Virtual Geographic Swim Series

I haven't yet tried to do the virtual swims, but I wanted to let you know how cool I think this is and I can't wait to get started. As a new masters coach and a swimmer ( learned 3 years ago ) I think these are great events. I'm also doing the Check-Off Challenge this year. All of this is in preperation for SCY Nationals in 2004. Funny memory to share...I once worked at the Girl Scout camp as the waterfront director and my guards had to do coditioning swims in a roped off triangle in the middle of a lake. one day we took yarn to measure the distance and spend our time off that night measuring the yarn. My staff went as far as to figure out how many triangles it was to Paris and other worldwide destinations. Awww...the memories.

Way to go!! I think it's cool that we're both swimming Crater Lake first, because it was the first swim created for this series. And we're on opposite ends of the continent! I'm sure you saw the photo on the information sheet of Crater Lake in the winter, with the snow dusted view of Wizard Island. It's a good thing we get to swim in our own pools. It would be awfully cold this time of year. Side note: I have lived in Oregon for over four years, and have never seen Crater Lake. Now that I'm doing the swim, I'm going to go visit in the summer. I hope others will do the same. It's supposed to be spectacular! Have fun! Bill

I love Crater Lake and have actually been swimming there once in 1997. It was 61 degrees in the top four feet of water and then dropped to a frigid 50 degrees and colder as you went down. My crazy husband went "cliff diving" for a good 45 minutes. I, of course, got in, swam maybe 20 yards and got out! I encourage everyone to go and see the beautiful park and the most amazing clear blue lake. It's my favorite National Park. I am starting with this virtual swim also. I would love to hear about others' experiences at the other virtual swim sites.

I'm 10 miles into the Crater Lake Swim, hope to be done with the 34 in the next 2-3 weeks. :D

Hi everyone, I have a great sense of satisfaction from finishing the Crater Lake swim today. I decided to do the "around" course and leave the rest for later in the year, if I have time. My goal is to do all the swims this year, because we will have more new ones next year. So now, it's time to move on to Lake Pontchartrain.... Everyone else must be busy swimming, but if you're doing a swim, we would still like to hear how you're doing. Have Fun! Bill

We were at Crater Lake last summer. It and Yosemite are our favorites of the National Parks. Just discovered the information about the virtual swims. If I can figure out how to get Adobe Acrobat Reader onto my computer Crater Lake here I come! By the way if you go to Crater Lake be sure to try the dining room. We had on of our best lunches ever there.(Salmon and salad)

Hi Gil, If you would like to download a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader, go to: www.adobe.com/.../readstep.html If you find you just can't figure out how to download the swim on your computer, you could try visiting your local Kinko's or Mailboxes, etc. Their computers usually have Acrobat Reader. If all else fails, let us know, and we can mail you a copy of the swim information. Cheers (from 2 miles off the shore of Lake Pontchartrain)! Bill

I am trying to swim the Key West swim. That seemed like the place for me as I lived in Florida as a child and only left because my wonderful wife does not care for the state. The other swims looked much to cold for my thin blood. I am now gaining on Sarasota and depending on my work week hope to make Sarasota by the end of next week. Since locating this web site and joining USMS I figured this swim would be a good goal and give me a reason to keep my log book. Have a great day Paul

Way to go, Paul! I'm now about half way across Pontchartrain, and I may do Key West next. It sounds a lot warmer than Champlain would be at this time of the year. Have Fun! Bill

Bill, I've been in Osaka, Japan on a business trip for the last twelve days. The hotel I'm staying in has an 18-yard pool in it. I've been able to swim for about 50 minutes every morning before I head to work. I decided to create my own virtual swim. I did a search for lakes & Japan and found 5 lakes at the base of Mt. Fuji: Kawaguchiko, Yamanakako, Saiko, Motosuko and Shojiko. I did some more research and found information on their size (at least in terms of area and shoreline - I had to estimate length). I wasn't here long enough to swim around the lakes, but I did swim the combined length (approximately 11 miles) plus around Saiko (another 6 miles). I'm heading home in a few hours. Next week I think I'll swim around Clear Lake at the base of Mt. Hood, since Hood is similar to Fuji. After that I'll attack Crater Lake. :)