SANTA BARBARA, California, July 13. RENDY Lynn Opdycke became the first female to cross the Santa Barbara Channel through its longest route when she covered the 28-mile journey over the weekend. Opdycke left from Fry's Harbor on Santa Cruz Island and finished at Leadbetter Beach in Santa Barbara. She entered the 59-degree water a little after 4 a.m. and finished 10 hours, 51 minutes and 20 seconds later.
A graduate student at the University of Southern California, Opdycke was accompanied by a yacht and near the end of the swim was forced to navigate through heavy kelp. She also had to share the water with plenty of ocean life, including dolphins and jellyfish. The 23-year-old has completed the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim on three occasions.