EPIC SWIM MAUI

In the summer of 2024, elite open-ocean swimmers from six continents and Hawai‘i united to attempt a historic circumnavigation of Maui, raising global awareness for ocean health as part of the United Nations’ Ocean Decade initiative. Backed by Maui County, the University of Hawai‘i, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and the UN, the ambitious swim was guided and safeguarded by legendary waterman Archie Kalepa and his crew.

EPIC SWIM MAUI captures the endurance, beauty, and drama of the endeavor while documenting groundbreaking science, including the first PFAS (“forever chemicals”) and microplastics study ever conducted around Maui. Interwoven throughout are stories from each of the island’s 12 moku, spotlighting local community efforts to restore watersheds and protect fragile nearshore ecosystems. The film also honors Duke Kahanamoku, Olympic champion and pioneering ocean steward, as his grand-nephew joined the relay as the youngest of 14 swimmers, linking past legacy to future stewardship.

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