41-year old Nick Hobson died on February 24, 2022 shortly after completing a 23 km swim across Cook Strait in New Zealand.
Hobson was originally from Scotland where he swam competitively in high school. This eventually led him to discover the sport of underwater hockey. He was a member of Great Britain’s Octopush (underwater hockey) Association for several years. While a member, he helped organize the 2006 World Championships. He was also a part of New Zealand’s elite underwater hockey team in 2009 .
Hobson’s love of the water was constant throughout his life. Following his underwater hockey career, he became an avid open water swimmer.
Hobson was a former resident of Holland, Michigan, where he completed several notable open water swims. These include multiple 21 mile solo swims in Lake Michigan, starting in Holland and finishing in Grand Haven.
In August of 2020, Hobson and five other swimmers teamed up to complete the 55 mile swim across Lake Michigan from Two Rivers, Wisconsin to Holland, Michigan. The team completed the journey in 20 hours and 50 minutes. This performance was the the fastest ever mid-lake crossing and the first ever relay crossing.
Hobson was a member of the Wellington Ocean Swimmers in New Zealand. Fellow member Corinna Connor posted on the group’s Facebook page shortly after his death: “His crew, and the rescue helicopter, made every effort to resuscitate him, but they were unsuccessful”,
“There is very little else to say at this stage, as the shock and sadness hit us. Nick had been a member of our community for a few months but was a huge part of it. Our thoughts are with Nick’s wife and children.”
Hobson completed the 23 km crossing in 10 hours 30 minutes before dying in Mana shortly afterwards. He is survived by his wife, Sheree, and their two daughters. The exact cause of death remains unknown.
According to the official website of the Cook Strait swim, the crossing is, “one of the toughest and most challenging stretches of water in the world.” The website records 138 total successful crossings to date. The fastest single crossing was done in four hours, completed by Casey Glover of New Zealand in April, 2008. The swim is typically about 23 km in cold, rough waters. The Cook Strait swim is part of the “Oceans Seven” challenge, which is open water swimming’s version of the Seven Summits.
With a 10 hr swim in salt water the chances for marked electrolyte disturbances go up (especially if a swimmer is prone to sipping water occasionally). These can lead to cardiac arrhythmias and sudden death. In addition, the water in the Cook Strait is 15C (average) in April. If he was hypothermic, rewarming cardiac arrhythmias could have manifest. It is a tragedy.
Very sad and I hope he passed doing what he loved.
Sad indeed. Sad to two girls and wife that he left behind.
We don’t know and never will what people think at their last moments in this world. That is our fear of death makes us think that there is a difference how we will pass away. It maybe all the same.