The Night Train Swimmers are heading off in the reverse direction – or at least in a completely different direction to achieve their goal of swimming between the California coast and the Farallons Island. Contrary to Stewart Evans and Ted Erikson, the only people to have successfully swum between those two points, the six Night Train Swimmers will attempt to swim 30 miles from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Farallon Islands on May 20, 2011.
Three previous attempts failed. But not without a smile and a headstrong desire to finally beat Mother Nature. Their last attempt in March fell just short of the Golden Gate Bridge after swimming more than 13 hours, this time thwarted by a massive water run-off from the Sierra Mountains.
Swimming through the Red Triangle with a historically-high concentration of Great White Shark attacks, the attempt is also a fundraiser for the Wounded Warrior Project, Semper Fi Fund and the Navy SEAL Foundation.
Even if they are not going to run smack into strong currents this time, Vito Bialla, Darrin Connolly, Phil Cutti, Joe Locke, David Holscher and John Mathews still have to deal with the current water temperature of 49°F (9°C) until they reach the buoy at Fisherman’s Cove at the Farallon Island.
They can be followed via GPS or Twitter.
Copyright © 2011 by Open Water Swimming