Carbon-Neutral Relay Around Mackinac Island

Back in 2004, Dick Buist, Dennis Barber, Dave Newton and Ed Gilde completed the first circumnavigation relay swim around Mackinac Island in 5 hours and 11 minutes.

Mackinac Island is a National Historic Landmark located in Lake Huron, one of the Great Lakes of North America. The small island (3.8 square miles or 9.8 square kilometers) is part of the state of Michigan and is located at the eastern end of the Straits of Mackinac.

In a twist to traditional open water swimming relays and a nod to the "carbon-neutral" option, four swimmers swim - and walk - around the island during the Great Turtle Relay Swim Around Mackinac Island. This year's event will be held tomorrow, July 27th.

The four swimmers of each relay rotate in the water every 20 minutes. When it is not their turn to swim, the swimmers walk around the island. Each relay member swims for 20 minutes and then walks for 60 minutes until they finish the approximately 11-12 mile circumnavigation of Mackinac Island.

Relay exchanges are done in the water and each team is escorted by a kayaker. Wetsuits are allowed with the water temperature expected to be 63˚F (17˚C).

This swim-walk relay, escorted by a kayak around an island that bans nearly all motor vehicles is another example of the growing "carbon-neutral" open water relay phenomenon. Whereas the Mackinac Island Relay is a swim-walk relay, the "carbon-neutral" option first established by Doug Woodring in the 15K Clean Half relay in Hong Kong is a swim-paddle relay where swimmers have the choice to swim and paddle in an outrigger canoe.

Carbon-Neutral Escort Boat in The Clean Half

In a world's first for a major open water swimming relay, the team of Doug Woodring, Doug Woo, Eric Helfer, Jeff Fiola, Philip Sohmen won The Clean Half marathon relay in Hong Kong by using an outrigger canoe instead of a motorized escort boat. The relay members alternated swimming and paddling for the entire 14.5K race. 3 quick YouTube clips capture the action in strong winds and heavy surface chop:

Carbon Neutral Escort Boats in The Clean Half

Hong Kong will host The Clean Half, Asia’s only marathon swimming relay event today. 22 five-person teams and 4 solo swimmers will start from Stanley Main Beach and head 15K to Deepwater Bay.

Modeled after the Maui Channel Swim, The Clean Half offers some of the most stunning views of Hong Kong Island.


Race director Douglas Woodring offers a unique "carbon neutral" option for the relay teams. Two teams will not travel by motorized escort boat, but will instead paddle a 6-person outrigger canoe along the entire course while swimming at the same time. As the first outrigger + swimming relay race in the world, Woodring is to be celebrated for bringing his creative entrepreneurial talents to the sport of open water swimming.

Large swells are expected outside of Stanley to Round Island with scenery that is reminiscent of Hawaii. Some of the proceeds from the event will be donated to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for their Save Our Seas Campaign.

The Clean Half race results to follow.