Australian marathon swimmer Penny Palfrey isn't going to let stinging sea creatures float between her and history. Although she did not complete her second attempt to swim from Oahu to Kauai, she hasn't ruled out a third try.

Palfrey displays her stings

It's a feat no other swimmer has ever achieved. It was tried by one other person, in the 1970s; also to no success. Palfrey's previous effort was in March of this year, and also met the same conclusion: it was prematurely ended by a swarm of Portuguese man of war. (Full disclosure: Waikiki Parc Hotel sponsored her accommodations, and the corporation I work for owns that property.)

Penny Palfrey right before her second attempt - Nov 9, 2010

"It was like being in jellyfish soup," recalled Palfrey at a press conference in Waikiki, upon her return from Kauai. She had actually endured the pain for seven and a half hours before giving up. One hour into her swim, she got her first sting. She kept swimming. Another hour into it, another sting. She kept going until she hit a colony of the stinging bluebottles, and her body started convulsing in pain.

Her team, headed by her swim advisor Steve Munatones, pulled her into the safety boat and helped her remove the venom-filled nematocysts. She has no idea how many stings she received. "I lost count after a while," she says. Her entire body - including face and ears - are covered with the whip-like red welts.

Palfrey and Munatones at press conference

Palfrey began her journey on November 9 from the north shore of Oahu. She jumped into a safety boat manned by 3 lifeguards, the captain, and Munatones. The boat motored to Kaena Point, found a relatively calm spot on the rough and rocky shore, and dropped her in the water.There, she swam to shore, touched the rock to officiate her start from land, and swam towards Kauai - a 72 mile channel crossing. She stopped only to eat while treading water. She was going to swim for 30 to 40 hours straight, through day and night.

Palfrey's team

Palfrey's safety boat

Kaena Point is the western-most point of Oahu, therefore, closest to Kauai. It would be too hard for her to walk to Kaena Point because the last three miles are closed to cars, so she would have had to walk in. Also, the rocky outcroppings and powerful surf make it too dangerous to jump in.

She began her swim at 10:52 a.m. and ended it at around 7:30 p.m., some eight-and-a-half hours later. What's more painful - the stings or the defeat? "It's two different kinds of pain," she reflected.

Palfrey chose not to wear a wetsuit because in marathon swimming, it's considered cheating. "Wetsuits aid in buoyancy and warmth," she explained.

Palfrey's press conference

Will she give it another go? "When I first got out of the water, no. When I arrived in Kauai, no. But maybe. I don't know," she told reporters from three Hawaii TV stations, one Hawaii newspaper, and an national sports network reporter listening in via phone from New York. "Though, I will be back in March 2011 to swim the Kaiwi Channel." She is now looking for a marine biology expert to advise her on how to avoid the swarms of Man o' War.

The pain was still fresh when she had her press conference; not even 24 hours after her failed attempt. This writer has a feeling that tough-as-nails Palfrey will try again, and has faith she can do it!

***

Also reach me via DianeAko.com