Paul Duffield Completes 10-Mile Lake Swim Across U.S.-Canada Border

WEST KEWLONA, Canada, September 8. OPEN water swimmer Paul Duffield, known for swimming across one of Canada’s coldest lakes, became the first person to complete a solo swim across Osoyoos Lake on Saturday, thereby making him one of the few to officially swim across the U.S.-Canada border.

Duffield, 44, completed the 10-mile swim from Oroville, Wash., to Osoyoos, British Columbia, in five hours and 45 minutes. Since the swim required a crossing of international borders, Duffield needed special permission to make the crossing. The Canada Border Services Agency helped Duffield with organizing the swim and making it official.

Photo Courtesy: ANGELIQUE DUFFIELD

Osoyoos Lake is one of dozens that cross the U.S.-Canada border. In addition to four of the five Great Lakes, various online sources indicate that at least 40 lakes cross international boundaries. Swimming across the U.S.-Canada border has not been widely attempted, and is therefore not on the list of officially recognized open water swims. Therefore, it’s not known if Duffied has become the first to swim from the United States to Canada via an inland waterway. Perhaps Duffield’s swim will open up more possibilities for special border-crossing swims to happen, with his performance as the benchmark.

The swim was particularly difficult for Duffield, according to an article on the online news site KelownaNow in Duffield’s hometown. Duffield suffers from arthritis in his hands, and said he “very nearly quit when we reached Haynes Point Provincial Park, after swimming for four hours. My hand ached and felt like it was burning, and I had sharp pains in my fingers and wrist. I told myself that as long as my arms kept turning over, I would continue to the end.”

Duffield etched his name in open water swimming history in December 2012 when he completed a one-mile swim in Okanagan Lake in British Columbia. The water was about 40 degrees Fahrenheit, making him one of about 25 people to have swum in the frigid water. By contrast, Osoyoos Lake’s water temperature was in the mid- to high-70s.

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Paul Duffield

9 years ago

Thanks for your coverage of the swim. The swim took over a year to plan and worth it. I had a great team out on the lake with me, Ashley Russo and Phred Martin kayaked beside me the whole way and my wife Angelique followed our progress by road. Both teams kept in radio contact with each other throughout the day.

My own account of the day can be found here: http://www.nothinggreatiseasy.com/usa-to-canada-cross-border-swim-slow-painful-awesome/

The swim distance was actually closer to 8 miles than the 10 you reported.

Thank you once again for your support.

Paul Duffield.