Southern Californian Forrest Nelson completed an unprecedented December crossing of the Catalina Channel yesterday in 9 hours and 21 minutes under great conditions. Despite a typically cool water temperature 59-61°F (15°C) for December, Forrest swam over an hour faster than his 2004 Catalina swim of 10 hours and 35 minutes. Besides his two Catalina Channel

Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California. The Surf Living Saving Australia recently published its annual National Coastal Safety Report. The report included a heavily researched and well-documented 2009 Life Saving Report with an abundance of startling information. Similar to life-saving research in America, the Surf Living Saving Australia found most drownings of individuals over the

Richard Broer, board member of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame and Open Water Swimming Europe, reminded us that the Dutch have a long, proud tradition of New Year’s Day swims. The Dutch cold-water dips are sponsored by UNOX with Nieuwjaarsduik (New Year’s Dive) in Scheveningen getting national television coverage. Copyright © 2009 by

It is not a competition, but a celebration. The Maryland State Police host the Polar Bear Plunge, the largest polar bear swim in the US, held annually at Sandy Point State Park in the Chesapeake Bay. The event raises funds for the Special Olympics – an estimated 11,000 people participated in 2009 raising a cumulative