2006 Mermaid Crossing September 24, 2006

The second annual Mermaid Crossing will be on Sunday, Sept 24, 2006, at 8:00AM. We’ll swim and paddle the same route as last year, from O. O. Denny Park in Kirkland to Mathews Beach in Seattle.

The Mermaid Crossing is an informal workout for open water swimmers who would like the challenge of crossing Lake Washington, but do not usually have boat support. Unfortunately, it's illegal to swim more than a few yards from shore in Lake Washington without a boat accompanying you. With kayak support, swimmers can cross the lake safely and legally. And FKKayakers--a small group of paddlers who are supportive of open water swimming--has offered to do so again this year.

The swim is clothing-optional, but open only to experienced open water swimmers who can easily swim 1.5 miles without hanging on to something or seriously needing to rest. If open water swims are part of your regular aquatic or triathlete workout, this fun morning is just for you.

Swimmers have the option of entering the water at O. O. Denny in their suits, taking them off in the water, and handing them to the lead kayak. Swimmers will then follow the lead kayak to Mathews Beach 1.3 miles away, where the lead paddler will be ready to hand back the suits. Swimmers may thus put their suits back on before stepping out of the water. Thus no one need be seen skinny-dipping. Unless they wish to.

There is no charge, as this is not an organized event as such. If you like to swim, and want the opportunity to do so across Lake Washington, you are invited to join the small band of Body Freedom Collaborative swimmers, and the kayak support team from FKKayakers on Sunday, September 24, at 8:00 at O. O. Denny Park in Kirkland.

Why is BFC and FKKayakers doing this? Because they like supporting open water swimming and they love skinny-dipping. The combination can’t be beat.

Contact Mark Storey or Kathleen Blanchard, the day’s swim workout organizers, at storey98 at aol dot com if you have any questions. Blanchard and Storey will be happy to work with swimmers to arrange for car shuttles from Mathews
Beach back to O. O. Denny.

Mark Storey
Kathleen Blanchard
Body Freedom Collaborative
www.bodyfreedom.org
FKKayakers
www.FKKayakers.com