For nearly 100 years, local swimmers have been adventuring out and swimming around to Egg Rock as it juts out in the Atlantic Ocean off the eastern coast of Massachusetts .

The third annual Egg Rock Scramble will be held on September 13th. Its location and history are interesting. Similar to the historic Boston Light Swim, Egg Rock was a famed New England landmark out at sea that swimmers from the 1930s to the 1980s ventured to reach – and return – from the shoreline.

Witnessing Sea Serpents

While marine life exists in abundance under the surface, reports of a sea serpent near Egg Rock became well-known during a wave of New England monster sightings – some that date as early as 1638 among the local Native Americans.

In 1817, there was another wave of sightings of a 20-30 meter serpent that captured the public’s attention through Gloucester and Massachusetts Bay. Then in August 1832, 150 people reportedly watched from the shores of Nahant as a large serpent swam between Egg Rock and the coastline (see here). The next year in July, another 40-50 people reportedly saw a sea serpent swimming between Egg Rock and coast. Then once again in 1877, the Boston Globe newspaper reported that the beachgoers and fishermen had seen a shiny sea serpent return to the waters of Nahant and Massachusetts Bay.

Massachusetts Open Water Swimming Association

Despite the colorful history of sea serpents, the Massachusetts Open Water Swimming Association inaugurated the Egg Rock Scramble two years ago. It is the season finale: the MOWSA Social and the Volunteer Info Session were both held in April, the Jim Doty Memorial 1 & 2 Mile Swim was held in June, and the Boston Light Swim was held in August.

For more information, visit www.massowsa.org and www.massowsa.org/egg-rock-scramble.

The area is also home to the Nahant Knuckleheads.

2025 Overall Results

1. Eric Nilsson 1:19:37.0
2. Susan Knight 1:42:33.0
3. Adam Homoki 1:50:39.0
4. Daina Bouquin 1:51:13.0
5. Alana Aubin 1:53:09.0
6. Alison Nieto 1:56:48.0
7. Stacie McHale 2:03:49.0
8. Jane Cheney 2:03:49.0
9. Natalie Lang 2:11:46.0
10. Ryan Hawker 2:19:40.0
11. Jiri Stejskal 2:21:22.0
12. Jamie Donenfeld 2:21:45.0
13. Jonathan Gladstone 2:28:45.0
14. Barbara Cocci 2:33:10.0
15. Maura Twomey 2:53:20.0

2024 Overall Results

On September 14th 2024, race director Mina Elnaccash with Rena Demeo, Jess Gerber, and pilot Chris Burke organized the first event.

1. Miranda Wingfield, 1:53 with kayaker Jake Sullivan
2. Jen Downing, 1:55 with kayaker Erin Clasby
3. Martha Wood, 2:05 with kayaker Alex Ellis
4. Lisa Natkin, 2:09 with kayaker Kyle McElroy
5. Jen Gaughan, 2:14 with kayaker Ted Hirsch
6. Kellie Latimer, 2:24 with kayaker Karen Nazor
7. Joanne Barker, 2:31 with kayaker Chris Stepanian

2024 Test Event Results

In June 2024, 3 swimmers tested the waters to ensured the tides and currents were appropriately timed. Race director Mina Elnaccash with pilot John Forgione organized the event.

1. Alana Aubin supported by kayaker Kyle McElroy
2. Elaine Howley supported by kayaker Kris Richards
3. Jess Gerber supported by kayaker Rick Born

© 2026 Daily News of Open Water Swimming

“to educate, enthuse, and entertain all those who venture beyond the shoreline“

World Open Water Swimming Federation, an exclusively human-powered project.