International border closures may have stopped Craig Clarke from crossing the English Channel this year, but they have not stopped him swimming from Lake Macquarie to Newcastle.
Mr Clarke has been planning to take on the 36-kilometre swim since 2015.
Just over the halfway mark, at about midday today, Mr Clarke stopped to take protein gels from a support boat and to speak briefly to the journalists who had travelled out to speak to him.
"I'm feeling good, it's going well," he said.
"It was really tough from Catherine Hill Bay headland to Moon Island.
"But the Nine Mile [Beach] stretch was beautiful."
The water temperature was about 16 degrees Celsius, although it was colder in patches.
Mr Clarke said the afternoon's challenge would be tidal.
"With high tide coming off the [Redhead] bluff here it's a bit rough again now," he said.
"I'll be looking forward to getting to Dudley and getting a bit smoother, and then on the downward run into Nobby's."
He was expected to arrive at Nobby's at about 6:00pm.
"It's holding out really well," he said.
"I picked the right day — yeah, it's beautiful out here, and I'm enjoying the swim."
Mr Clarke is swimming to raise money for the Australian mental health and wellbeing support organisation Beyond Blue.
He has raised raise more than $10,000.
