ɪn sɛptˈɛmbɚ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti wˈʌn, hiː kɹˈɔst ðə dˈeɪndʒɚɹəs twˈɛnti sˈɛvənmˈaɪl kˈɑː ˈɪwi tʃˈænəl ɪn fˈɪftiːn ɐ hˈæf ˈaʊɚz; hiː wʌzðə fˈɜːst pˈɜːsən tə vˈɛɹɪfˌaɪəbli ɐkˈɑːmplɪʃ ðɪs fˈiːt.
In September 1961, he crossed the dangerous 27-mile Ka Iwi Channel in 15 ½ hours; he was the first person to verifiably accomplish this feat.