50 swimmers accompanied by 67 kayakers will be crossing the Potomac River in a race to support the environment on June 2, 2012. The event which takes swimmers from Hull Neck, Virginia across the river to Point Lookout State Park in Maryland provides a challenging distance swim for the participants while raising environmental awareness and funds for Potomac and bay environmental groups.
Last year, swimmers collected pledges of more than $18,000 which were donated to the Potomac River Association, Southern Maryland Sierra Club, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin (with smaller amounts to the Potomac Conservancy, West Virginia Rivers Coalition, Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, Ridge Rescue, St. Mary's River Watershed Association and Friends of the Shenandoah River).
A picnic hosted by the Sierra Club Southern Maryland Group after the swim (starting at 11AM at the swim beach at Point Lookout Park) provides an informal forum for discussing natural resource issues.
Each swimmer is accompanied by a volunteer kayaker from the Chesapeake Paddlers Association and other organizations. Members of the Chesapeake Bay Boston Whalers Club volunteer their boats and time as lead, escort, and tail boats for the race, along with public safety vessels and staff provided by the U.S. Coast Guard, Maryland Natural Resources Police, and the Ridge Rescue Squad.
The swimmers will start from the Virginia shore at 8AM, and with favorable conditions, will begin arriving at the swim beach at Point Lookout State Park in about 3 hours or less (11AM).
The public is invited to attend the event, enjoy the picnic, and help cheer the swimmers to shore.
To learn more about the event, contact swim organizer Cheryl Wagner at (202) 262-3953, email <cherylw-at-crosslink.net> or see our website: Potomac River 7.5 Mile Swim.
Last year, swimmers collected pledges of more than $18,000 which were donated to the Potomac River Association, Southern Maryland Sierra Club, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin (with smaller amounts to the Potomac Conservancy, West Virginia Rivers Coalition, Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, Ridge Rescue, St. Mary's River Watershed Association and Friends of the Shenandoah River).
A picnic hosted by the Sierra Club Southern Maryland Group after the swim (starting at 11AM at the swim beach at Point Lookout Park) provides an informal forum for discussing natural resource issues.
Each swimmer is accompanied by a volunteer kayaker from the Chesapeake Paddlers Association and other organizations. Members of the Chesapeake Bay Boston Whalers Club volunteer their boats and time as lead, escort, and tail boats for the race, along with public safety vessels and staff provided by the U.S. Coast Guard, Maryland Natural Resources Police, and the Ridge Rescue Squad.
The swimmers will start from the Virginia shore at 8AM, and with favorable conditions, will begin arriving at the swim beach at Point Lookout State Park in about 3 hours or less (11AM).
The public is invited to attend the event, enjoy the picnic, and help cheer the swimmers to shore.
To learn more about the event, contact swim organizer Cheryl Wagner at (202) 262-3953, email <cherylw-at-crosslink.net> or see our website: Potomac River 7.5 Mile Swim.