: 16.9kms
Sea State: Calm
North Channel (Great Britain and Ireland)
Geography: Located between Donaghadee, South of Belfast Lough Northern Ireland & Port Patrick, Scotland
Distance: 35kms
Conditions: Cold water, changeable weather and Lions Mane Jellyfish.
Average Sea Temperature: 10-14 degrees C
Best time to swim: August
Minimum age: 18 years
Fastest Crossing Time: 9 hours 35 mins
Number of crossings as at: 26/8/2019 = 82
Caitlin O’Reilly
Swim Date Completed: 24th August 23
Time: 9hrs 57min
Aproximate distance swam: 36.2kms
Sea Temp: 15.4 - 16.5degC
Sea State: Moderate wind chop with 0.5m cross Swell
