WE MADE IT!!!

It feels better and better every year!!! 14 swimmers, 2 boats,2 Jet Skis and a kayak made it all the way from Harsen's Island to the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club in under 8 hours.  The time wasn't our fastest, but we're all a year older now, so our handicap is growing.  Congrats to Watty Bernard for swimming the entire distance. The rest of us contributed an average of something like 4 miles each in our relay across the water.  I did manage to hit the average of 4 miles, in spite of a bum shoulder and a dislocated elbow (4 weeks ago).  There were a number of injuries the day of the event as well - Glen Fayolle cutting his hand - BEFORE WE EVEN STARTED - on zebra mussels on the harbor bottom while diving to retrieve a pair of prescription glasses... then Tobias smacked his nose on the back of the Jet Ski climbing out of the water.

This group just keeps getting better - every year we hang to most of the folks from the previous year and add a few.  Luckily, we are adding younger folks - who seem to share a common link in that they were either alumni or friends of alumni of the Wayne State swim team. This is thanks to Derek Weaver, who was one of our original group, and who set the pace for recruiting new members. Now if we could just get Derek back in the water... So, this year we welcomed Kirky, Caty, Tobias, and Cameron to our "Swimmer's alumni"...

THANKS

• First, thank you to our generous donors.  Without you, there is no event.
• Next, thank you to the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club for hosting us, but more importantly, for putting up with us, for providing their facilities, and for generally acting like the class act they are.  Everybody there is gracious, from the Club Management to the pool crew and to the security guys.  
• Thanks to Brownie's on the Water (just past10 mile on Jefferson Ave) for again hosting our "post-event" dinner.  We have begun looking forward to Brownie's almost as much as the swim itself.
• To "SWIMSPRAY" for sponsoring our social media work as well as giving us our swim caps, and just for their support in general - including the article they posted in their company newsletter. 
• Finally, thanks to Premier Protein for the AWESOME chocolate energy drinks. We have a tendency to fight over any that are left over after the swim. Honestly, love these things - I am drinking one right now...

 And finally - thanks to Mike Stevens at Corporate Fleet Services in Detroit.  Every year he supports us by bringing his boat.  This year he brought 2 boats!!! And he even let me captain one of them while he swam!!  Hard to express how grateful we all are to you, Mike. 

Thanks again to all who were involved.  As Greg McDuffee - one of our swimmers - said yesterday - "I look forward to this more than Christmas". Amen - so do I...

More later along with a link to more pictures, etc. 
Ric Geyer