Andy Donaldson smashes record in croc-infested Dam to Dam challenge

Setting a new record (pending ratification), Andy Donaldson has completed his longest solo swim: 55km in the Ord River from Lake Argyle Dam to Kununurra Diversion Dam

Ultra-marathon world-record holder Andy Donaldson has completed a record-breaking swim and set a new personal record completing his longest solo swim to date.

The 35-year-old Scottish-Australian completed the 55-kilometre ‘Dam to Dam Challenge’ along the Ord River in the East Kimberley on Tuesday 28 April 2026, setting the fastest recorded time of 11 hours and 51 minutes (pending ratification). 

With the Ord River inhabited by 5,500 crocodiles, it’s one of the world’s most unique swims in one of the most remote parts of the planet, in Western Australia’s north east. 

Starting at Lake Argyle Dam and finishing at the Kununurra Diversion Dam, Donaldson is the first male swimmer to complete the route, following the pioneering swim by Simone Blaser in September 2024, who holds the record of first person and fastest female with a time of of 16 hours and 13 minutes. 

Donaldson said he was elated, exhausted and feeling very grateful.

“I’m over the moon, it was an incredible experience and almost surreal swimming through truly magical lands, the red rocks, the gorges, I reckon better than swimming than Grand Canyon,” said Donaldson. “I’ve been fortunate to swim all over the world, and what we have here is truly spectacular, this is the best swim I’ve ever done, without a doubt.

“It was tough, 55-kilometres, and it was hot, and we had to navigate through rapids which was pretty cool. I had such an amazing knowledgeable team on the water with me and when times got tough, they helped me get through it. I’m feeling really proud, one hundred percent, and really proud of the whole team.”

An early start

Donaldson officially started at 5.38am and crossed the finish line at 5.29pm AWST, Tuesday 28 April.

In the darkness of the early morning, the excitement was palpable with vibes sky high as Donaldson was getting greased up. 

Before stepping foot in the water, Donaldson received a scaly welcome, a fully-grown 2.5-metre freshwater crocodile was waiting at the start ramp, both man and beast keeping a respectable distance from each other. 

Clearly happy to be swimming in the Ord River, Donaldson was jovial all morning, making jokes between strokes. 

In a role reversal of sorts, Donaldson was constantly checking in with his team to ensure they were okay.

Looking strong and swimming at a cracking pace of 58 strokes per minute most of the morning, Donaldson’s speed was between eight and nine kilometres per hour for the first few hours. 

Under the searing Kimberley sun that topped 34 degrees, Donaldson kept his cool, stroke after stroke, taking in nutrition every hour. 

Around 11am, an unusual headwind came in between 5-10 knots, making each stroke that much harder. 

He then encountered a section of ‘dead water’, where there’s no current, and in freshwater without salt for buoyancy, the water feels heavy. 

Around 1pm, Donaldson reached the spillway, which is where the Ord River joins Lake Kununurra, the currents giving him a welcomed push. 

Heating up

In the early afternoon, Donaldson reported feeling hot, and the support boats tried to position themselves to provide some shade, a difficult task under the mid-day sun. 

Around 2.30pm, Donaldson had reached the 45-kilometre mark, the last 10 kilometres set to be the hardest as fatigue set in. 

Still, Donaldson remained positive and upbeat for the duration and just kept swimming.

He swam through Carlton Gorge, the upper Ord River, past Jump Rock and Echo Point, through the spillway, and past Elephant Rock also known as Sleeping Buddha, before reaching Swim Beach, six kilometres from the township of Kununurra.

Welcome party

A crowd 200-strong was waiting for Donaldson, cheering him on as he climbed out of the water, celebrating a landmark moment, witnessing history in the making and a world-record-holding athlete finish his longest ever solo swim. 

Throughout the swim, two support boats from Go Wild and Kimberley Spirit with crew and supporters kept a close eye on Donaldson, and in closer proximity was Ryan Evernden (Founder Formidable Strength and Conditioning) paddling in a canoe a metre away. 

Kimberley Spirit also accommodated Donaldson in their houseboat on the Ord River. 

The first person to do this same swim, Simone Blaser, was part of Donaldson’s support crew and jumped in the river to swim alongside him.

Also taking shifts to swim alongside Donaldson was Brenton Ford (elite swim coach), Ben Broady (organiser of the Donaldson’s swim and Kununurra Crocs Swim Club president), Eliza Kelly (Donaldson’s partner and nutritionist), Sam Ashby (Australian representative and head swim coach Tasmanian Swim Club), and Outback Tom (journalist and local content creator). 

Against the dramatic backdrop of the East Kimberley’s ancient gorges and red cliffs, Donaldson said it was the most visually stunning swim of his career.

The swim had the added challenge of navigating a river inhabited by 5,500 freshwater crocodiles. 

Donaldson said at no time did he feel threatened, despite the ratio of one crocodile every 10 metres, or about one every six to nine seconds at Donaldson’s pace.

“The team had eyes on me the entire time and the only crocs I saw were on the feet of my coach!” Donaldson joked.

From unseen crocodiles to rock wallabies, Donaldson was swimming in the company of eagles, ospreys, kits, cormorants, darters, turtles and big cat fish. 

With two kilometres to go, locals joined the swim behind Donaldson to escort him home.

An impressive swimming CV

The Perth-based endurance swimmer is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading ultra-marathon swimmers. 

A multiple world record holder, Donaldson made history by completing the world’s toughest channel swims, the Ocean’s Seven, in a single year in 2023, as well as record-breaking performances including the fastest ever swim around Manhattan Island.

“This swim was always more than breaking records, it’s about inspiring others and shining a spotlight on this beautiful place,” Donaldson said about Kununurra. “Seeing the excited kids at the finish line cheering me on is what it’s all about – it was fantastic to see so many locals, hundreds of people at the finish line, I’m truly grateful, thank you.”

President of the Kununurra Crocs Swim Club, Ben Broady invited Donaldson to Kununurra to inspire the next generation of swimmers ahead of the opening the new 50-metre pool.

“The vibes were so high all day between Andy and the support crew, it’s totally inspiring and I feel honoured to have swum alongside such a champion for a short time,” Broady said. “In the lead up to the swim, we’ve been to local schools and held swim clinics in Wyndham and Kununurra, the students loved it and we’ve definitely inspired many of them to take up swimming.”

“The interest in Andy’s swim has been off the charts, and we hope it showcases the potential of the East Kimberley not just as a place for an epic holiday, but a place for endurance swimming and adventure tourism. Andy’s marathon swim has put Kununurra on the world swim map. We are so proud of what Andy has achieved, and we are very grateful to everyone who has supported this mammoth effort.

“This is the start of a legacy; we’re building the Dam to Dam Ord River Swim Challenge as a bucket-list for open water swimmers, “Broady concluded. “Who wouldn’t want to swim in this pristine waterway, through ancient gorges towering above? It’s a stunning here and a very unique place to visit, let alone swim.”

Photos by Ben Broady