The easiest way to cross Long Island Sound is on the Bridgeport-Port Jeff ferry.
You can also sail, motorboat or yacht across on your own.
It’s a lot tougher to actually swim those 15 1/2 or so miles yourself.
It’s especially difficult to do it faster than anyone else.
But that’s what a team of 6 Westport YMCA Water Rat swimmers did last Sunday. And they finished in just 6 hours and 20 minutes — beating 150 competitors by a wide margin.
It was hardly a day at the beach. Before taking the Swim Across the Sound plunge, they secured $9,000 in pledges for St. Vincent’s Medical Center.
Congratulations to the intrepid, strong and very fast group of 16-year-olds: Scott Adler, John McNab, Richard Nolan, Josiah Tarrant, Austin Twiss and Charlie West. All except Richard swim for Staples High School.
From left: Austin Twiss, Charlie West, Scott Adler, John McNab, Richard Nolan and Josiah Tarrant.
Fun fact: Swim Across the Sound director Liz Fry is a former Staples High School swimmer.
(Fast forward to the 10:00 mark below, for an interview with the Water Rat swimmers.)
