Nostalgia In Naples

Courtesy of Long Beach Lifeguard Association Museum, Long Beach, California.

The Naples Island Swim & SUP event has been held continuously since the 1920’s.

The 1947 Naples Island Swim winners included Dick Miller, Tom Lind, Gene Perle and Pat Keller.

“Some grandparents and parents of swimmers in this year’s event participated in the same exact course generations ago when they were in their prime,” said Steven Munatones. “Like many of the swims around the world that have been going on for over 50 years, there are family members in different generations who participate year after year.

Over the decades, goggles change from either the no-goggle or big-goggle look to use of Swedish goggles or polarized goggles…swimsuit styles change from vintage Speedos with modesty skirts for women and baggy briefs for men to high-performance tech suits and jammers for men…from paddlers to stand-up paddlers…from morning donuts to gel packs and bagels…from use of Polaroids to drones for footage…from Popsicle sticks to transponders for timing and placing.

But the swims themselves remain the same: racing around Naples Island in a late summer classic.“

The Naples Island Swim & SUP event is sponsoring a second 2-hour presentation on The World of Open Water Swimming – from Samurai to Sarah on August 8th from 7-9 pm with complimentary food and wine at the United States Sailing Center in Long Beach, California, located at 5489 E Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, California 90803.

For more information on the 2018 Naples Island Swim & SUP on August 12th, visit here.

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