Barbara Held and the rest of her marathon swimming colleagues tackled the third and windiest day out in the four-day, four-stage S.C.A.R. Swim Challenge on Day 3.

It was a gnarly, difficult swim in a remote part of the American desert, against the chop as the narrow canyon walls wind-whipped Mother Nature against the swimmers who were beginning to feel the affects of their efforts over the past 3 days.

“We are all glad to have it done,” Facebooked Held about the ruggedly beautiful traverse down Apache Lake.

With 3 swims down in the wilds of Arizona, the fourth and final stage will be a 10 km night swim in Roosevelt Lake where the conditions are expected to be more calm and an appropriate culmination of a tough challenge organized by Kent Nicholas.

So far removed from the city lights, the stars should be burning brightly for the intrepid swimmers as they enjoy their last swim out in the Arizona desert.

First photo shows Apache Lake (Day 3 of S.C.A.R.) Second photo shows Theodore Roosevelt Lake, taken by Jeff Lewis.

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