Duncan Kukard - Around Rangitoto

Swim data
Swim, Around Rangitoto (solo / tandem) 
Swim date, 12 Feb 2020 
Recorded distance, 21.9 km
Time, 7hours 31minutes 18secs
Age at swim date, 45 years

Please tell us something unique about your achievement. Tell your story
Swim was observed and tracked by Roger Soulsby of Auckland Masters Swimming, and boat and second courtesy of Simon Freeman. I swam with Susan Sherwen. Swim logistics are always tricky as was the case here with ensuring weather and tides worked for us. Water was a toasty 21 degrees Celsius with a gentle breeze and sun on our backs. I tested a new feeding pattern using rice cakes in coconut milk and raisins which worked like a bomb. 

Other Comment
I’m pretty new to NZ after arriving here in 2018, and am slowly getting to know this wonderful community. We are so spoilt in NZ with our options available for ocean swimming. In South Africa I swam many swims for charity with a group called MADSWIMMER.com including swimming across Lake Malawi 25km, swam across the date line in the Bering Strait in waters 3 degrees Celsius for 6.5km, completed a 24 hours solo pool swim with 44.9km to name a few. I’m keen to get a similar infrastructure up and running here where we can use swimming to raise funds for those who could use the help, or for general ocean awareness. 

How did your life change following your achievement(s)?
Anything is possible, and these long ocean swims really do manage to our life and it’s small stresses into perspective.
o edit.