Kendra Garrow (left) and Carol Prescott were second and first overall!

By Carol Prescott

The third annual Great Bay Rough Water 1-mile Swim was held on Sunday August 6th. In contrast to the choppy, cooler conditions last year, this year the water was anything but rough. The weather cooperated and the water was serene with an ideal temperature and almost no sea grass to entangle the swimmers, which totaled about forty including five Great Bay Masters. The first leg of the 1-mile triangle was a little challenging to navigate for the lead swimmers due to glare from the sun and very small buoys, but after making the first turn a kayaker was on hand to guide the swimmers on a straighter path. Great Bay Masters made a strong representation overall, including the first and second finishers. Anyone who has ever considered an open water swim should give it a try next year - it would be great if Great Bay Masters could make an even stronger showing in a race which gives us our name. The Great Bay Reserve is located in Stratham, NH off of Rt. 33, and is about a 15 minute drive from Portsmouth. The proceeds benefit the reserve, and there are even prizes for the top finishers. If you've never been to Great Bay, you won't believe what you've been missing!

The only nicer race in the area is the NEM 1-mile open water championships, which will be held this year at 11am on Sunday September 10th. The setting is beautiful and the lake water clear with a perfect temperature. After the swim there is a free picnic. It is a nice way to end the summer, and can even be a good start to this year's training if you took the summer off! There are far fewer swimmers who attend than for the short course championships, so it is also a good chance to meet some of our fellow NEM's. Hope to see you there!

Great Bay Masters who swam the Great Bay Rough Water 1-Mile Swim:

William Peirce, Rich Orkin, Amanda Martin, Kendra Garrow, and Carol Prescott