- Endurance swimmer Andy Donaldson from Perth,WA, hopes to inspire people by his record breaking swimming in the croc filled River Ord in the Kimberley, WA
- Andy swam the Dam to Dam River Ord in 11 hours 51 minutes
- The endurance swimmer set a personal best and added a new record to his many others
When Perth based Scottish- Australian ultra marathon swimmer Andy Donaldson was invited up to Kununurra in the Kimberley, WA, he didn’t expect to set a world record.
A multiple world record holder, 35 year old Andy has smashed some of the world’s toughest swims including the English Channel, notorious Oceans Seven marathon swim – seven ocean channel swims – in a single year in 2023, fastest swim in the Cook strait between New Zealand’s North and South Islands, and the fastest ever swim around Manhattan Island, USA.
But when President of the Kununurra Crocs Swim Club, Ben Broady invited Andy to talk at schools and swim clinics in Wyndham and Kununurra, WA, to inspire the next generation of swimmers ahead of the opening the new 50 metre pool it struck a chord with him.
‘I remember being a kid and people coming down to the programme in West Scotland and remember feeling so inspired, ’Andy told That’s life!
He wanted to do the same for the local Kununurra community.
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‘I said there’s this stretch of water from Lake Argyle to Kununurra, it’s 55km, why don’t we use the swim to shine a spotlight on Kununurra and show how beautiful the river Ord is and inspire the kids – actions speak louder than words.’
Andy knew the 55km Dam to Dam Challenge from Lake Argyle to Kununurra in the East Kimberley was a gruelling challenge. Previously completed by Australian Triple Crown open water swimmer Simone Blaser before in 16 hours 13 minutes in 2024 no man had ever swum it.
With 5500 freshwater crocodiles inhabiting the river – that’s one croc every 10 metres, every 6-9 seconds , even though freshwater crocs are much more timid than salt water crocodiles – it might‘ve been enough to put most people off – but not Andy.
Aside from the crocs the river was teeming with wildlife included eagles, ospreys, kits, cormorants, darters, turtles and big catfish.
‘… a huge 2.5 freshwater croc had just been spotted’
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On April 28 when Andy arrived at the boat ramp in Lake Argyle a huge 2.5 freshwater croc had just been spotted.
‘I probably might’ve got cold feet if it had been waiting at the end of the boat ramp,’ Andy laughs to tl!
He explained it was a very safe swim with two support boats on the water keeping eyes firmly peeled for any curious crocs.
Andy slipped into the 28 degree water at 5.38am.
He was incredibly grateful to his support team for the hourly feeds, scanning for crocs and helping him navigate through a headwind and hours later, dead water without a current or salt to aid buoyancy.
‘The team had eyes on me the entire time and the only crocs I saw were on the feet of my coach!’ Donaldson joked.
By early afternoon, fatigue and tiredness set in for Andy at 45 km.
‘Andy finished setting a personal record’
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But as the riverbanks filled with two hundred people Simone Blaser swam beside Andy and he was joined by cheering kids who jumped in the water and locals on kayaks and houseboats.
Andy finished setting a personal record and a world record (to be verified) completing the 55km swim in 11 hours 51 minutes.
He was incredibly grateful for all the amazing support.
‘It was so, so magical…I was blown away by how much the community really got around the swim, it was beyond belief,’ Andy explained to that’s life! saying it was the best swim of his life.
‘It’s like swimming down the Grand Canyon, you have these ancient red gorges, the river winds down it, it’s absolutely mind-blowing,’ Andy went on. ‘Every single stroke, 55km down this river is incredible.’
He hopes that his swim will have a lasting impact not just by spotlighting the beauty of the River Ord but also on the Kununurra community.
‘Hopefully, if we’ve just inspired one of those kids or even adults… doesn’t have to be getting in the water, it could be anything like pursuing their goals or dreams, then we’ve done a really good thing,’ Andy said
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