Mike Spalding (born 1948) is a marathon swimmer, and one of only two people to have swum all nine channels of the main Hawaiian Islands. He lives on Maui. In 2009 Spalding became one of the few humans to be attacked by the deep water Cookiecutter shark. He was bitten by one of the sharks while swimming between the islands of Hawai'i and Maui in what is referred to as the Alenuihaha Channel.
Accomplishments
All were solo swims except for the Kaieiewaho Channel, which was a six-person relay. They were accomplished in the following order.
- Auau Channel, August 15, 1983, Lanai to Maui (8.2 miles), 6:13
- Pailolo Channel, November 30, 1990, Maui to Molokai (8.5 miles), 4:47
- Alalakeiki Channel, April 14, 2001, Maui to Kahoolawe (7.5 miles), 3:30
- Kaulakahi Channel, July 20, 2003, Kauai to Niihau (17 miles), 10:45
- Kealaikahiki Channel, September 11, 2005, Kahoolawe to Lanai (18.5 miles), 11:53
- Kalohi Channel, August 5, 2007, Molokai to Lanai (9.3 miles), 6:47
- Kaiwi Channel, September 20, 2007, Molokai to Oahu (26 miles), 15:15
- Kaieiewaho Channel, November 20, 2010, Oahu to Kauai (72-mile relay), 47:55
- Alenuihaha Channel, February 27, 2011, Hawaii to Maui (30 miles), 19:46