# 61y.o. woman to attempt swim of 100+ miles open ocean from Cuba to Key West **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 20, 2011, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/61y-o-woman-to-attempt-swim-of-100-miles-open-ocean-from-cuba-to-key-west/589702 "2011-07-20T11:40:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/61y-o-woman-to-attempt-swim-of-100-miles-open-ocean-from-cuba-to-key-west/589702/21 "2013-09-02T18:11:19Z")
she forgot her passport. she now has to swim back. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/61y-o-woman-to-attempt-swim-of-100-miles-open-ocean-from-cuba-to-key-west/589702/22 "2013-09-02T18:12:04Z")
She did it! Good for her. ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/61y-o-woman-to-attempt-swim-of-100-miles-open-ocean-from-cuba-to-key-west/589702/23 "2013-09-02T18:22:10Z")
> [@Dendarii\_Dame](#): > > I have a children’s book titled _100 Greatest Women in Sports_ by Phyllis Hollander, published in 1976. Diana Nyad is in it, and\*\* I believe she’s the only one still active on this kind of level.\*\* (Although I suppose Billie Jean King or Chris Evert might still play on some kind of seniors tennis tour or something like that.) Still, very impressive. … [Penny Palfrey](http://www.compasscayman.com/caycompass/2011/06/14/Palfrey-crushes-world-record/) completed a 41 hour, 67 mile long open water swim from Little Cayman to Grand Cayman back in 2011. Penny was 48 years old at the time, not quite as old as ms. Nyad is now. Palfrey also tried, and failed, the Florida Straits swim. It is quite an accomplishment for anyone to endure those conditions and succeed. ---
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/61y-o-woman-to-attempt-swim-of-100-miles-open-ocean-from-cuba-to-key-west/589702/24 "2013-09-02T19:03:52Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > she’s masked this time. Aren’t most superheroes? Go Diana! Good for her! ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/61y-o-woman-to-attempt-swim-of-100-miles-open-ocean-from-cuba-to-key-west/589702/25 "2013-09-02T21:11:38Z")
Way cool. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2013, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/61y-o-woman-to-attempt-swim-of-100-miles-open-ocean-from-cuba-to-key-west/589702/26 "2013-09-02T22:06:10Z")
Freaking awesome! Amazing and inspirational! ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/61y-o-woman-to-attempt-swim-of-100-miles-open-ocean-from-cuba-to-key-west/589702/27 "2013-09-03T00:15:55Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > she forgot her passport. she now has to swim back. OK, I laughed out loud. Congratulations to Dyan Nyad! ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/61y-o-woman-to-attempt-swim-of-100-miles-open-ocean-from-cuba-to-key-west/589702/28 "2013-09-03T03:14:14Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > she forgot her passport. she now has to swim back. _snicker_ Hm, how does this rate on the whole no Americans allowed in Cuba thing … or did she leave from Gitmo? ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/61y-o-woman-to-attempt-swim-of-100-miles-open-ocean-from-cuba-to-key-west/589702/29 "2013-09-03T03:51:51Z")
Americans are allowed in Cuba, there are just limitations on the reasons for their travel and how (and how much) they spend money while there. And since Gitmo is on the southern side of Cuba, swimming from there would have been a much, much longer and almost certainly impossible swim. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/61y-o-woman-to-attempt-swim-of-100-miles-open-ocean-from-cuba-to-key-west/589702/30 "2013-09-03T16:14:26Z")
I have to admit I was wrong about Nyad. I figured that after three attempts she wasn’t going to make it. It is a pleasant surprise to be wrong about it. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2013, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/61y-o-woman-to-attempt-swim-of-100-miles-open-ocean-from-cuba-to-key-west/589702/31 "2013-09-03T16:26:35Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > she forgot her passport. she now has to swim back. She made it to shore. Under the wet-foot, dry-foot policy, the US has to give her asylum. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2013, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/61y-o-woman-to-attempt-swim-of-100-miles-open-ocean-from-cuba-to-key-west/589702/32 "2013-09-09T22:55:03Z")
Did she do a Rosie? She will answer tomorrow. ABC (USA) had a report where people (other long distance swimmers) have brought up questions. She started at 1.6 mph then got to 3, 4 and 6 mph. Also she went 7 hours without stopping for food (i think also it said water). ---
**Author:** ![smee\_goan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f07891/32.png) [@smee\_goan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smee_goan)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/61y-o-woman-to-attempt-swim-of-100-miles-open-ocean-from-cuba-to-key-west/589702/33 "2013-09-10T20:04:42Z")
Say it ain’t so Joe. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/61y-o-woman-to-attempt-swim-of-100-miles-open-ocean-from-cuba-to-key-west/589702/34 "2013-09-10T21:11:15Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > ABC (USA) had a report where people (other long distance swimmers) have brought up questions. She started at 1.6 mph then got to 3, 4 and 6 mph. Currents? Were there no third-party observers on the support boats? Most record-setting attempts require some oversight and sanctioning body control. I (want to) refuse to believe it was even possible for her to “catch a taxi” for such a long stretch and that she/they would be so stupid about it as to make it evident by the speeds. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/61y-o-woman-to-attempt-swim-of-100-miles-open-ocean-from-cuba-to-key-west/589702/35 "2013-09-10T21:16:19Z")
> [@smee\_goan](#): > > Say it ain’t so Joe. It most likely ain’t. As in, some folks without full knowledge the situation are asking questions and the news media is giving it more attention than it deserves because it sells papers. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/61y-o-woman-to-attempt-swim-of-100-miles-open-ocean-from-cuba-to-key-west/589702/36 "2013-09-10T21:41:00Z")
She admits that favorable gulf stream currents gave her a boost part of the way. I seriously doubt she would have succeeded fighting against those currents. It’s still a noteworthy accomplishment. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/61y-o-woman-to-attempt-swim-of-100-miles-open-ocean-from-cuba-to-key-west/589702/37 "2013-09-10T22:28:48Z")
personally should i ever contemplate such a swim, i would most certainly take the current(s) into account. do all i could to have them work in my favour. dolphins and whales do it, why not humans? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/61y-o-woman-to-attempt-swim-of-100-miles-open-ocean-from-cuba-to-key-west/589702/38 "2013-09-11T02:52:57Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > She admits that favorable gulf stream currents gave her a boost part of the way. By design. All ocean swimming takes currents into account. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/61y-o-woman-to-attempt-swim-of-100-miles-open-ocean-from-cuba-to-key-west/589702/39 "2013-09-11T07:05:35Z")
It’s worth pointing out that the people questioning Nyad are other open water, long distance swimmers. People with first hand open water experience and they know how to analyze Nyad’s GPS data. I’d expect more care would have been taken to ensure qualified, neutral observers were on hand to verify such a record breaking achievement. Anyway, unless something new is revealed it appears that Nyad’s swim goes into the record books. I wouldn’t be surprised if no one else duplicates this swim. > **[Newser | Headline News Summaries, World News, and Breaking News](https://www.newser.com/)** > > Current news summaries and breaking stories about politics, business, health, sports, technology, and entertainment. | Newser > [@](#): > > Nyad said she swam without holding onto any of the boats or people accompanying her. > > “I swam. We made it, our team, in squeaky-clean, ethical fashion,” Nyad said. > > Her critics are suspicious about long stretches of the 53-hour swim were Nyad appeared to have either picked up incredible speed or to have gone without food or drink. Since Nyad finished her swim Sept. 2 in Key West, long-distance swimmers have been debating it on social media and in online forums. > > Nyad’s speed, at some points more than doubling, has drawn particular scrutiny. Her team has attributed her speed to the fast-moving Gulf Stream flowing in her favor. > > The 64-year-old endurance athlete and her team held a conference call with some of the skeptics who questioned her navigator’s credentials and observations of the currents. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/61y-o-woman-to-attempt-swim-of-100-miles-open-ocean-from-cuba-to-key-west/589702/40 "2013-09-11T15:23:22Z")
Can anyone summarize why there are so many skeptics? Is it that they are convinced that the feat is simply beyond human endurance? I’m inclined to wonder how many long-distance swimmers are crying foul more out of jealousy than anything else. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/61y-o-woman-to-attempt-swim-of-100-miles-open-ocean-from-cuba-to-key-west/589702.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/61y-o-woman-to-attempt-swim-of-100-miles-open-ocean-from-cuba-to-key-west/589702.md?page=3)