Mike the Marlin Goes for the Triple Crown—Catalina to Palos Verdes, September 24 at 10 PM
September 22, 2026
Birch Bay, Washington
This Thursday night, September 24, my son Michael—better known in the family as “Mike the Marlin”—will enter the water at Catalina Island and begin an approximately twenty-six-mile swim to the Southern California mainland at Palos Verdes.
This will be the third and final “fin” of his Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming.
Mike has already:
- Crossed the English Channel to France.
- Swum around Manhattan Island.
- Now he will attempt the Catalina Channel.
He is scheduled to enter the water at approximately 10:00 p.m. Thursday, September 24, with an estimated arrival off Palos Verdes around 10:00 a.m. Friday the 25th—twelve hours of swimming through the night and into the morning. His estimated arrival point is in the vicinity of “Sacred Cove aka Smugglers Cove.” (Arrival may vary depending on tides and currents.)
If he completes the crossing, it is my understanding that his combined time for all three swims may place him among the ten shortest Triple Crown swims in history. (Meaning completion of the three legs within just a few months, not swim speeds.)
Mike turned forty-nine in July and lives in Seattle with his wife, Joyce, and their two children, Tucker and Ella.
Needless to say, this father will be watching, waiting, and cheering him on stroke by stroke.
Readers will be able to follow Mike’s progress online throughout the crossing:
I will update the link to the tracking as soon as I get it. HERE IS TRACKING LINK FOR THURS NIGHT FRIDAY MORNING.
Swim strong and swim safely, Mike the Marlin. Palos Verdes—and your proud family—will be waiting.
OH WOW!! My only question “Why at Night?”
But all swimmers have their preferences. Here’s “Good Luck” to Mike the Marlin. Quite an accomplishment at his age but swimmers never lose their heart for “pull, kick, win”.! Keep us all posted Steve……Mike the Marlin has quite the following now.👍🤗