Fred Knight's Account of the 2004

Table of Contents

Short Version | | | Overall Results | | |  Picture Album | | | Race Stats | | | Details of Fred Knight's Swim | | | Bill Ireland's Report | | | Clare Payne's Album | | | Swimmers | | | Comments on the Race | | | Acknowledgements | | |

Short Version (back to top)

A tradition since 1908, the 2004 Boston Light Swim, an annual 8-mile marathon swim from the Boston Light House to M-Street Beach, was another roaring success with ten individual entries and three relays.  The winner Bill Ireland (3 hrs:14 min) outdistanced all competitors and sustained great pace throughout the race to finish well ahead of the other swimmers.  The next two swimmers, Leonard Jansen (3:40) and Doug Belkin (3:44), finished only four minutes apart.  Debbie Collins swam a consistent pace and was the fastest woman in 4:05.  The winning relay team of Mike Welsh, David Potere, and Tom Duggan finished in 5:23.  Other finishers were, in order, Fred Knight (4:01), Shane Collins (4:05), Mutlu Ozdogan (4:18), and Clare Payne (4:32).  Then came the two other relay teams, Joe Oakes + Gary Emich and Norman Davis + Jill Moberg + Steve Hurwitz, finishing together at 5:38.  Finally, a heroic finish on her first try, Ellen Clay completed the course at just under 7 hours (6:59).  The race, which started early (7:25 am) at the Boston Light House and ended at the M Street Beach in South Boston, attracted an accomplished field of swimmers from as far away as Australia, Turkey, British Columbia, California, Pennslyvania, and Georgia and adds another stellar chapter in the storied history of the swim.

Next year's event will be in August 2005.  Watch the www.bostonlightswim.org for more information.

Overall Results (back to top)

Race Stats (back to top)

Time	Location	Water Temp	Comments
	NOAA Buoy 44013, 16 nm east of Boston Harbor	65oF	Steady readings over last week, 1 Aug 2004 readings
7:25 am	Little Brewster Island	62-65 oF	Warmer than last year.
Estimate	George's Island, Rainsford Island	~65oF	Variation of a few degrees
Estimate	Past Long Island bridge	~65oF
Estimate	Thompson Island	~63-65oF	Cold spot
Estimate	finish, M Street Beach	~66oF

Details of Fred Knight's Swim (back to top)

I had a plan for my fifth consecutive BLS.  Having swum as part of a relay last year, I wanted to return to doing the entire race, as in my first three swims.  I also had a partner.  Thinking we'd swim together the whole way, I had cajoled Joan Kelley, who trains with me at the Wayland Town Pool, to join me.   Even before the race started, the lack of boats required that we were to be joined by Mutlu Ozdogan, PhD candidate from BU and eager first-timer at the BLS.  The actual race didn't fit the plan!

Pre-race
By 6am, my daughter Celia and I had joined up with Kim Edelman, Celia's friend, to greet other swimmers and find our boat.  Joan Kelley, my swimming partner, had arrived with her husband.  Other swimmers were eagerly awaiting the 30-minute ride in their boats out to the starting line.  Unfortunately, there weren't enough boats, so joining into groups seemed necessary.  Mutlu Ozdogan and I agreed our speeds might be compatible, so Joan, Mutlu, and I planned to swim together throughout the race.  By 6:30, most of the swimmers had boats and were leaving Columbia Yacht Club.  The minutes passed too quickly, but the final two boats, which John had secured from Massport, arrived at about 6:45.  We knew we wouldn't get an on-time start this year.  John motored out with us in the judge's yacht.  Per my instructions, all swimmers' eyes were trained aft, as we scoped out the course looking in the direction we'd see it as we swam back in a few hours later.  By the time we had passed the Long Island Bridge, Joan was already preparing to swim by getting a head-to-toe covering of Vaseline, applied lovingly by her husband.  We laughed at the sight, and I bundled up in my coat, wanting to stay warm now.  We reached the flotilla of boats at Little Brewster Island at about 7:20am, and John announced the start for 7:25.  My lackeys (Celia and Kim) who were charged with monitoring the temperature claimed the mercury thermometer was unreadable, but we anticipated fairly warm water based on the buoy readings.  I donned my cap, greased by armpits and neck, and got ready to jump in.

Start
Following the usual two blasts of the air horn, we jumped in: Mutlu, Fred, and then Joan.  The water gave me the usual jolt, but almost immediately it didn't feel boned-chillingly cold.  Good!  We organized ourselves over the first few minutes, but it was apparent that Joan was having more trouble getting used to the water and waves.  Mutlu and I did seem compatible.  Indeed, this wasn't a pool, but the waves were manageable.  All the swimmers were pushing toward George's Island, our first landmark about two miles away.  With the expected good current, we anticipated being there in about 45 minutes or less.

Race Progress
 Mutlu and I stayed together and reached George's Island in 38 minutes; an okay pace and indicating there was a good current of maybe 2 knots.  We decided to push on without any break for Rainsford, which we reached at 1:03.  Passing Rainsford was idyllic compared to the previous hour when we had fought the waves.  We were in the lee of the island, and the water was gloriously calm.  Joan had not been with us since early in the race.  We later found out she had been watched by other escort boats but had not been particularly close to any other swimmers.  After Rainsford at 1:22, the waves picked up again, and they were as bad as at the start.  We tried to get some nourishment, but the conditions did not allow us to stay close the boat.  I drank some sugar tea.  We decided to continue toward the Long Island Bridge as the choppy conditions continued.  By 1:55, we were approaching the bridge and, with calmer seas, tried again to get some food.  As we were bobbing around, Celia decided it was time to get in for a swim with her dad---a treat I'd had two years ago at about this same place.  As I looked at Celia trying to figure out how to throw me some Gu, I realized she could just carry it to me after she jumped in.  Then I realized that she could bring me a few packets, which I could simply store inside my bathing suit for use later---without needing to get them from the bobbing boat.  What a great (original?) idea?  Later I found out that food belts are a commercial success and are used in all sorts of races.  Well, it worked for me.  I used the other Gu at Thompson Island.  These gave me great boosts in energy.  Next time I'll carry many inside my swimsuit.

The Long Island Bridge, which we reached at 2:04, usually marks a turning point with increased choppiness.  Celia and I were together, Mutlu a little behind, as we beat past Spectacle Island toward the northern tip of Thompson Island.   The crossing took 57 minutes, much longer than Bill Ireland's 37 minutes some 20 minutes earlier.  This indicates that the current was dropping.  In fact, we stopped at the end of Thompson Island to assess our position relative to Mutlu, and we were moving slightly backwards.   I presume that this was a cross current, some 2 hours before low tide.   The later start, 25 minutes late, contributed to this predicament.  I wanted to push on in spite of the fact that we were now 5-10 minutes ahead of Mutlu and a good distance from our escort boat.  The day was not inviting for boaters, and there was nobody in sight.   Invigorated by my final Gu, I wanted to push toward the finish.  Celia was reluctant and decided to get back in the boat.  Mutlu was continuing to make poor progress, having swung wider away from the end of Thompson Island where, I presume, the cross current might have been worse.  In fact, according to our boaters after the finish, we had strayed south of a straight course from the bridge to Thompson.  As it turned out, this might have been not so bad after all. 

Finish
On past Thompson Island at a little over 3 hours, I pushed toward the finish, which I could begin to see clearly.  The waves were manageable, similar to other years.  A boat pulled along side me at about 3:31.  John had sent him to escort me the rest of the way.  Thanks, John.  The white squash courts were my target.  I hope to see the word FINISH on the banner, but I didn't glimppse until near the end.  I finished with a few strokes of butterfly at 4:01.   Debbie and Shane Collins came in together at 4:05, and Mutlu followed at 4:18.  I decided to get back into the boat and ride to Columbia Yacht Club.  However,  getting up the rope ladder proved a difficult feat.  My legs wouldn't lift me up.  It was rather comical, but none of my muscles seemed to want to get me onto the deck.  The struggle ended with a couple good heaves and some help from crewman Dave.  I was bushed but happy, tired but satisfied with a good swim.

Comments on the Race (back to top)
The race was a success: all but one competitor finished, nine solo swimmers and three relays.  Participants came from around the world: Australia, Turkey, Canada, and around the US: Atlanta, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Pennsylvania.  There were many first-time participants and some returnees.  The age range was the widest in recent history: 28 to 69, with smiling Joe Oakes being the oldest participant.  The range of times was wide also: 3:14 to almost 7 hours.  Conditions were good: warm water at the start, favorable current that would have been better if we had started on time, and manageable waves, although not with the swim direction due to the wind from the SW.

With food provided by American Express, the swim banquet on the evening before the race was in a fine new location, the Boston Harbor Yacht Club.  The boat situation was not good: there weren't enough boats, and they cost more than in the past.

Acknowledgments (back to top)
The swimmers had all smiles at the finish, so thanks to John Werner for organizing another successful swim.  Thanks to Columbia Yacht Club for again providing the starting location.  Thanks to Boston Harbor Yacht Club for hosting the banquet and American Express for providing food.  The pre-race dinner remains an important forum to ready swimmers for the race.  Information continues to come from the permanent website, www.bostonlightswim.org, and we publicized the swim through other sites, which attracted swimmers worldwide.  Our boaters, Russ and Dave, were particularly helpful.  Kim Edelman and Celia Knight (center) were keen observers, and having Celia swim with me was a real treat.  My fellow swimmers, Joan Kelley and Mutlu Ozdogan (2nd from right), made gallant efforts on their first swims.  I hope I'll be ready for a sixth swim next year.