Holland doctor completes yet another impressive swim, this time across Lake Erie

HOLLAND — Holland ophthalmologist Bryan Huffman is best known not as a doctor, but as a swimmer.

Huffman has swum across the English Channel, completed the 20 Bridges Swim around Manhattan and, now, has completed a crossing of Lake Erie, a 26.7-mile trip.

Up next for Huffman? How about swimming across the Catalina Channel?

Huffman finished his journey across Lake Erie on Friday, June 28, completing the swim in 16 hours and 22 minutes. The accomplishment comes about a year after Huffman attempted a Lake Michigan crossing in 2023, halted at the halfway point by a mechanical failure on his support boat.

For last week's swim, Huffman and his team waited over a week for optimal weather conditions. The course began off the coast of Dunkirk, New York, and ended at Port Colbourne, Ontario, Canada.

“Lake Erie was a great adventure for everyone involved,” Huffman wrote in a release. “I think anyone who goes on this type of swim comes away a bit changed.”

Huffman completes each swim with the goal of raising money for swim lessons at Holland Aquatic Center. It’s a passion that dates back to his freshman year at the University of Michigan, when he volunteered in an emergency room and witnessed a couple’s grief after their young son drowned.

“The ultimate purpose of these swims is to raise awareness about the importance of ‘waterproofing’ kids,” Huffman said. “Our ultimate goal is to prevent countless tragedies by funding swim lessons for kids in West Michigan.”

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In 2023 alone, Huffman’s swims raised a total of $44,605. The goal for 2024 is $50,000.

To learn more or donate, visit hollandaquatic.org/bryans-big-swims.

— Contact reporter Austin Metz at ametz@hollandsentinel.com.