Aitutagata Dr David Edgar has returned to Samoa with “unfinished business” as he prepares to once again attempt the “Apolima XX”, a double crossing of the Apolima Strait in open water, a feat never completed before.

The accomplished marathon swimmer told the Samoa Observer he is determined to finish what he started after dangerous weather conditions forced organisers to abandon his swim midway through the second leg in November last year.

"I’ve come back, obviously, because of unfinished business from last time,” Aitutagata said. "The double has never been done, and I attempted it, but the weather that we got hit with was pretty severe last time.”

Aitutagata completed the first crossing before worsening conditions forced the support crew to stop the swim for safety reasons. “So, it’s unfinished business, really, to come back and, with my connection to Samoa, be the first person to be able to achieve the double crossing.”

The New Zealand-based swimmer is aiming to swim from Savai'i to Upolu and back again. Originally scheduled for Wednesday, the swim has now been postponed to Friday due to weather conditions in the Strait. Aitutagata is expected to depart from Savaii at 4 aam and hopes to complete the first crossing before midday. Under international open-water swimming rules, he is allowed only a 10-minute break before beginning the return swim.

Months of preparation have gone into the re-attempt, including studying Samoa’s historical weather patterns to identify calmer conditions for the crossing. This year, Aitutagata has brought his 19-year-old son, Oliver, who will be part of the support crew aboard the escort boat.

“It’s the first time I’ve actually been with him for a swim,” Oliver said. “It’ll be good to see how it goes, and it’s good to help out.”

This swim is part of Aitutagata’s charity platform - "Dr Dave Swims", which supports children and teenagers with dyslexia and learning initiatives. Aitutagata holds a PhD from the University of Waikato, where his thesis, Combatting the War on Sleep: Sleep and Recovery in the Military, explored innovative ways to improve recovery and performance in military and high-performance environments.

Beyond the swim, Aitutagata also visited Satapuala Primary School, where he donated sports equipment and uniforms for students, including rugby tops from the Marlborough Boys’ College First XV strip. Aitutagata, who holds a matai title from Satapuala, said giving back to the community remained important whenever he returned to Samoa.

"Every time I come back, I try to visit or stop in, having a title from there - trying to at least make some sort of difference, where we can."