Great Chesapeake Bay 4.4 Mile Swim & 1 Mile Bay Challenge

This event benefits the March of Dimes, the Chesapeake Bay Trust, the US Coast guard, and other local charities. 

The 2026 Great Chesapeake Bay Swim is doing a Sunrise Swim in 2026! 

Race Day is June 14th, 2026, with a 6:30am start time for the 4.4 Mile Swim. We are currently planning on having the 1 Mile Swim begin at 7:30am.The 1 Mile Start time is subject to final approval. 

Two emails have gone out. One to the 2025 4.4 Mile Swimmers with information about the Early Bird program (complete the 4.4 mile swim with us and receive a special offer for the following year). 

The other email has gone out to our 2024 4.4 Mile Swimmers who were unable to join us in 2025. 

If you fall in to either of these categories and didn't receive an email from us on Sept 30th, 2025, please reach out ASAP at info@bayswim.com

Don't forget, our newly designed site (www.BaySwim.com) and our email of info@bayswim.com are your sources for all of your up to date information!!!

CURRENT WATER TEMPERATURE READINGS     https://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=44063

Don't forget to follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/greatchesapeakebayswim !!

For the 4.4 Mile Chesapeake Bay Swim participants who plan to use a pool swim as their qualifying event you will need to download the Pool Swim Form below (PDF Form). You must prove that you can swim 3 miles, in a pool environment, in under 2 hours 15 minutes, if you do not have proof of an open water swim (over 1500 meters) in the last two years .

This form must be submitted by Sunday, May 30th, 2026, at 12:00 pm

We are so very excited to host you for the 2024 Great Chesapeake Bay Swim, 1 Mile Bay Challenge. We know that you've been putting in the time in the pool and are pumped that we are just 2 months away from swim day. We wanted to just reach out and let you know that, even with the tragedy of the Key Bridge, our event is 100% a go!! We just had our meeting with the US Coast Guard, and other emergency partners, yesterday, and have been assured that we are good to go !

We will be updating our athlete guide shortly with all of the pertinent times and dates, but as an overview, the general timeline for that morning:

6:30 to 7:30am - Shuttles Start Matapeake Schools
7:00am to 8:00am - Packet Pickup, Body Marking, Clothing Drop Libbey's
8:15am - Pre Race Meeting
8:30 - 1st Wave (self seeded) starts
8:35 - 2nd Wave (self seeded) starts
8:40 - 3rd Wave (self seeded) starts
8:45 - Final Wave starts
10:00- All Swimmers Out of Water
10:15 - Awards
We ALWAYS recommend taking a shuttle over to the start as spectators/vehicles are not allowed on to the property at Libbey's Coastal Kitchen. Should you attempt to park there, you will be turned away, so best to just part at the school complex (both spectators AND swimmers can take the shuttle to the 1 Mile area)

Remember, this swim start is a bit different. We start you, in groups of up to 75, in the water at one time. You will swim a clockwise triangle, and, though the water gets shallow, your time doesn't stop till you set your first foot on the stairs, so keep that in mind as you complete the swim.

Personal flotation buoys (pull behind safety buoys) ARE allowed. 

So we just wanted to get you some basic ideas as to where we were at, and answer many of your most pertinent questions. We will be sending out our athlete guide, and some more emails to you soon. Good luck, and keep that yards up! 

As always, any questions please send to info@bayswim.com or check out www.BaySwim.com

See you on the beach!!

Jason and the BaySwim Team!

We know that you have all been waiting to hear what is happening with the 2024 Great Chesapeake Bay Swim, and we have been on calls with our Board, our staff, and our partners of the event, to come up with a solution. We have also been looking at all of the Facebook comments, questions, emails, etc, that have been coming from you, the swimmer, and wanted to get this out to you today. 

First and foremost, I want to address an issue that has become apparent in the two years that I have been the Race Director of the event. It seems that the swimmers of the 1 Mile swim feel as though that they are secondary to the 4.4 mile event, and as the Race Director, I will take full responsibility for that. Since there is only one of me, I have to split my team and have half on the 4.4 side, and half on the 1 mile side, and I can only be on one for the majority of the time. Therefore, our race announcements and all are done by our staff and announcer on the 1 mile side (not myself) and I don't get a chance to watch you complete the journey that you have trained for. I do not discount the importance of the 1 Mile swim for you, and applaud you for entering the Chesapeake Bay to participate in some an amazing event. Some of you use the event to move up to the 4.4 mile swim, some of you have done the 4.4 mile swim many times, and use the 1 mile swim to still be a part of the event, and we thank you. 

Yesterday, though, does not help my argument that the 1 mile is just as important as the 4.4 mile swim. There were some mistakes (I was going to say mis-steps, but less face it, they were more than that) that happened yesterday which did not go unnoticed. There were many folks who said, and all I can say is that many of my staff agreed, that if things were set up on time, that the 1 mile swim could have possibly gone off on time. The delay in getting the 1 mile course set was due to the issues that they were having in getting all of our other buoys, and safety craft, set for the 4.4 mile, as it is spread over a much longer distance. I was not aware that they buoys were not set at 8:15, and that the event had even been delayed on the 1 mile side (I actually made an announcement on the 4.4 saying that I was sure you were in the water). The buoys were not set, because the team was chasing down the 4.4 buoys, rescuing kayakers in the middle of the spans that were setting for the course (yes, the kayaker you saw could walk, the others could not) and various other aspects, WHICH SHOULD HAVE NOT AFFECTED YOU. I cannot apologize enough, and I GUARANTEE that you will see a difference in the 1 Mile Swim in 2025. 

Some folks asked about the buoys being in a different location. Some asked about the stairs. Some asked about the start. Lots of things changed in the last 12 hours of the event, and me explaining now doesn't help (but I will anyway). Some of you saw the Facebook video where our skid steer person did a great job and created that ramp in to the water.  That ramp allowed for us to get rid of the stairs from last year (which broke our heart because we put a lot of work in to building those for you). The ramp also allowed for us to be able to change your start, and let you go in, in a self seeded fashion, 2 x 2. That decision was made RACE MORNING, to give you a better experience on the start. The swim course buoys were altered in to what you saw being correct. With the forecast, we were going to keep everyone out of the channel (which is where the course used to take you to the far left) and have you swim almost straight out (in to chop/wind) make a small right , and then come right back in, without having to fight too much sideways chop. Again, this decision was made the night before, in an order to make things better, based on the forecast. When I say the night before, it was probably 9pm, so an email seemed inappropriate, and would probably have caused more questions and concern than by doing it in the morning. 

Most importantly, folks asked about the number of safety assets on the 1 mile swim side. Keep in mind that 95% of you course is in roughly 3.5 feet of water, so it does not need quite the infrastructure that the 4.4 does (I know, you are tired of hearing about the 4.4 already). When roughly half of our kayak fleet for the 4.4 could not maintain position, we re-allocated some of the 1 mile kayaks to backfill, knowing that you were in more protected water. From a visual perspective, this may have seemed odd, but all I can do is explain why we did what we did. 

So what are we going to do about all of this? First, know that we have a few plans that we are working on, and your suggestions (within reason) ARE helpful. Keep them coming in to info@bayswim.com You can certainly keep talking on Facebook and such, and are going to get people agreeing, or arguing, with you, but if you want to make a lasting impact, send it to me (Jason) directly at the email above. I'm the one that answers all of the emails. I'm happy to talk to you. 

Me, and my team, are going to take the lead on the 1 mile course for the foreseeable future. We will have our team of kayakers and a few powerboats/jetskis for extractions, but OUR team will be the ones setting the course (which I can all but guarantee will be up before you even show up for the event) and getting taking care of you on race day. We know that our friends in the Safety Fleet have a lot of logistics to deal with on the "other" course (see.. I didn't say 4.4) and our 1 mile shouldn't be delayed, so you are going to have a dedicated team, strictly for your experience. 

But we've swum the event in worse conditions before. Sure have... and "those who don't study history are doomed to repeat it". We learn, every... single ... time that we put on the event. Yes, it may have happened in the past, and almost guaranteed at the end of it, the statement was made "Well we're never doing THAT again.". We live and learn, and we do everything we can to learn from the past, so yes, you may have swam in worse conditions in the past, but a multitude of factors went in to play for yesterday's call.

This doesn't mean that anytime there is wind, or current, that we will cancel. It means that they play a role, but there are many factors taken in to account, so don't worry, we aren't making this an "Easy" swim. This is still a very difficult event, with multiple layers that are beyond the scope of what many realize. 

So, this all sounds well and good (and whether or not you accept my apology or not) but you want to know what is in the plans for 2025. 

1st and foremost, the event is currently scheduled for Sunday, June 8th, with an early morning start (probably 730am). The winds are typically lighter, the slack tide is around 915 at center span, and I've put in an order for amazing weather. Because of the early morning swim, we are going to be talking to local hotels (Annapolis area for cost) to get some special rates for those that want to come in for the weekend.

2nd, and most important, ALL participants are getting a discounted entry for the 2025 event, with a fee of $50 (instead of $75). 

Let's dive in to this, before the emails start rolling. Why can't we do a completely free event for you in 2025? The Great Chesapeake Bay Swim is a non-profit organization that helps to fund many programs through the March of Dimes and the Chesapeake Bay Trust. Those organizations have already allocated for the donation that we typically give them, for their 2024 programs. We also have all of the expenses of the shirts, medals and awards (which hopefully we can repurpose for next year), staff and personnel, swim caps, etc, that have been paid for. We will need to repay for many of those expenses, AND still be able to operate the 2025 as a fundraiser for our partners as well. We have already told them to expect a little less in 2025, with the discounted rates. I understand, so of you may feel as none of this is your concern, but those of you who know how many millions of dollars we have given to our charity partners, understand that this event is all about giving back, and to lose that mission is to lose our event. We hope that a reduced cost (almost by 1/3) will show you that we care about you, the swimmer, as well as our partners. 

3rd, donations. ANY donations that you received in 2024, in hopes of using that for a priority entry to the longer course, will be credited for your 2025 swim again. That means that, should you choose, you can receive priority entry in to the 2026 event with two years of fundraising adding up. 

We are internally discussing, as well, if any of you wish to bump up to the 2025 4.4 mile course (sorry, had to say it again), how we will be able to help with that. If that is the case, please send me an email to info@bayswim.com

We know that there might be special circumstances that you wish to email us about and, as always, we would love to hear your thoughts, suggestions, complaints, etc at info@bayswim.com Yes, we know you trained a long time. Yes we know that you travelled and took time away from your families. We appreciate all of that, and of you for your continued support but some of the requests (full refunds, free events, etc) are just not feasible for an event of this size.  

Want to make a suggestion? Email me   Want to complain? Email me   Want to send an email just to yell at someone? Me again  I'd love to hear from you, and when warranted, will gladly speak with you about your concerns and suggestions. Once again, I'm sorry to have been the one to make the final call for the event, but I stand by that call with all of the input from our partners. I hope that you can, in time, understand that call was made for your safety, as well as our safety crew.

Please feel free to reach out to info@bayswim.com with ANYTHING and we will be sending out an email with more information on when we are ready to offer you that $50 entry to the 2025 Great Chesapeake Bay Swim 1 Mile Bay Challenge. 

Jason Chance - Race Director

We know that you have all been waiting to hear what is happening with the 2024 Great Chesapeake Bay Swim, and we have been on calls with our Board, our staff, and our partners of the event, to come up with a solution. We have also been looking at all of the Facebook comments, questions, emails, etc, that have been coming from you, the swimmer, and wanted to get this out to you today. 

First and foremost, we stand by the decision, as difficult as it was, regarding the cancellation yesterday. There were a number of factors that went in to the decision, and though it was a joint effort on feedback from our Safety Fleet, US Coast Guard, kayakers/paddleboarders, the decision will ultimately be on my shoulder as the Race Director of the event, so on behalf of the Great Chesapeake Bay Swim, I apologize for having to make that call. We were fighting to keep the event live, asking for multiple delays to see if the conditions would improve, but as we waited, more and more issues arose, of the most important we began to lose the safety vessels, including the kayaks and jetskis, as they overturned and needed rescuing themselves. These two particular type of watercraft are the only allowable types within the spans, as they have no props that could injure swimmers. With the loss of almost half of them, it would have been usafe for us to put over 600 swimmers in the water, with only about 40 craft, over 4.4 miles, to keep you safe. 

Please keep in mind, these are not paid folks who come out to do this. These are volunteers, so the answer to "Why don't you have more safety craft?" is very difficult, as we don't turn anyone away from those jobs, and are ALWAYS looking for more folks to help (we will keep the KAYAK VOLUNTEER button on our site at www.BaySwim.com, if you have any friends that you want to point that way). We are always looking for more help, but please keep in mind that the swim decision is for their safety, as well as yours. 

So.... some folks believe that they could have made the swim. There are some of you who want to be able to sign a waiver so that you can swim on your own, even when we cancel (P..S., that is NEVER going to happen). For those of you who believe you could have, you may have, while a majority would have had a hard time and would have had to have been pulled.

 But we've swum the event in worse conditions before. Sure have... and "those who don't study history are doomed to repeat it". We learn, every... single ... time that we put on the event. Yes, it may have happened in the past, and almost guaranteed at the end of it, the statement was made "Well we're never doing THAT again.". We live and learn, and we do everything we can to learn from the past, so yes, you may have swam in worse conditions in the past, but a multitude of factors went in to play for yesterday's call.

This doesn't mean that anytime there is wind, or current, that we will cancel. It means that they play a role, but there are many factors taken in to account, so don't worry, we aren't making this an "Easy" swim. This is still a very difficult event, with multiple layers that are beyond the scope of what many realize. 

So let's get down to what you are reading for. What we are doing for 2025. 

1st and foremost, the event is currently scheduled for Sunday, June 8th, with an early morning start (probably 730am). The winds are typically lighter, the slack tide is around 915 at center span, and I've put in an order for amazing weather. Because of the early morning swim, we are going to be talking to local hotels (Annapolis area for cost) to get some special rates for those that want to come in for the weekend.

2nd, and most important, ALL participants are going to receive priority sign up for 2025, at a reduced rate ($250). That means that, for you, there will be NO LOTTERY for 2024, and once everyone makes a decision on whether they want to swim, or just want their entry for 2024 to be a donation, we will open up the lottery (with fewer available slots for lottery participants). I would expect to see an email in August of this year, for these entries, and we will be asking that you make that decision by October, so that we can see how many spots we will have left for the lottery. Obviously, we will be sending out an email with more specific details as to the date, your specific code, etc. 

Let's dive in to this, before the emails start rolling. Why can't we do a completely free event for you in 2025? The Great Chesapeake Bay Swim is a non-profit organization that helps to fund many programs through the March of Dimes and the Chesapeake Bay Trust. Those organizations have already allocated for the donation that we typically give them, for their 2024 programs. We also have all of the expenses of the shirts, medals and awards (which hopefully we can repurpose for next year), staff and personnel, swim caps, etc, that have been paid for. We will need to repay for many of those expenses, AND still be able to operate the 2025 as a fundraiser for our partners as well. We have already told them to expect a little less in 2025, with the $100 discount. I understand, so of you may feel as none of this is your concern, but those of you who know how many millions of dollars we have given to our charity partners, understand that this event is all about giving back, and to lose that mission is to lose our event. We hope that a guaranteed spot, and a reduced cost (almost by 1/3) will show you that we care about you, the swimmer, as well as our partners. 

3rd, donations and specialty registrations (Golden Ticket, etc) will be rolled over and count towards 2025. This means that if you were a Golden Ticket recipient for this year, you will be so next year as well, with nothing further to do. If you were a fundraiser this year (2024) we will give you credit for 2024 AND 2025, for special incentives for the 2026 event. It isn't fair to give you a priority registration (bypass the lottery) for 2025, when we already am offering a 2025 priority. 

We know that there might be special circumstances that you wish to email us about and, as always, we would love to hear your thoughts, suggestions, complaints, etc at info@bayswim.com Yes, we know you trained a long time. Yes we know that you travelled and took time away from your families. We appreciate all of that, and of you for your continued support but some of the requests (full refunds, free events, etc) are just not feasible for an event of this size.  

Want to make a suggestion? Email me   Want to complain? Email me   Want to send an email just to yell at someone? Me again  I'd love to hear from you, and when warranted, will gladly speak with you about your concerns and suggestions. Once again, I'm sorry to have been the one to make the final call for the event, but I stand by that call with all of the input from our partners. I hope that you can, in time, understand that call was made for your safety, as well as our safety crew.

Please feel free to reach out to info@bayswim.com with ANYTHING and we will be sending out an email with more information on when we are ready to offer you that $250, guaranteed entry to the 2025 Great Chesapeake Bay Swim. 

Jason Chance - Race Director

Good afternoon all! We wanted to reach out and let you know some really great news! We have worked with Queen Anne's County Public Schools to provide a better parking location for swimmers and spectators this year. Because there is NO PARKING at Libbey's Coastal Kitchen for swimmers or spectators, we have been using the Matapeake School complex for many years. With limited spaces and a spread out campus, there have always been small issues. 

So now we are moving to Kent Island High School ( 900 Love Point Road, Stevensville) for all of our 4.4 Mile overflow parking, our 1 Mile Swimmer Parking, and our SPECTATOR parking! For those early risers, there will still be parking, for 4.4 mile swimmers ONLY at the Park and Ride on Thompson Creek Rd, but the large mass of parking has moved to Kent Island High School. 

Shuttles start at 630am! We have put together a shuttle guide, with the most frequently asked questions on it, on the main page at www.BaySwim.com . We have also linked it HERE 

Should you have any questions, not in the document, please feel free to reach out to us at info@bayswim.com and we will be happy to help!

Here's to an amazing event, and keep an eye out for a comprehensive swimmer guide, coming early next week! 

If you have, you know that we celebrate longevity awards at the conclusion, starting with your 10th Crossing (and yes, the "short" year still counts)

Take a look at the list below and if you think you should be on it, please reach out to us at info@bayswim.com 

Please note, this is NOT an invitation to say "How many times have I crossed?"

There is an entire tab at www.BaySwim.com (Archives) that you can look that up. ;)

2025 4.4 Mile Longevity Awards
34 Rodney Peltzer
29 Robert Axelrod
29 Andy Courtney
29 Michael J. Doyle
29 James S. Horwitz
24 Scott Breza
24 William Caywood
24 David H. English
24 Barney Heller
24 Patrick O'connell
19 Michael F. Boyle
19 Paul Doremus
19 Kathleen Mayan
19 Stuart Roberts
19 Jonathan Sloan
14 William Carnes
14 Alexander Chororos
14 Allan Cohen
14 Bill Conroy
14 Donna Corey
14 Paul A. Fetters
14 Timothy Finn
14 Erik Franklin
14 David J. Glen
14 Susan Kasimer
14 Russell J. Kominski
14 John C. Mason
14 Scott Mcdonald
14 James Mcfeeters
14 Don Morris
14 David A. Paltrineri
14 Edward M. Pierce
14 Charles Potterton
14 Jim Robinson
14 Phillip Boniface, Iii Smith
9 Robert Ackerman
9 Delwin Brockett
9 Edward D. Brown
9 Michael Caulfield
9 Catie Caywood
9 Matthew Davis
9 Nathan Dean
9 Peter Deweese
9 Richard W. (Butch) Diemer
9 Julie Dukes
9 James P. Earls
9 Michael Graban
9 Wes Gundacker
9 Todd A. Hetzer
9 James L. Hogan
9 Schurchill Hooff
9 Timothy Hooper
9 Michael Houston
9 Jay Jacobs
9 Kim Kramer
9 Scott Lewis
9 Michael S. Murphy
9 Michael Parry
9 David Radcliffe
9 Judy Ramirez
9 Alvin Richardson
9 Joseph N. Russell
9 Pat Ryan
9 Charles Schmitz
9 Arjay West
9 Chris Westergard
9 Marion Wyatt
 

See you all for the Live Ask The Race Director tomorrow (Thursday) at 7pm!!

Jason and the GCBS Team! 

In 2024, we had the misfortune of having to cancel the event, with everyone on land watching and waiting. We sent out emails and let you know that you, as a 4.4 mile swimmer, would have the opportunity to bypass the lottery and pay a reduced fee for 2025. That $250 fee will go to offset the cost of the new event, and we hope that you will consider making a donation so that we can give our regular donation to our charitable partners (March of Dimes, Chesapeake Bay Trust, US Coast Guard, etc)

This year, the 4.4 mile swim will START at 1:30pm, from Sandy Point State Park. The late start is essential so that we are able to have adequate water safety coverage AND so that we take in to account the slack tide at center span, reducing the currents. 

The 1 Mile Swim will start at 1030am, from the Eastern Shore. For those of you who have asked, we are working on a way for you to swim both, but those logistics keep changing. 

Many have expressed their concern with a later start, and to that we can say that you should make the choice that is best for you. We are locked into that date (2nd Sunday in June) and make the swim start time based on slack tide at center span of the bridges. Over the years we have had starts in the morning, and in the afternoon. If you are not an afternoon swimmer, then perhaps 2025 isn't your year. 

THIS GUARANTEED LINK, WILL NEED TO BE USED BY NOVEMBER 30TH, 2024, AT MIDNIGHT. AFTER THAT, GENERAL LOTTERY REGISTRATION OPENS. THIS LINK WILL EXPIRE WHEN THAT HAPPENS. 

Unfortunately, this offer of bypassing the lottery and a reduced rate is a one-time offer, for 2025.

This link, above, is linked to the email account that you registered with and will only work with that account. Should you have a special circumstance that you would like to discuss, please reach out at info@Bayswim.com and we will be happy to help. 

Thank you for everything, over the past year, and we look forward to seeing you on the beach on June 8th, 2025

UPDATE!!! Registration soon!
I wanted to take this opportunity to update you on what our plans for the 2025 Great Chesapeake Bay Swim are. We haven't forgotten about you, and realize that we were trying to open up registration for you in August. We hit a couple of snags with the venue and with the State Park but here is what we are planning AS WE KNOW IT RIGHT NOW

The Great Chesapeake Bay Swim will be held on Sunday, June 8th. The thing that has been hanging us up, for the 4.4 mile swimmers, is that we were told that we couldn't have a start time, later in the day. That meant that we were going to try and have to figure out how to launch everyone at SUNRISE (about 545 am) to get the ideal tides. This lead us down a rabbit hole of oh-so-many bad things. 

FORTUNATELY our friends at Sandy Point State Park heard our pleas and understood that, with our new start method, that we don't take up the entire southern beach, and have conceded to letting us have a start around 1 or 1:30. We are still nailing down those times (and getting their permission in writing....) 

What this does, with an afternoon start, is allows for us to hold the 1 mile swim earlier in the morning, so that the full team can watch over both events! We are just trying to nail down that time with the venue. Because the tides/currents aren't quite so rough over there, we can play with the times, and don't have to start based on a high/low current flow. 

We expect to, based on our conversations with the Sandy Point State Park, open up registration for those that wish to join us in 2025 in the next week or so. Remember, all of your donations will roll over from the 2024 year, and those who qualified with a Golden Ticket and such, will be offered that opportunity again. All other 4.4 swimmers will be allowed to register (no lottery) for the $250 fee. This guaranteed entry WILL have a cut off date, though, so keep an eye out for that email. We will blast it on social media and post something on the main page (www.BaySwim.com) when we send out that information. 

1 Milers - You will be able to register for $50 for the 2025 1 mile event. We are working on the logistics for those of you who want to bump up to the 4.4 mile swim (logistics meaning what the cost will be)

Thank you for your patience. We hope to get a final schedule together shortly and a registration link out to everyone shortly. 

Once we have concluded the SPECIAL PRICING, then we will open up the lottery for those who didn't get a chance to register last year. 

As always, any questions, reach out directly to us at info@bayswim.com 

Have a great day!!! Talk to you soon!!

Jason Chance - Race Director

CLICK ON BELOW LINK TO ACCESS 4.4 TIMELINE & SWIM DAY INSTRUCTIONS For Swimmers & Spectators 

4.4 TIMELINE
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CLICK ON BELOW LINK TO ACCESS ONE MILE TIMELINE & SWIM DAY INSTRUCTIONS for Swimmers & Spectators
ONE MILE TIMELINE

If you are selected as a lottery winner then you will receive an email from RunsignUp with a special link that will allow you to enter and pay for the 4.4 Mile swim.    All entry and participation info. is thru this RunSignUp Website.  Additionally all events are listed on LINMARK'S Event Calendar page, in date order.  The 4.4 entry fee is $350 which is payable via Credit Card at checkout on the RSU entry form.  Save the receipt.

The list of Lottery applicants can be found at:  https://www.athlinks.com/event/364507/roster - Note this roster is just 4.4  lottery signups.

GCBS 4.4 PUBLIC LOTTERY  DATES:  GCBS 4.4 Entry fee:  $350.00 (payable if selected and you proceed to complete your entry form.

Jan. 24, 2022   4.4 Name SIGN-UP Registration - OPENS TO THE PUBLIC

Mar. 16, 2022     4.4 Name SIGN-UP Registration - CLOSES (SIGN-UP DEADLINE MIDNIGHT)

Mar. 18, 2022   ROUND 1 Name Selections Conducted  -  ALL SELECTED WILL RECEIVE THEIR emailed SELECTION NOTICE

Mar.  24, 2022  ROUND 2 Name Selections Conducted  -  ALL SELECTED WILL RECEIVE THEIR emailed SELECTION NOTICE

A NAME List of those selected, after each round will be posted on this site under "Swimmer information/Lottery Selectees" for all lottery list sign-ups to see if they were selected . . . a double check, in case your name selected email notice is sitting in your spam box!   If you check, after each round, and see that your name was selected on the posted list but did not receive your selection email nor is it in your spam box you are to contact and advise LINMARK Sports.

Just a "heads up" that if you are selected in one of the selections rounds, all 4.4 ENTRANTS ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT SWIM QUALIFICATION DOCUMENTATION. The info. icons at the top of LINMARK site's GCBS Event page has important participation pages.

The qualifying information below is applicable to all 2026 GCBS entrants.

4.4 Entrant:  If you are planning to utilize a witnessed swim as your 4.4 qualifying event document - you are required to download the "official" witnessed swim form by clicking the PDF form below.    Once your witnessed swim is completed and verified by your observer, you are required to submit the witnessed form via email attachment to become part of your approved entry process. Qualifying instructions are to be explicitly followed. THIS SWIM WILL BE A 3 MILE POOL SWIM IN UNDER 2 HOURS 15 MINUTES.

1 Mile Bay Swim entrants are not required to submit swim documentation.  However, they must be able to complete a one mile open-water swim within 40 minutes or be pulled from the water. 

4.4 Entrants who elect to submit swim results from a swim event or results from the swim portion of a triathlon - it must be a minimum of 1,500 meters (.9 miles).  You will read the specific instructions in your entry form. You are expected to explicitly follow the instructions.

ALL QUALIFYING SUBMITTED SWIM  DOCUMENTATION MUST BE DATED WITHIN TWO YEARS OF JUNE 14, 2026

ALL DOCUMENATION MUST BE SUBMITTED BY MAY 30TH, 2026 AT 12:00PM (EST)

We are so very excited to host you for the 2024 Great Chesapeake Bay Swim, 4.4 Mile distance. We know that you've been putting in the time in the pool and are pumped that we are just 2 months away from swim day. We wanted to just reach out and let you know that, even with the tragedy of the Key Bridge, our event is 100% a go!! We just had our meeting with the US Coast Guard, and other emergency partners, yesterday, and have been assured that we are good to go !

We will be updating our athlete guide shortly with all of the pertinent times and dates, but as an overview, the general timeline for that morning:

6:30 to 8:30am - Shuttles Start from Park and Ride and Matapeake Schools
7:00am to 9:00am - Packet Pickup, Body Marking, Clothing Drop at Sandy Point
9:00am - Pre Race Meeting
9:30 - Self seeded starts begin
9:45 - All swimmers in water
1030 - Mile 1 Cutoff
1115 - Mile 2 Cutoff
1200 - Mile 3 Cutoff
1245 - Mile 4 Cutoff
1:15 - Race Cutoff
1:30 - Awards
We ALWAYS recommend taking a shuttle over to the start as spectators/vehicles may get stuck in the entry line for the Parks. There are no special lines for swimmers/spectators, and you have to pay a fee to enter the park. 

If you didn't join us for the start last year, be sure to check out the website (www.BaySwim.com) and look at the SELF SEEDED SWIM START tab 

Fuel boats are located at Mile 2 and 3 (don't get too excited... it's water, some gels, some ginger ale... nothing too crazy) 

Personal flotation buoys (pull behind safety buoys) ARE allowed. 

So we just wanted to get you some basic ideas as to where we were at, and answer many of your most pertinent questions. We will be sending out our athlete guide, and some more emails to you soon. Good luck, and keep that yards up! 

As always, any questions please send to info@bayswim.com or check out www.BaySwim.com

See you on the beach!!

Jason and the BaySwim Team!

ABOUT GCBS

What is the Great Chesapeake Bay Swim?

The Great Chesapeake Bay Swim (GCBS) is one of America’s premier open water swim challenges. The annual event is scheduled for the second Sunday of June and consists of a 4.4 mile swim across Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay. The race starts from the shores of Sandy Point State Park, which is about 5 miles northeast of Annapolis. The course extends eastward between the two spans of the William Preston Lane, Jr., Memorial Bridge (U.S. Highway 50) and finishes at a small sandy beach on Kent Island immediately south of the Bridge eastern-shore  causeway adjacent to Libbey's Coastal Kitchen Restaurant.

Who does it benefit? 
Net proceeds from the 2023 event will go to March of Dimes, Chesapeake Bay Trust and the United States Coast Guard.

How many swimmers may enter?
The 4.4 Mile GCBS is limited to only 650 pre-registered entrants to ensure a safe and well-organized event . 

Can anyone participate?
The GCBS requires a major commitment to proper training and open water experience. To be accepted, applicants must submit documentation that they have either completed a recent open water event or completed a three-mile pool swim in under 2 hours 15 minutes (see application for details). Although thousands of swimmers have successfully completed the event over the years, the achievement has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience for over 60 percent of the finishers. To increase safety, wetsuits are allowed and encouraged (the GCBS is not a U. S. Masters Swimming event). 

Is it dangerous?
Among the difficulties that may be encountered during the average 2 hour 25 minute swim are flailing arms and legs during the “Cuisinart start,” cross currents, swells, chop, hypothermia if the water is cold, nettle stings if the water is warm, and collisions with the bridge supports or rocks surrounding the jetties, islands and causeways.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has measured tidal, current and weather conditions prior to the event and compared the results with predicted conditions to determine the optimum starting time for the event. 

How does it affect the race?
As a result, 79-97 % of the starters finished the race in the last 5 years. Prior to this, in 1991 and 1992, a strong ebb current of about 2 knots in the main channel beneath the 200-feet high spans (one and a half miles from the start) precluded all but the strongest and most determined swimmers from finishing the event (only 15-19 % finished the swim). 

The Bridge & the Bay – Particulars. . .
At its widest point, the Chesapeake Bay is 30 miles wide and narrows to just four miles where it is crossed by the William Preston Lane, Jr., Memorial Bridge, built in 1952 (northern, westbound span) and in 1973 (southern, eastbound span). 

Who’s idea was it in the first place?
No one knows who was the first to swim across the bay at this point. However, a determined 21-year old, Brian Joseph Earley, started what is now the GCBS with his first solo swim from Kent Island to Sandy Point State Park on June 13, 1982, in memory of his father Joseph Earley, who died of diabetes complications in 1981. Two years later, race organizer Fletcher Hanks began a separate bay swim event which attracted 2 swimmers the first year and about 60 the second year. On June 15, 1986, the Hanks and Earley events merged when 211 swimmers successfully  swam from Westinghouse (south of the bridges on the western shore) to Hemingway’s Restaurant (now Libbey's Coastal Kitchen). The following year, the event started at Sandy Point State Park, which established its present course. Brian Earley, originally a  Chesapeake Bay area resident, has moved to San Diego, California. Nevertheless, he has returned many times on the second Sunday of every June since 1982 to once again swim the Bay in honor of his father and to help those who are less fortunate.

 
CHARITY INFORMATION
The Great Chesapeake Bay Swim serves as a charitable fundraising event that in 2022 will benefit the March of Dimes, Chesapeake Bay Trust and the United State Coast Guard.

To date, The Great Chesapeake Bay Swim has raised in excess of $3,000,000 for charity. The proceeds were distributed to the following worthwhile organizations:

The March of Dimes, Maryland Chapter
The National Aquarium, Bay Restoration Project 
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation 
The Chesapeake Trust 
The Chesapeake Bay Power Boat Association 
CRAB- Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating

A NOTE TO OUR PARTICIPANTS, VOLUNTEERS AND DONORS

The Great Chesapeake Bay Swim, Inc. is committed to ensuring that the maximum percentage of dollars donated to the Event are returned to non-profit programs. In any given year, however, we cannot guarantee what that percentage will be. It depends on many variables, including how many swimmers participate, how much money they raise, and recruiting, logistics and event expenses.

How much money has gone back to charitable causes?
Since the first Great Chesapeake Bay Swim in 1992, on average, approximately 61.4% of every dollar raised – representing a total of over $ 3,000,000 has been returned to the March of Dimes and other worthwhile charitable causes! Please note that these figures are averages and the specific percentage for an individual Swim Event may differ. 

Where does the rest of the money go? 
On average, about 19.2 % of every dollar raised has gone to administrative expenses, safety and support: timing, signage, tents, and everything it takes to move the swimmers safely from the western shore to the eastern shore.  Safety is the number one priority of the Great Chesapeake Bay Swim. Additionally, about 9.2% of every dollar raised goes to the 500 plus volunteers who make the Great Chesapeake Bay Swim possible every year, in the form of t-shirts and a Volunteer Appreciation Party. Finally, about 10.2% of every dollar raised goes back to the swimmer participants, in the form of t-shirts, awards and other premiums. 

What is the standard for return on donations?
Guidelines for special event fund raising vary. Different organizations say different things and this always depends on the nature of the fund raising event and its appeal. Standards are different for a special event like the Great Chesapeake Bay Swim than they are for solicitations you receive in the mail. As a person who gives to charity, you should do all you can to understand the complexities of charitable fund raising. Don’t accept any one number as a norm. The total amount of money raised is as important as the percentage. For instance, an event that returns 70% of your dollar back to charity may look better than one that sends 60% back. But what if the event that returns 70% raises $100,000, while the event that returns 60% raises $500,000? The 60% event returns a lot more money to the cause. One of the leading professional fund raising trade organizations, the Philanthropic Advisory Service of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, states that at least 50% of every dollar raised by a special event should go back to charity. The historic average of the Great Chesapeake Bay Swim event (61.4%) falls well above that guideline.

The Great Chesapeake Bay Swim is very different from most fund raising events. In addition to raising money, it raises public awareness of the charitable causes which it supports, and instills tremendous feelings of empowerment among participants and those whose lives the event touches. For many participants, the Swim is a life–changing experience.  Creating an environment for that kind of experience requires the expertise to execute very complicated logistics and to mobilize massive operations. The Great Chesapeake Bay Swim is truly in a class by itself. 

Does the Great Chesapeake Bay Swim work to get things donated?
The Great Chesapeake Bay Swim works constantly with local businesses to generate donations and sponsorships to the event which help defray costs and send more money back to charitable organizations.

An important note . . . 
The Great Chesapeake Bay Swim has many non-financial benefits that you can be enormously proud of.

News stories about the Event that are reported in the media and inform the entire region about the charitable causes which we support: A first-hand experience of what giving back to humanity is all about for the participants, volunteers and spectators alike; A demonstration of people working together to solve problems.

These are just some of the things that make the Great Chesapeake Bay Swim so remarkably magical. And these are things you can count on when you participate in the Great Chesapeake Bay Swim as a swimmer, volunteer or donor.

AWARDS GCBS 4.4 2022  (Scroll down to locate the 1 mile Awards)

Overall Winners do not duplicate in their age group divisions

Top 3 Overall Male & Female Finishers
First Overall Male & Female 40+ Finishers

*Recognition to the First Overall Male & Female
Finishers Who Do Not Swim Wearing a Wetsuit

First Male & Female Finishers Physically Challenged Division
Age Group Divisions - Top 3 Males & Females
14 & Under 15–19
20-24 25-29
30-34 35-39
40-44 45-49
50-54 55-59
60-64 65-69
70-74 75-79 80+

*NOTE: The first overall male and female non-wet suit finishers will be recognized at the
awards ceremony. This does not have any bearing on overall or age group award winners. It is a
special recognition for completing the swim without the benefit of a wetsuit. Both divisions are
blended for overall award divisions, and age group division placements.

****************************************************************************************************************************************************************

GCBS ONE MILE BAY CHALLENGE 2022
Overall Winners do not duplicate in respective age group divisions

Top 3 Overall Male & Female Finishers
First Overall Male & Female 40+ Master Finishers

Age Group Divisions - Top 3 Males & Females
14 & Under 15–19
20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39
40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59
60-64 65-69 70-74 75-79 80+

THE CYNTHIA EARLEY SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
The Cynthia Earley Scholarship will be awarded to the undergraduate student individual who raises the most money in contributions to the March of Dimes. The amount of the scholarship prize is $1,000 to go toward that individual’s education.

 
It has been generously donated by Mr. Brian Earley, the founder of the Chesapeake Bay Swim, in honor and remembrance of his mother Cynthia Earley who passed away in 1998. Please take this wonderful and generous offer to heart and use your best efforts to raise monies for the March of Dimes in her name.
Visit the Cynthia Earley Scholarship Facebook page for more information.

The Great Chesapeake Bay Swim (GCBS) event is a charitable fundraiser for several worthwhile charities concerned with health and the environment.  The Champions Challenge Charitable Contributions Program allows swimmers to secure a spot in the 4.4 mile swim and raise additional funds for a worthy cause.  Swimmers can by-pass the lottery entry process and secure a spot in the 4.4 mile swim for 2023 event under the following conditions:  (1) participation in either 4.4 or 1 mile swim on June 12, 2022  AND  (2) the minimum charitable contribution (see below for additional information). THIS IS NOT AN ENTRY FORM.

To access the above form click on the link below:

http://www.bayswim.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/GCBS-Early-Bird-Form-2023.pdf

4.4 Mile LOTTERY

The 2024 Great Chesapeake Bay Swim is a lottery drawing system for the event. Participants from the previous year are sent out emails to invite them to an Early Bird event, which consists of a donation and registration, but guarantees entry to the 4.4 mile swim. 

WHEN DOES THE LOTTERY START?

We will open the general lottery for the 4.4 Mile Swim on September 30th, 2023 at 12pm (EST). 

HOW DO I ENTER THE LOTTERY?

You will go through the sign up process, and enter all of your information. You will also enter your credit card information for the $350 fee. YOUR CARD WILL NOT BE CHARGED UNTIL YOU ARE SELECTED FROM THE LOTTERY!!!!

HOW DO YOU DRAW THE LOTTERY?

We use a random number generator and draw the names using that process. We will complete THREE ROUNDS of lottery drawings. If you are chosen in the first round, you are asked if you want to accept the spot, deny but be put back in, or deny and be removed from future rounds. 

WHEN IS THE FIRST LOTTERY?

We will draw the first 200 swimmers for the 4.4 Mile Swim on November 15th, 2023 at 12pm (EST). The 2nd round will be December 1st at 12pm (EST) and the final round will be December 15th, 2023. 

WILL YOU POST WHO IS CHOSEN?

Yes!!! We will send emails to everyone chosen, post the email to our website, and post on Social Media. If you do not respond before the next round, you will not be accepted. 

4.4 Mile Longevity (15 years +)

If you have swam the 4.4 Mile Swim with us 15 times or more, please reach out to us directly at info@bayswim.com and you will be sent a direct registration link to register, bypassing the lottery. Thank you for your support over the years! 

Qualifying Swim For The 4.4?

All 4.4 Mile swimmers must have done a qualifying swim in the past 2 years from the date of the event. All swims must be done before June 9, 2022. If you do not have an open water swim under your belt in that time frame, and don't have one on the schedule. You will also have the option to do a pool swim, under the supervision of a lifeguard, for 3 miles in under 2 hours. That sign off form can be found on our main page. 

1 Mile Swimmers

The 1 Mile Swim does not require a lottery. General registration will open for the 1 Mile Bay Challenge Swim on November 15th. Though there is no need to provide us documentation for this swim, please understand that you are still swimming in open water, and you should practice open water skills prior to attempting the event. 

Questions? Please reach out to us at info@bayswim.com with any questions. 

We want to say CONGRATULATIONS to the following 4.4 mile swimmers, who were randomly chosen for the Round 1 Lottery!!! You can see their names below (alphabetical by last name). You will receive an email today with a ACCEPT/DECLINE form to complete. Please complete this by Feb 11th, at 12:00pm, so that we can start the process for the Round 2 lottery! 

See your name, but not get an email (they are going out right around 12:00pm (EST) today, send us an email to info@bayswim.com and we will help you out. 

Once again, congratulations to Round 1 participants, and good luck to everyone else in the lottery! We hope to see you all on Sunday, June 11th, 2023, for an 8am start at Sandy Point State Park. 

Not up for the 4.4 Mile Challenge yet? We have DIRECT entries for the 1 Mile Swim, starting and ending from our Eastern Shore location. 

www.BaySwim.com 

Jason Chance- Race Director

SELECTED IN ROUND 1
Oliver Abbott
Christopher Adams
John Aiello
Ryan Altera
Keith Amberman
Kari Andreasen
Alan Arnold
John Avallone
Frederick Axelgard
Katie Bacon
Larry Bard
Terry Basham
Carol Bauer
Reza Behnam
Scott Belfit
Ed Bemis
Brian Benda
Margaret Bergamini
Karen Bisnett
Mark Booth
Therese Borchard
Peter Bowman
Paul Brabson
Jana Bregman
scott breza
Edward Briggs
Elizabeth Brown
Jeffrey Burt
Janet Buyer
Kurt Calisal
Maria Cariaso-Long
Christopher Caywood
William Caywood
William Charlton
Jane Cheney
Alexander Chororos
Eric Christensen
James Clifford
Maryann Collins
Riley Collins
Troy Conran
Amy Cook
Kevin Corbett
Donna Corey
Luke Corey
Andrew Cosgarea
Andy Cosgarea
Malcolm Cosgrove-Davies
Amanda Daley
Nathan Dean
Lyne Desormeaux
John Dolan
Patrick Donahue
Brian Donohue
Paul Doremus
Danny Dougherty
Mark Dougherty
Joy Eastlack
Alexander Egner
Alan Ellzey
Allan Engstrom
Beverly Enochs
James Eppard
Jon Ericson
Frank Fallon
Tom Fallon
Frank Ferraro
Matthew Fetters
David Filbeck
Tim Finn
James Fitch
Christine Fitzgerald
Amy Fitzgibbons
Brian Franco
Wendy Friedland
Elizabeth Gainer
Mindy Gaines
Marcy Galliker
Brendan Garvin
David Gassert
Kandis Gibson
Dan GOLDFARB
Mikah Goldman
Bryan Gomes
Victor Gonzales
Michael Gormley
Christopher Gowen
David Graumann
Keith Gray
Richard Griffin
Tom Grubb
Al Gruber
John Guinee
Terri Haber
Mark Hannan
Margaret Harrison
Gary Hartnett
Lauren Hasselquist
Don Haut
Barney Heller
Michael Hepp
Jeffrey Hirsch
Churchill Hooff
James Horwitz
Michael Houston
Andrew Ishee
Donny James
Michael Jensen
John Jewell
Wen Ji
ED JORDAN
Michael Keene
Rose Kehoe
Caitlin Kemmet
Conrad Koehler
Brian Koehr
Coach Jim Koehr
Colleen Koehr
Reed Kroncke
Bart Lane
Michael Lee
Anthony Leiro
Mark Levy
Andrew MacDonald
Lisa Macpherson
Matthew Marcy
Jason Marshall
Kyle McAvoy
Thomas McComas
Erin McDonald
Scott McDonald
David McGinnis
Allyce McWhorter
Johannah McWilliams
Daniele Merlis
Chad Merrill
Mark Milleker
Van Moffatt
Daniel Morelli
Don Morris
Steve Muchow
John Murphy
Spencer Naake
Patrick O'Connell
Matt Otto
Alex Parker
Rodney Peltzer
Matt Pluta
Chase Poffenberger
Denise Priddy
Joe Profaci
John Protzman
Timothy Reason
Kevin Reed
Pete Reilly
Peter Reitmeyer
Hermes Reyes Caballero
Curt Reynolds
Bill Richardson
Bobby Robinson
Jim Robinson
Richard Roden
George Rohrer
Michael Russiello
Kris Rutford
Jean Rutter
kristopher santos
Susan Sarubin
Kevin Sayers
Kevin Scott
Saravanan Seetharaman
Krista Sermon
Daniel Shub
Jeannette Smith
John Smith
Riley Smith
David Speier
Austin St John
Monique St. John
Jim Stafford
Cecily Steppe
Christopher Stevens
C. Christopher Swensen
Allison Taylor
Paul Thayer
Taylor Thorson
Peter Tillinghast
Thomas Vidano
Cheryl Wagner
David Wenhold
John Whelan
Cecelia Wigal
Martha Williams
Stephenie Winter
Adam Wright
Lucas Wright
Mark Wright
Jessica Allison Wynn
Elizabeth Young
Deborah Zimic
Eric Zimmerman
 

Surprise!!! As a special gift to everyone, to show how much we LOVE OUR SWIMMERS on Valentine's Day, we have bumped up our timeline on the Round 2 Lottery!!! Congratulations to the 200 Round 2 participants on being chosen!!!
Round 3 is currently scheduled for March 1st, 2023!
Should you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at info@bayswim.com and be sure to check out all of our emails under the 2023 EMAILS tab at www.BaySwim.com
Congratulations to:
Robert Ackerman
Gilles Alliaume
Michael Amberman
Heather Anderson
Jason Andrew
Carlos Angulo
Bruce Angus
Derek Argust
Charlotte Ashton
Colin Ault
WILLIAM AYERS
Alexander Bailey
Charles Baisley
Stephanie Baker
Jill Barclay
Gregory Bellware
Edward Bispham
Dan Blitz
Virginia Bogdan
Matthew Bower
Tiffany Brennan
Elizabeth Buchanan
Stephen Burger
Alejandro Burgos
Bryn Burkholder
Melissa Burroughs
Eric Burtchell
Tom Butt
Andrew Campbell
Meaghan Carpenter
Macy Carpenter
Janet Carpenter
James Cathro
Michael Caywood
Curtis Caywood
Jim Cecil
Ann Christensen
Robert Christensen
Sherman Clark
April Collins
Craig Condon
Alex Condrell
Jennifer Connor
Jorge Cortina
Chris Cotterell
Brad Crosley
Todd Culp
Charles Cummings
Patrick Daniels
Matthew Davis
Brian Davis
Lynn Davis
Mary Davis
Selah Dean
Edward DeJesus
Sofia Del Palacio Ugarte
Jeanie Denison
Leo Dilling
Griffin Diven
Kelsey Diven
Christy Donley
Julie Dukes
Matt Durante
Chris Echezabal
Sarah Eikrem
Diana Elson
Eric Engstrom
Kara Erskine
William Fallon
Austin Folsom
Trevor Foulk
Ron Frank
Austin Frazer
Kyle Gallagher
Michael GAMAZAYCHIKOV
Mike Ghawaly
Susan Golemboski
PJ Gorman
Aysegul Gozu
Sarah Graham
Alan Greenwood
Amanda Gretz
Ben Grillot
Terri Gumula
Gabriel Hackman
Dennis Hagan
Laura Hanby
Eric Hansen
Leo Havens
Richard Haymes
Jess Haynie
Chris Hepp
Katie Hershey
Mark Hjelle
Alan Hoberg
Steve Hocking
Lanie Holden
Maureen Holden
Olivia Hooff
David Hopkins
Doug Irminger
Lexie Jacobs
Natalie Janiszewski
Aleta Jewell
Jeff Jones
David Kaizer
Christine Kelly
Kyle Kerner
Patrick Kerner
James Kirkby
Sara Klemm
Karen Knee
Lynn Knothe
Brian Koehr
Colleen Koehr
Matt Kowalewski
Frank Krach
Mike LaFiandra
Lauren Leatherman
Anna Leonard
Mitchell Lewis
Eric Liff
Ana Little-Sana
Michael MacDonald
Tom Magalski
Christopher Marshall
Mark Martin
Daniel Martonik
Richard Marx
Andrea Mathias
Kathy Mayan
Becca McArthur
Katherine McComas
Robert McComas
Sue McNeil
Ingrid Mercer
Daniele Merlis
Ellis Merschoff
Elizabeth Mesora
Tim Methric
Ryan Mitcheltree
Colleen Monaghan
James Moore
Duilio Morichi
Matthew Murphy
Katrina Nakao
David Nelson
Harry Nelson
Daniel Nickerson
Hope Mao Oehler
Cayla Otto
John Pace
Richard Page
Katie Palavecino
Tom Parette
Chad Peddicord
CIndy Perosa
Gailynn Petry
William Pilcher
John Protzman
Katie Pumphrey
David Radcliffe
Megan Reiter
Annette Richter
Brooke Riester
Marc Robinson
Stephan Rodiger
Dave Ruf
Judy Rupp
Grant Russell
Kevin Sanchez
Jane Satter
Mimi Satter
Tom Scheer
Garin Schilling
ROBERT A SCHROEDER
John Smirnow
Phil Smith
Austin St John
James Sullivan
Jackie Sweetak
Jay Talbott
Rebecca Thompson
Melissa Timberlake
Stephen Tosini
Adrianne Towe
William Tyson
James Usher IV
Patrick Vilbrandt
Juri Von Bonsdorff
Catherine Wallace
Carina Watson
Laurie Wei
Emily Weigel
Jay Wilkes
Philip Windust
Rob Wolfgang
Justin Woods
Scott Woodworth
Rachel Wyman
Doug Yeager
Raza Zaidi
Andrei Zaitsev
Alfie Zarate
Jennifer Zhao
 
 
 

ROUND 1 STARTS TOMORROW!!!
On February 1st, 2023, we will choose the first 200 names for the 2023 Great Chesapeake Bay Swim 4.4 mile lottery entrants. 

We heard the concerns, from swimmers, that they would be automatically chosen and charged for the event, and we have made some adjustments!!! 

The first 200 participants will be chosen on Feb 1st, at NOON (EST), and will be sent a Google Form to complete, either accepting, or declining, their spot in the 2023 Great Chesapeake Bay Swim. If they accept, they should expect to have their credit card charged for the event, and will be an official entrant (YAY!!!). 

Should they decline, they will still be eligible for later rounds of the lottery. 

YOU WILL HAVE 10 DAYS (FEB 11TH AT MIDNIGHT) TO ACCEPT OR DECLINE. IF YOU DO NOT ANSWER THE GOOGLE FORM, YOU WILL AUTOMATICALLY DECLINE.

We will post the names of the first 200 on the website, and on social media. If you do not receive an email from us tomorrow, look in SPAM and PROMOTIONS (since it is going out to 200 people). If you STILL don't see it, but see your name, reach out to us at info@bayswim.com

We are excited to fill the event to its capacity this year, with 600 swimmers in the 4.4 mile swim. Our 1 mile swimmers will be joining us in the water from Libbey's, and we wish them luck as well!

Good luck to everyone in the lottery and, as always, should you have any questions, please reach out to us at info@bayswim.com 

Jason Chance - Race Director

Good evening all! Yesterday was an absolutely incredible day and we JUST finished unpacking the last of the trailers (hence the radio silence most of the day). We are working on our wrap up email and are hoping to have the Photo Link for your FREE race photos to everyone tomorrow. 

We've just gotten through the amazing emails that you have all sent today (and yesterday) and we are planning on having a brief survey in our wrap up email, to let us know what we can do even better for 2024! 

I look forward to writing that wrap up email tomorrow (fingers crossed for the Photo Link) and letting you know all of our amazing stats and our "Thank You"s. The biggest thank you I want to give is to YOU, for trusting us to put on the best event that we could! Thank you to all of the swimmers and your support systems at home that allowed you to swim with us, and for us to be a part of your journey. 

For now, continue relaxing (hopefully you have today) and we will talk to you tomorrow! As always, should you need us for anything, please reach out at info@bayswim.com

Jason and the GCBS Team

Wow!!! What a day!!! Every year out there is different and 2023 certainly wasn’t the exception. From insane air quality concerns with the Canadian Wildfires earlier in the week (we went from a DANGEROUS rating of 125 down to 26.7, as a rating in a few days!) to our ever present currents and winds, if you were able to join us on Sunday, you certainly earned your place as a finisher!

THANK YOU

On behalf of the Great Chesapeake Bay Swim team, we all want to say THANK YOU for trusting us with putting on the event for you. This year was the first year that Revolution3 handled the entire production and timing, and we hope that you enjoyed the changes that we made. A new swim start for the 4.4 milers (10 people, every 10 seconds) got over 500 swimmers in the water in just under 9 minutes. The new stairs at the swim finish, to help getting up that hill (we hear ya…. We will build railings for next year), and even just changing the timeline location, so you ended at the bottom of the steps. We hope that you appreciated all of the changes.

EARLY BIRD AND REGISTRATION FOR 2024…. COMING SOON

This year was an amazing year with registrations, and we know that after you all are done telling all of your friends about the swim, and showing off the medal, the swim cap, the shirt and the FREE race photos (link below) that we are going to have a LOT of folks in the lottery for next year. YOU have a leg up on that, as only YOU will be invited to do the early bird registration, when we open that up in a few months. That EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION will allow you to make a donation that will bypass you from the lottery, guaranteeing you a spot in the 2024 swim. Keep you eyes out for that email, after we settle up everything from this race.

SURVEY

We want to include a brief survey using a Google Form so that you can give us any feedback that can make the event better for 2024! We appreciate all the kind emails that we have received thus far, and we pass those along to the team, but we want to know where we missed too, so that we can make it even better. That survey can be found at https://forms.gle/2QHpGj8VDU1GvZ5s5

SHORTCOMINGS

As a producer, we want to make your experience the best it can be and we can identify a few spots that we want to tighten up. One of the most disappointing is that when we went to upload the finish video, the file was corrupted…. Which means that there is NO FINISH VIDEO this year. This is a disappointment for all of us, but we hope that it is slightly offset by the fact that ALL of the photos are free using the url below, and we are going to post that url in a PHOTOS tab at www.BaySwim.com

We also want to 1)Add railings to the stairs, 2) Increase the number of portos at the finish line, 3) fix (obviously) the video at the finish line, 4) GET CHANGE TENTS on site (we found some and brought them to site, and had not tested them prior to loading, and found the frames bent… we apologize for that)

PHOTOS

Our friends over at Enduro Photos have put together a link that will take you to ALL of our finishers (chronologically ordered) and they are working on identifying each of you based on finish times. You should get a direct email from them, but you can also look at the photos at https://endurophoto.zenfolio.com/f618033449

If you want to download your photo, click on it first, and then click the download icon at the top of the picture. Remember, EVERY download on the site is COMPLETELY FREE and has NO WATERMARK!!!

RESULTS

Want to check out your results? Go to www.BaySwim.com and click the RESULTS tab (now at the top of the menu)

From there, be sure that you select the appropriate category (4.4 mile Wetsuit, 4.4 mile Non-Wetsuit, 1 Mile Wetsuit, 1 Mile Non-Wetsuit) to see where you placed. When you click on your name, you will also see where you can click on a CERTIFICATE link to print (or download) a finish certificate.

Don’t forget to either find you picture at https://endurophoto.zenfolio.com/f618033449 or wait for the email from them.

LITTLE TIDBITS

As is tradition, we wanted to call out our youngest, and oldest, swimmers. Swimming is a lifelong journey, and an activity that is enjoyed by millions, all over the planet, regardless of age.

Thank you to our youngest 1 mile swimmer, at just 9 years old, Laken Alexander!!! Showing us how it’s done at 88 years young, let’s hear it for Robert Benson.

For the 4.4 mile swim, we have an age restriction, allowing for our youngest swimmers to have to be 13 years old. This year, Elizabeth Young was our youngest competitor, just making the cut at 13 years old! And we were excited to see the return of our oldest swimmer (but still young at heart) Martin Wasserman, at 81 years old!

Thank you to all of our swimmers, both young and old, who came out and joined us!

STATS

So, the stats….

4.4 Mile Swim

554 people registered for the swim - (we had over 640, and then people kept bowing out for medical, scheduling, etc)

516 people showed up on race day, ready to play

            380 Wetsuit Swimmers checked in

            136 Non-Wetsuit Swimmers checked in

16 wetsuits swimmers did not finish for various reasons

5 non-wetsuit swimmers did not finish for various reasons

96% of our 4.4 mile swimmers COMPLETED their challenge. CONGRATULATIONS!

1 Mile Bay Challenge

344 people registered for the swim

274 people showed up on race day, ready to play

            148 Wetsuit Swimmers

            126 Non-Wetsuit Swimmers

ALL non-wetsuit swimmers finished

10 wetsuit swimmers did not finish for various reasons

97% of our 1 Mile Swimmers were able to complete their journey this year!!

THANK YOU!

On behalf of the Great Chesapeake Bay Swim team, and our charitable organization, we want to thank each and every one of you, our swimmers, your families/support teams, and all of our amazing volunteers and emergency personnel, for helping us to put on a successful 2023 Great Chesapeake Bay Swim.

We are looking at the tidal flow for Sunday, June 9th, 2024, and need to secure all of the venues with our partners, but you now have the inside track on the projected date. Don’t forget to keep an eye out for that Early Bird Registration information, coming out later this year. Only registrants from this year get that special access to next year.  

Great job everyone! Remember the links are as follows:

RESULTS   https://runsignup.com/Race/Results/91381

PHOTOS   https://endurophoto.zenfolio.com/f618033449

SURVEY   https://forms.gle/2QHpGj8VDU1GvZ5s5           

NEXT CHALLENGE?

4.4 Miles not enough for you? This next challenge will REALLY push your limits.  The OCEAN GAMES (https://www.oceangamesusa.org/) on Saturday, July 15th has a 9 MILE SOLO and 9 MILE RELAY, as well as a 3 MILE SOLO (piece of cake) swim. This swim historical goes from Caroline Street in Ocean City, Maryland, all the way North to the Maryland/Delaware line (course can be flipped if the currents are north to south). Swim parallel to the beach the entire way, under the careful eyes of the Ocean City Beach Patrol. Check it out at www.OceanGamesUSA.org

Proceeds go to the Johns Hopkins Brain and  Stroke Rehabilitation Program.

Have questions you want answered? Want some clarification or just more of an auditory learner and want to hear about the 2023 GCBS? Join Race Director Jason Chance on a Facebook Live Question and Answer session THIS WEDNESDAY at 6:30PM. 

You can follow the link at https://www.facebook.com/events/791367842612787/

We'd love to talk to you and answer any questions you may have? Have something that just can't wait? Reach out to us at info@bayswim.com 

We are blessed to have so many seasoned veterans of the swim that are willing to offer their insight on the swim. From their plan on which side of the bridge to hug, to last minute tips and tricks. These ideas are invaluable to our swimmers and we thank them!

Al Gruber will be attempting his 25th crossing this year, and we will have Tom Matysek on site at Sandy Point State Park to answer any last minute questions too. Please keep in mind that these opinions are just that, opinions. If currents/conditions change, we will try to let you know on race morning. 

Take a moment and look at Al's briefing and don't forget about our FACEBOOK LIVE event tomorrow (Wednesday) at 6:30pm 

When the LIVE is done, we will also be posting on our YouTube Channel, and will be posting that in an email Thursday morning. 

Have a great day! 

(Direct link, in case you want to bookmark the briefing)

https://4f80de45-98c8-4b33-97dd-a2fd47e23647.usrfiles.com/ugd/4f80de_1764d11db7c3472db9d3a41d88b058a9.pdf

Our resident Bay whisperer Tom Matysek, who will also be near the registration table, gives his insights on the 2023 Great Chesapeake Bay Swim. Between Al's insight and Tom's you have some really great info to look at. 

You can also find a direct link to Tom's report at https://4f80de45-98c8-4b33-97dd-a2fd47e23647.usrfiles.com/ugd/4f80de_f4c496f08219495c8b8a6c05f62138e0.pdf

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR SANDY POINT!!!
In speaking with Sandy Point State Park this morning, THE PARK DOES NOT OPEN FOR THE PUBLIC UNTIL 7AM AND THEY HAVE LONG LINES STARTING AT 6AM!!!! This means that if you are a 4.4 Mile swimmer, TAKE THE SHUTTLE!!!!! Your spectator can go over and get in line to get in the park at 7am but YOU should be taken to the Park and Ride shuttle (111 Thompson Creek Rd, Stevensville, MD). 

If parking there is full, go to the Matapeake Elementary/Middle School (671 Romancoke Road) and take one of THOSE SHUTTLES, which will then take you to the Park and Ride, to get on the 4.4 Mile Shuttle. ONLY SWIMMERS CAN TAKE A SHUTTLE TO SANDY POINT!!

Shuttles will be continually making the loop (Matapeake Elem/Middle -> Park and Ride -> Libbey's) until 2pm so if you opt to go to lunch at Libbey's afterward (YUM!!!!) please keep that time in mind. 

The LAST SHUTTLE will leave the Park and Ride for the 4.4 Mile Swimmers at 7am. DON'T BE LATE

Don't forget about our FACEBOOK LIVE event tonight at 6:30pm. The url for that is https://www.facebook.com/events/791367842612787?ref=newsfeed  

If you don't have Facebook, we will be posting the video up on YouTube and it should be available tomorrow (Thursday). 

As always, if you have any questions, please reach out to us at info@bayswim.com 

First off, what we've been building you... and we can't promise them until we test fit them tomorrow. Fingers Crossed

Now for the shuttles....
 

Many folks have questions about the shuttles so I'm going to try to clear things up....

1) Shuttles, for athletes, start at 5am and run until 7am. At 7am, we will make a final run of the shuttles for athletes, before the shuttles take a 30 minute pause. That pause is designed so that, if for any reason, we have to divert all buses over to the Western Shore (Sandy Point State Park) to move the swimmers back (lightning, natural disaster, etc) that we can move them all. 

THIS MEANS THAT ALL SWIMMERS, 4.4 AND 1 MILE, NEED TO BE ON A SHUTTLE BY 7AM!!!!

2) 4.4 Mile Swimmers.... Your designated shuttle will leave from the Park and Ride (111 Thompson Creek Rd). ONLY swimmers will be moved from here, as your shuttles ONLY go to Sandy Point. If you have family/spectators who want to see you at the finish line, you should go down to Matapeake Elementary School and get on a shuttle there, which will then take you to the Park and Ride (where the swimmer should get off and get on their shuttle) and then move over to Libbey's and drop off swimmers and spectators. 

3) The 1 Mile Swimmers, Spectators, and the overflow 4.4 at Matapeake Elementary School (671 Romancoke Road, Stevensville, MD), you should park at the SCHOOL complex (don't make the first left in to the little park area... no rides from there). First park at the Elementary School, then at the Middle School. We have volunteers to help direct you there. 

4) The State Park has gotten a lot of calls from people saying that they would like priority to be bumped to the front of the wait line, or that they are just going to be dropped off and walk in. They are saying that they will stop anyone trying to walk on to the property, and that no one will be moved to the front of the line. Please understand that these are not our rules, and that we have to abide by the State Park rules. We provide you with a shuttle... we suggest you take that shuttle. YOU are the priority to get to the start line and that is the only guaranteed way to do it. Your family/friends, can certainly drop you at the Park and Ride and then go wait in the traffic line (who knows, maybe it will be a short line). I, for one, would not risk my months of training because I wanted to be dropped off.... but that's just me. 

5) Animals on the shuttles.... sorry but they aren't allowed. If I wanted to bring my four legged friend, and there were two of us in the vehicle, I would have them drop me off at the end of the road that went to Libbey's (Pier 1 Rd) and walk Fido down to the start, while the other person went to the shuttle. Again, just letting you know the rules and what I would do. 

I know... I know... You have more questions.... you can reach out to us at info@bayswim.com and ask. Keep in mind we are going to be REALLY busy tomorrow, so not sure if we'll send too many more updates, and I'll try to answer your emails, but not sure how fast that will be. 

Looking forward to seeing each of you on Sunday!!! Get some rest!

Jason and the GCBS Team

Round 3!!! HERE WE GO!!!!!

Congratulations to:
Richard Abbott
John acton
Maxwell Adams
Paula Alcazar
Barbara Allen
Gilles Alliaume
Allan Altera
Frederick Axelgard
WILLIAM AYERS
Matthew Bank
Maggie Bartlett
Thomas Bayly
Matthew Bella
SARAH BELSON
Caroline Benda
Joseph Bergin
Brooke Besche
Regan Billingsley
Sarah Biran
J C Boggs
Ingrid Bon
Yvonne Brach
Franklin Braffett
Matthew Brew
Bodie Breza
Colleen Bruce
Bryn Burkholder
Melissa Burroughs
Catie Caywood
Scott Champagne
Amy Charley
Ann Christensen
Robert Christensen
Peter Clerkin
Tom Clime
Allan Cohen
Rocco Colabella
Bethany Corbett
Bruce Cormack
Andrew Cosgarea
Chris Cotterell
Aileen Craig
Peter Crilly
Andrew Cubbison
Todd Culp
Lynne Czech
Corey Davis
Mary Davis
Michael Davis
Liam Dean
Danielle Devito
Christopher DeZago
Gregory Diven
Jennifer Docherty
Matthew Dolan
Valerie Donohue
Edward Dougherty
Beverly Enochs
Shaady Fakhrai
James Feeney
Colin Fenster
James Finn
Kelly Fletcher
Anderson Folkemer
Scott Forbes
Trevor Foulk
Brian Franco
Dan Frost
Elizabeth Gainer
Michael Gaskill
Matthew Getty
Bill Gildea
Hannah Gordy
Harry Goudy
Paul Grecco
Neil Greenspan
Laura Gretz
Wes Gundacker
Anna Haac
Elizabeth Hackman
Kristen Hall
Grace Hansen
Jenna Harrison-Peters
Michael Hart
Mary Hawkes
Alison Headley
Tony Heimer
Hannah Hicklen
Dan Holden
Matthew Hoover
Robert Hurd
Joe Infantino
Jay Jacobs
Stephanie Jacobs
James Jermyn
Robert Jeter
Brynn Jewell
Andrew Joseph
Andrew Joyner
Eric Kane
John Keefe
Michael Kelley
Brian Kelly
Tom Kerr
Joseph Kilfoyle
Daniel Killinger
Matthew King
DONNA KNUTSON
Céilí Koehr
Céilí Koehr
Colleen Koehr
Kimberly Kramer
Laurel Krause
Mary Kay Krause
Maggie Langford
Michael Lee
Matthew Lesho
Kathleen Leslie
Preston Lewis
Jessica Lituchy
Ye Liu
Ellen Lucey
Cathy Lupfer
Ozlen Luznar
Anthony Lynn
Megan Mackey
Katie Makris
Ben Maphis
Rebecca Martin
Joanne Martonik
Richard Marx
Mary Grace McAlevy
Jeffrey McArthur
Patricia McBride
Thomas McBride
Ryan McCabe
Kathy McCarty
Dana McElhinney
Ryan McGrath
John McLaughlin
Joseph McMullin
Deborah Meany
Parker Meek
Angie Melton
Aurore Menard
Daniele Merlis
John Meyer
JAMES MICHAEL
Doug Milliken
Charles Minesinger
Travis Mohr
Mark Monticino
Duilio Morichi
Jimmy Mudgett III
Joe Munchak
Timmy Murphy
Stephen Nichols
Christina Nuar
Morgan Oehler
Jake Oergel
Katie O'Hara
Keith OReilly
Benjamin Oyerly
Grayson Oyerly
Richard Page
Kimberly Parker
Michael Parry
Alex Pearlman
Brady Phillips
Matthew Pisera
John Putnam
Courtney Reichenbach
Pete Reilly
Emily Reynolds
Kathy Rice
Neely Risal
Jennifer Ross
Jonathan Ruckdeschel
Emily Ruf
James Ruiz
Kristen Rupp
Grant Russell
Michael Ryan
Christian Salas
Andy Sauthoff
Robyn Schaffer
Lee Schinnerer
Bradd Schwichtenberg
Paul Seaton
Gregory Seward
Ryan Shea
Felix Silvagnoli
Alison Simon
John Smirnow
Edward Soltis
Mathew SOLTIS
Monique St. John
Scott Stewart
Ryan Stille
Jonathan Stone
Patrick Stout
Laird Strauss
Zachary Stubblefield
Jay Talbott
Russell Taylor
Chris Thornton
Carre Twardus
Robert Veigle
Anna Vesotsky
Mary Volker
Steven Volkers
Todd Wade
Sam Wallace
Yinghua Wang
Bob Weigel
Gretchen Weinbach
Jim Welkos
Erika Wesch
Kendra White
Andrea Williams
Luke Williams
Martha Williams
Paris Wilson
Sheena Wilson
Cynthia Wish
Kristin Wojnovich
Ryan Wolf
Christian Wood
Leah Wright
Jessica Allison Wynn
Alfie Zarate

Welcome to the Great Chesapeake Bay Swim! Here's what to expect!!
Welcome swimmers to the 2023 Great Chesapeake Bay Swim. You will receive, over the next month, emails from us explaining your day, and what to expect when you get to your swim. For you seasoned Bay Swim professionals, take some time and read these emails too, as many things are changing. 

To start, one major change will be... well.... THE START!

No more "blender" of 300 swimmers fighting for position to get to the bridge. We are introducing a SAFE SWIM START, based on where the industry has moved over the past few years. This means that we will be putting swimmers in the water in small groups, based on ability. So here's how it goes...

There will be TWO lines of swimmers, one for wetsuits, and one with NO wetsuits. Swimmers will seed themselves based on their ability, meaning the fastest swimmers should be putting themselves in the front of the line. There will be pace signs (per 100 yard) on the beach that will help swimmers to seed themselves. 

wimmers will enter the water in groups of 10 swimmers, about every 10 seconds. Once the group of swimmers has entered the water and starts to make progress, the next group of swimmers will enter. This will be controlled by the GCBS staff. We put together a YouTube video (below) to show exactly how this went at the Maryland Freedom Swim event this past weekend. 

Just click the button to go to the video

Swim Start Video
 
We know that there will be questions about the start, so please feel free to reach out to us at info@bayswim.com with all of your inquiries. This new start does NOT affect the first mile cutoff time, which we give you an hour (each subsequent cutoff is 45 minutes). This will be more than enough time to get everyone in the water, with time to spare (at Freedom Swim 300 swimmers entered the water in 6 minutes). 

Keep an eye out for more emails coming out, and the schedule of events will be out THIS FRIDAY (May 19th, 2023) 

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you in June!

Jason Chance and the GCBS Team

We can't wait to see you!!!
We want to thank you for being a part of the 2023 Great Chesapeake Bay Swim 4.4 Mile and 1 Mile Challenge. As a part of our celebration of 30 years of giving back through the Charity, we want to give YOU the gifts!

First gift to you is one that you've been asking us about for YEARS. We are happy to say that we have BRANDED SWIM CAPS this year! Light Blue for the 1 Mile Challengers and Green for the 4.4 Mile swimmers. Now, once you are done, you can show off your accomplishment at your local pool or open water venue!

We want to thank our sponsor, BlueSeventy, for supplying us with these caps, and they will be on hand on race day to celebrate with you.

We are going to be posting our MOST EXCITING announcement tomorrow (Thursday, 5/25/23) at NOON (EST) and should have our Swimmer Guide with timelines posted up on Friday. 

We can't wait to see you all on June 11th, and hope that your training is going well. 

Remember, if you have a friend who wants to swim, there are still openings for the 1 Mile Bay Challenge!! Sent them to www.BaySwim.com or have them email us at info@bayswim.com for more information. 

Who is going to be celebrating our 30th Anniversary Of Giving Back With Us? As a commemoration of your accomplishment, we have MEDALS for our finishers this year!!! Each ribbon of the medal will signify your distance, so whether you compete in the full 4.4 Mile Swim, or the 1 Mile Bay Challenge, you will have an amazing medal to show off!!
Remember, there are still spots available for the 1 Mile Bay Challenge event. Registration can be found at www.BaySwim.com
 
Any questions? Feel free to reach out to us at info@bayswim.com
 
See you soon! And watch for an update tomorrow (FRIDAY) with timelines for race day.

We've had a few questions, from the Swimmers Guide posted yesterday, that we want to make sure that we are 100% clear. 
1 Mile Swimmers. You will catch a shuttle from the Matapeake Schools, and come right over to Libbey's Coastal for your packet pickup and check-in. Your entire day will be spent here, with your start line also being your same finish line (as well as the finish for the 4.4 Mile). 
1 Mile Swimmers, you will be swimming a clockwise triangle, starting in the water (100 people per wave) at Libbey's, and returning right back to Libbey's.  (MAP BELOW)

 
 

4.4 Mile Swimmers.
You will take an appropriately labelled shuttle (4.4 Mile Swimmers) to Sandy Point State Park (your shuttles run from the Park and Ride on Route 8, and from Matapeake Schools). You will pick up your packet over at Sandy Point State Park. THERE ARE NO SPECTATORS ON THIS SHUTTLE. Should a spectator want to see you at the start, they will need to drive there themselves (and pay the fee). If you want to risk not getting in to the park on time, and riding in to the park with someone else, you can, but we won't be holding up the start for you if you are late.... fair warning. 
Any additional questions? Reach out to us at info@bayswim.com 
 

Did you know that we have a dedicated group of volunteers who pour through all of the results from past years and post them up on the Bay Swim Archives page for all to look at. That website is http://bayswim.awardspace.info/index.html

One of the special things that we do is to award LONGEVITY AWARDS to our swimmers, starting at 10 years and going every 5 years after that. 

We want to invite everyone to check the list below and let us know if we've missed you in our count. We want to make sure that we acknowledge EVERYONE who has continued to swim with us. When you look at these names, please keep in mind that the ONE odd year that we had to swim a shortened course due to weather, STILL COUNTS as a crossing that year. 

You can see this list online at http://bayswim.awardspace.info/awards.html

Check out the Bay Swim Archives button at the top of this email to see all of the great data! 

If you believe you should be on the list below, and you are not, please send an email directly to info@bayswim.com so that we can get you on there. 

Here's the list for 2023:

1 swimmer eligible for the 35-Completion Award:
 #                    Name (Sex, Age on 12JUN22, City, State) YEAR of latest completion
34              MAUREEN ROHRS (F, 66, SEVERNA PARK, MD) 2022

5 swimmers are eligible for the 30-Completion Award:
 #                    Name (Sex, Age on 12JUN22, City, State) YEAR of latest completion
29              Robert A. Axelrod (M, 74, Washington, DC) 2019
29              ANDY COURTNEY (M, 59, CAMP HILL, PA) 2022
29              Michael J. Doyle (M, 64, Pennsauken, NJ) 2016
29              TOM GRUBB (M, 66, INDIANAPOLIS, IN) 2022
29              KRIS RUTFORD (M, 62, LINCOLN, NE) 2022

6 swimmers are eligible for the 25-Completion Award:
 #                    Name (Sex, Age on 12JUN22, City, State) YEAR of latest completion
24              PAUL BRABSON (M, 61, BOONSBORO, MD) 2022
24              David H. English (M, 71, Philadelphia, PA) 2019
24              FRANK FALLON (M, 66, ROCKVILLE, MD) 2022
24              AL GRUBER (M, 66, ANNAPOLIS, MD) 2022
24              ROSE KEHOE (F, 55, ARLINGTON, VA) 2022
24              MARTIN WASSERMAN (M, 80, ELLICOTT CITY, MD)

6 swimmers are eligible for the 20-Completion Award:
 #                    Name (Sex, Age on 12JUN22, City, State) YEAR of latest completion
19              Michael F. Boyle (M, 70, Potomac, MD) 2015
19              ANDY COSGAREA (M, 61, OWINGS MILLS, MD) 2022
19              MATTHEW MARCY (M, 54, BLUEMONT, VA) 2022
19              THOMAS MCCOMAS (M, 60, LUTHERVILLE, MO, MD) 2022
19              WILLIAM REYNOLDS (M, 56, SEVERNA PARK, MD)
19              STUART ROBERTS (M, 62, HOLLIDAYSBURG, PA) 2022

18 swimmers are eligible for the 15-Completion Award:
 #                    Name (Sex, Age on 12JUN22, City, State) YEAR of latest completion
14              ALAN ARNOLD (M, 70, COLUMBIA, MD) 2022
14              William Carnes (M, 69, Towson, MD) 2009
14              Bill Conroy (M, 78, Crofton, MD) 2009
14              DAVID FARROW (M, 65, GAITHERSBURG, MD) 2022
14              Paul A. Fetters (M, 68, Falls Church, VA) 2011
14              DAVID FILBECK (M, 48, BETHESDA, MD) 2022
14              David J. Glen (M, 70, Silver Spring, MD) 2010
14              Gary Hartnett (M, 49, Matthews, NC) 2019
14              SUSAN KASIMER (F, 40, MC LEAN, VA) 2022
14              Russell J. Kominski (M, 48, Valrico, FL) 2018
14              John C. Mason (M, 71, Bowie, MD) 2001
14              JAMES MCFEETERS (M, 64, SILVER SPRING, MD) 2022
14              STEVE MUCHOW (M, 52, BEL AIR, MD) 2022
14              Edward M. Pierce (M, 60, Leesburg, VA) 2014
14              CHARLES POTTERTON (M, 46, SALISBURY, MD) 2022
14              BILL SHIPP (M, 62, BOWIE, MD) 2022
14              DAVID SPEIER (M, 66, BISHOPVILLE, MD) 2022
14              David Paltrineri (M, 60, Middletown, DE) 2022

28 swimmers are eligible for the 10-Completion Award:
 #                    Name (Sex, Age on 12JUN22, City, State) YEAR of latest completion
9               ROBERT ACKERMAN (M, 53, CROZET, VA) 2022
9               MAXWELL ADAMS (M, 52, LANCASTER, PA) 2022
9               Delwin Brockett (M, 60, Gaithersburg, MD) 2017
9               Edward D. Brown (M, 69, Wayne, PA) 1999
9               Michael Caulfield (M, 55, Ellicott City, MD) 2014
9               CURTIS CAYWOOD (M, 63, SEBASTIAN, FL) 2022
9               Peter Deweese (M, 43, Burke, VA) 2015
9               Richard W. (Butch) Diemer (M, 81, Boulder, CO) 2016
9               MATT DURANTE (M, 47, BEL AIR, MD) 2022
9               James P. Earls (M, 60, Fairfax Station, VA) 2019
9               BRYAN GOMES (M, 51, CROWNSVILLE, MD) 2022
9               Todd A. Hetzer (M, 50, New Freedom, PA) 2018
9               James L. Hogan (M, 72, New Market, MD) 2000
9               Timothy Hooper (M, 56, Harwood, MD) 2010
9               Katherine Lemos (F, 54, San Diego, CA) 2018
9               Scott Lewis (M, 59, Gettysburg, PA) 2008
9               DANIEL MARTONIK (M, 41, HARRISONBURG, VA) 2022
9               JOHN MCLAUGHLIN (M, 64, ANNAPOLIS, MD) 2022
9               Michael S. Murphy (M, 63, Baltimore, MD) 2005
9               Brady Phillips (M, 54, Washington, DC) 2018
9               Judy Ramirez (F, 64, Toms River, NJ) 2019
9               Alvin Richardson (M, 71, Newport News, VA) 2022
9               Joseph N. Russell (M, 70, Falls Church, VA) 2000
9               PAT RYAN (M, 63, HENRICO, VA) 2022
9               Charles Schmitz (M, 64, Baltimore, MD) 2018
9               Arjay West (M, 56, Arlington, VA) 2015
9               Chris Westergard (M, 63, Annapolis, MD) 2018
9               Marion Wyatt (F, 73, Brockville, ON CN) 2008

1) What is a lottery?      The lottery system lets us know who is interested in swimming the 2023 Great Chesapeake Bay Swim, being held on June 11th, 2023 at 8am. It says that you WANT to be able to swim, and from that pool or interested parties, 650 of you will be chosen to swim with us. 

2) Will I receive a refund from the lottery if not chosen?  Your credit card information is held by our financial company, but is NOT charged until you are selected for the lottery. Therefore, if you aren't selected, you aren't charged.

3) What if I change my mind about being in the lottery? You can put your name in for the lottery, and when we choose, you will have 10 days to decide if you want to accept, or decline. If you decline, you will be put back in the lottery.  Once you are selected, there will be no ability to refund or defer, and your entry would become a donation to one of our charity partners. 

4) I was a charitable contributor but had already registered for the lottery. What do I do? Send us an email and we will remove you from the lottery so that you can claim your charitable contributor (early bird) spot. 

5) I swam the Bay Swim last year.. do i need to do another qualification? You can use your 2022 BaySwim as your certification swim. Just let us know. 

6) When do I have to have a qualifying swim done? We are extending the final date to Sunday, May 14th, at noon. All verification must be submitted by that date/time. 

7) I have another question. Can you help?  We would love to help you out. Just send us an email to info@bayswim.com and we will get back with you ASAP!

4.4 mile wetsuit 

4.4 non wetsuit 

1 mile non wetsuit 

1 mile wetsuit 

Please keep in mind, there is NO PARKING at Libbey's Coastal Kitchen (357 Pier 1 Road, Stevensville, MD). We will have staff and volunteers at the entrance to all lots, and if you are there to spectate or participate, you will be redirected to one of the parking areas. 

Because of this, we invite you to bring all of the necessary (key word... necessary) clothes that you will need for the finish of the event. We will be supplying drop bags to place your personal items in and, for our 4.4 mile swimmers, these will be brought over to the finish line. For our 1 mile swimmers, you will be able to place your bag in the appropriately marked area as well, for after the swim. 

SHUTTLE BUSES START AT 6:30AM!!! 

PARKING AREA 1 - STEVENSVILLE PARK AND RIDE (on Thompson Creek Rd)

     **Please note that this parking area is ONLY for 4.4 mile swimmers. This shuttle will be going directly from this lot to the Sandy Point State Park. NO                       

         SPECTATORS will be allowed on this shuttle.**

PARKING AREA 2 - KENT ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL (900 Love Point Road, Stevensville, MD)

     NEW this year! We will be using the larger parking area at Kent Island High School this year, for ALL additional parking. This means:

• 4.4 Mile Swimmers who did not find a spot at the Park and Ride (Location 1)
• ALL 1 Mile Swimmers
• ALL Spectators wishing to go to the finish line area, and cheer on their swimmer

There will be signs, designating which shuttles are going to Sandy Point State Park (ATHLETES ONLY) and which is going to the 1 Mile Start/Finish (which is also the 4.4 mile finish) which both ATHLETES and SPECTATORS should go on. 

A few questions...

1) Can I just have my person take me over to the start line, for the 4.4 mile swim, at Sandy Point State Park?

• Yes, if you feel lucky.... The only guaranteed way to make sure that you are at Sandy Point on time, is to take a shuttle. We have a bypass line for our shuttles to get into Sandy Point State Park, no matter how many cars are in line. That luxury is NOT extended to any other vehicles. Our suggestion, have your person drop you off at a shuttle location, and then they can drive over to Sandy Point and hopefully get in. 

2) Can my spectator take the shuttle over to the 4.4 mile start with me, and catch a ride back?

• No, they cannot. There are no spectators allowed on the 4.4 mile shuttles. 

3) How will my person get to the finish line to see me?

• Your person needs to take one of the 1 Mile Swim shuttles, and they will see you at the finish. 

4) I have a 4 legged friend that wants to "see" me finish. How do they get there?

• Our suggestion is that you leave your 4 legged friends home for the event. If that is not a possibility, then some folks parked at the Park and Ride last year, and walked over to the finish line. If they do this, BE CAREFUL. 

 5) How do we get back to our cars?

• As soon as we are able to start, we will be having the shuttles start a continuous loop, from Libbeys, to the Park and Ride, to the High School, and back. This will ensure that EVERYONE gets back to their cars. 

To maintain the safety of our swimmers, as well as our volunteers, there are strict swim time cutoffs that must be maintained for the event to happen. 

The start of the 4.4 mile swim, in 2023, will be at 8:00am, from Sandy Point State Park. This means a slightly earlier morning that 2022 but also calmer currents and winds (fingers crossed). 

With an 8am start time (estimated) the following cutoffs will be enforced. 

Mile 1 - All swimmers must reach the Mile 1 buoy by 9:00am

Mile 2 - All swimmers must reach the Mile 2 buoy by 9:45am

Mile 3 - All swimmers must reach the Mile 3 buoy by 10:30am

Mile 4 - All swimmers must reach the Mile 4 buoy by 11:15am

COMPLETION - All 4.4 mile swimmers must be done by 11:45am 

If a swimmer cannot make the cutoff, they will be escorted from between the buoys to a boat, which will bring them in to the finish line. We will account for your bib number, and remove your timing chip, so that we can account for you. Please do not resist being removed from the water, as you could be in danger of other motorized vessels and will be removed by law enforcement. 

These times are subject to change, based on the official start time of the event (should we be delayed). 

CURRENT WATER TEMPERATURE READINGS     https://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=44063

NOAA TO  HELP PLAN SAFE CHESAPEAKE BAY SWIM 

Participants in the annual Great Chesapeake Bay Swim will get help from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration again this year. The Commerce Department agency will use high-tech hardware to set a start time which avoids dangerous currents that have plagued swimmers in past years. The event has previously drawn hundreds of participants who endeavor to swim 4.4 miles from Sandy Point State Park to Kent Island on the Eastern Shore. 

In 1992, swimmers encountered strong currents and scores had to be plucked from the bay. Only 48 out of 331 entrants finished. In 1991, 720  swimmers out of 884 had to be taken from the water by rescue boats. Because the predicted low tide does not necessarily coincide with the time that currents are weakest, and because high winds can substantially affect the water surface, the intensity of currents and even timing of the tides, NOAA experts will gather information on weather and current speed in the days immediately before and during the swim. 

NOAA’s coastal and estuarine oceanography branch will use a device called an acoustic Doppler current profiler. The instrument, mounted on a small catamaran and towed behind a research vessel, is used to measure speed and direction of current from the water surface to the bottom. This information can show where the strongest currents will occur during the race. In early June, NOAA tide experts, with help from the Maryland Geological Survey, will use the profiler to measure currents from one side of the bay to the other at the race course. 

The day before the race NOAA will make similar measurements to verify its earlier reading. NOAA’S National Weather Service will forecast wind, waves, and local weather on race day using a Doppler radar system. The measurements will be made in cooperation with Bay Bridge Aviation, WBAL-TV and Automated Weather Service Company. 

The NOAA Chesapeake Bay office in Annapolis, Maryland, which organized the agency’s assistance in the swim, will have a booth set up at the finish line to distribute information about the bay’s tides, weather, and currents, and efforts to restore the bay. Up-to-date wind and weather information can be obtained from these National Weather Service forecast offices: Marine forecast: Weather information from Baltimore Harbor to the Patuxent River, (703) 260-0505. D.C. Metropolitan area: Local and extended forecast, including the Chesapeake Bay, (703) 260-0305. 

NOAA Predicting the Tidal Currents for a Safer Swim 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is helping the hundreds of participants in the Great Chesapeake Bay Swim. When the starting gun goes off, hundreds of swimmers can feel safer, knowing that NOAA has provided a comprehensive forecast of weather, water temperature, tides and currents to assist in setting the optimum starting time for the swim. 

The event has previously drawn swimmers from across the country who endeavor to cross the 4.4 mile stretch. In 1993, NOAA became involved in the Great Chesapeake Bay Swim by providing accurate tidal current velocity data along with up-to-date weather forecasts to aid the race organizers in establishing a safe time. With the aid of this new information, 504 of 521 swimmers finished the race. In 1994, results were similar with all but five swimmers completing the strenuous swim. 

NOAA’s efforts will be coordinated by its local Chesapeake Bay office in Annapolis, Maryland. In the past, NOAA’s Coastal and Estuarine Oceanography Branch, in addition to providing tidal current predictions, has used their towed Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) to measure surface currents in real time across the entire Bay. The ADCP computes current velocities throughout the water column by measuring the Doppler shift of a sound transmission. Sound scatters in water due to plankton, sediment, and other particles reflecting the sound back to the ADCP in the form a “backscattered” echo. The ADCP can measure currents in the velocity range of 0 to 5 knots and has a long -term theoretical accuracy of 0.01 knots. This year velocity data will be collected using the University of Maryland – CEES current profiler. 

The data gathered from this device, and from NOAA tide gauges during the first few years of NOAA’s involvement will allow oceanographers to make comparisons between predicted currents and observed, real time conditions. Predicted current velocities, supplemented with weather information, will allow the swimmers to take to the water with a good, strong ebb tide (1.0 knots maximum), continue through the slack and end early into a relatively weak flood (0.6 knots). 

If there happens to be strong wind or heavy rain before and during the race, the currents could be stronger. NOAA’s  National Weather Service will be on hand with a direct connection to the forecast office in Sterling, Virginia, to keep tabs on any changes in race time conditions. With all of this information, the start time will be adjusted (within logistical constraints) by the race organizers to minimize the effects of the currents and to make the swimmer’s passage across the Bay as safe and rewarding an experience as possible. 

Chesapeake Bay Tidal Changes 

The primary force causing tides in the Chesapeake Bay is the progression of the tide through the southern entrance from the Atlantic Ocean. A secondary source in the upper Bay is through the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal from ocean tides which have progressed through Delaware Bay. The modification of the characteristics of the ocean tide that take place in the Bay are dependent on the width, depth, and configuration of the estuarine basins and tributaries. 

The Chesapeake Bay is fairly unique because it is long enough to contain one complete wave length of the dominant semidiurnal tide: i.e., when one high tide is reaching the head of the Bay near Havre de Grace, the next high tide is just entering the Bay near the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. The mean range of tide (the elevation difference between high water and low water) in the Bay varies from 2.8 feet at the Atlantic Ocean entrance, slowly decreasing to 1.0 foot near Annapolis, and then increasing to nearly 2.0 feet near Town Point, Maryland. 

An interesting feature of the tide in mid-Bay is that the range of the tide is generally higher on the Eastern Shore than the Western Shore. For example, the range of the tide at Smith Point (mother of the Potomac River) is around 1.0 foot while the range across the Bay in Tangier Sound is around 1.2 feet. The ranges of tide in the tributaries on the western and eastern sides of the Bay show significant increases proceeding up the rivers. For instance, in the Potomac River, the range of tide near the entrance is just about 1.0 foot, while the range of tide at Washington, D.C. is just over 2.6 feet. 

The average speeds of maximum flood and maximum ebb currents show similar distribution with the highest average speeds of less than 0.5 knots in the mid-Bay from Windmill Point up to Bloody Point Light. The average speeds are then between 0.5 and 1.0 knots up to the head of the Bay. 

There are two kinds of tidal cycles in the Bay. In the southern Bay and in Tangier Sound, the tides and tidal currents are semidiurnal, while in the central and northern Bay, they are classified as mixed. Semidiurnal tides generally have two high and two low waters each day. Diurnal tides generally have one high and one low per day. 

Mixed tides are a combination of semidiurnal and diurnal tide types. A characteristic of mixed tides is that on days when two high waters and two low waters occur, the two high tides and the two low tides will be of unequal height. The tides and tidal currents in the Bay described above can be significantly modified by the effects of local and large  scale meteorological patterns. These effects include strength and duration of wind speed and direction, barometric pressure changes, and river runoff. 

The tides in the Bay are highly susceptible to modification because the Bay is generally shallow and the tides and the tidal current are very weak. The effect on the tides is highly dependent on the direction of the winds relative to the orientation of the basin, and the scale of the meteorological event. For instance, a local squall line might have dramatic local effects on the tide for a short duration, while a large scale East coast storm affects the entire Bay for several days, especially with added effects of river runoff from the tributaries. However, the characteristics of the Bay are such that even relatively frequent meteorological patterns and associated changes can significantly affect the tides. 

Tides, Wind, and Currents 

The word “tides” is a generic term used to define the alternating rise and fall in sea level with respect to the land, produced by the gravitational attraction of the moon and the sun. The term tide correctly refers only to a relatively short period, astronomically-induced change in the height of the sea surface: the expression tidal currents relates to accompanying periodic horizontal movements of the ocean water, both near the coast and offshore (but distinct from the continuous, stream flow type of ocean current.) 

These astronomically driven tidal waves which move up and down the Chesapeake Bay are easily predicted. Tide tables contain these predictions and are essential tools for marine navigation, fishing, and other water-dependent activities. Additional non-astronomical factors, such as the configuration of the coast line, local depth of the water, bathymetry, and other hydrographic and meteorological influences play an important role in altering the range interval between high and low water, and the times and arrival of the tides. 

The meteorological influence, in particular, may skew tidal predictions since weather events are not predictable over long periods of time and cannot be accounted for in tidal predictions. It is not uncommon for actual tides to differ from published tide tables. NOAA is making real time water level data available by phone through Tides ABC, a computer program that provides users with access to real-time information. High tides are produced in the ocean waters by the “heaping” action resulting from the horizontal flow of water toward two regions of the earth representing the positions of maximum attraction of the combined lunar and solar gravitational forces. Low tides are created by a compensating maximum withdrawal of water from regions around the earth midway between these two tidal humps. 

The alternation of high and low tides is caused by the daily (or diurnal) rotation of the solid body of the earth with  respect to these two tidal humps and two tidal depressions. The tidal force produced by the moon’s gravitational attraction is accompanied by a tidal force of considerably smaller amplitude produced by the sun. The position of this  tidal force shifts with the relative orbital position of the earth in respect to the sun. Because of the great differences between the average distance of the moon (238,555 miles) and sun (92,900,000 miles) from the earth, the tide raising force of the moon is approximately 2.5 times that of the sun. 

The gravitational attractions (and resultant tidal forces) produced by the moon and sun reinforce each other at times of new and full moon to increase the range of tides, and counteract each other at first and third quarters to reduce tidal range. When the moon is at new phase and full phase (both positions called syzygy), the gravitational attractions of the moon and the sun reinforce each other. Since the resultant or combined tidal force is also increased, the observed high tides and higher and low tides are lower than average. This means that the tidal range is greater at all locations which display a consecutive high and low water. Such greater-than-average tides resulting at the syzygy positions of the moon are known as spring tides, a term which merely implies a “welling-up” of the water and bears no relationship to the season of the year. 

At the first and third quarter phases (quadrature) of the moon, the gravitational attractions of the moon and sun upon the waters of the earth are exerted at right angles to each other. Each force tends in part to counteract the other. High tides are lower and low tides are higher than average. Such tides of diminished range are called “neap tides,”  from a Greek word meaning “scanty.” The inflowing, or high tides, are also called “flood tides,” while the outgoing, or low tides are called “ebb tides.” 

The movement of the sun and moon are known so we can predict the tides and rely on those predictions in the oceans, but other factors are necessary to consider when predicting the tides of estuaries. The shape of the estuary’s  shoreline and bottom can have a dramatic effect on tides. The opening of an estuary is narrow and restricts movement in and out. Weather can also have a dramatic effect on tidal predictions, particularly in a broad, shallow estuary such as the Chesapeake Bay. “Storm surges,” caused by low barometric pressures, often accompanied by a continuous strong flow of winds either onshore or offshore, may superimpose their effects upon tides to cause either heightened or diminished tides, respectively. 

High pressure atmospheric systems may also depress the tides. The National Ocean Service, a component of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, maintains a continuous control network of approximately 140 tide gauges, 12 in the Chesapeake Bay, for use in recording and predicting tides.

We have been getting a lot of questions, and many of them the same, so we are going to answer many of them right here, but we wanted to give the opportunity to ask questions LIVE on YouTube this Thursday at 7pm. Race Director Jason Chance will be online to take your questions and talk you through the day for both the 1 Mile and 4.4 Mile Swims.
 
For now, here are the top 10 questions we have been asked:
 
 
 
Where are the shuttles picking us up?
 
The shuttles will mainly be picking up at the Kent Island High School and they will have placards/signs in the windows, with where they are going.
 
1 Mile Swimmers and all spectators will go on one of the buses and ONLY 4.4 Mile Swimmers (sorry, no spectators on the shuttle or it's a long walk back for you) will go on the other bus.
 
Dogs are NOT allowed on the buses, so if your spectator has a furry companion, they should be dropped off near the roadway close to Libbey's Coastal Kitchen, and walk to the finish area.
 
Where does the 1 Mile Swim happen?
 
The 1 mile swim both starts and finishes at the lawn of Libbey's Coastal Kitchen on the Eastern Shore.
 
I don't want to swim the 4.4 any longer. Can I switch down?
 
Yes, no problem. Let us know please, but please note that we can't guarantee a shirt (since they are different between the 1 mile and 4.4)
 
Can I be dropped off over at Sandy Point by a spectator?
 
The only way to be guaranteed entry to Sandy Point is through our shuttle. The only other way (which is brand new) is through the State Reservation System. You can find information on that at https://www.parkdayuse.maryland.gov/ Please be aware this isn't our system, so if you have questions, we can't help
 
Will there be food/water/anything out on the 4.4 mile swim?
 
There are water boats at Mile 2 and Mile 3. We do not recommend relying on those, as they are going to be anchored, with no motors in the water, and will be in the center of the channel, so if you are hugging one side or the other, you probably won't even see them. (We've heard stories from people who have swam 10 times and never seen the boat).
 
These boats will have water and Gatorade. We recommend tucking a gel or some kind of nutrition in your sleeve of your wetsuit, swim rescue buoy, or any other place that we certainly don't want to know about, if you require food.
 
We see that you have 70+ as your final age group? What about us super-ultra-mega masters swimmers?
 
Rest assured, we actually move the age groups based on who the most senior (see, wasn't that nice?) swimmer is. So if we have someone 82 years old, then we will move our age groups up to 80+, meaning that we will have a 70-74 and 75-59 too
 
What is the water temperature?
 
Check https://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=44063 because when you ask me, that's where I look (right now it is about 70 degrees)
 
Should I wear a wetsuit?
 
For some reason I'm getting this a lot this year. And that is going to 100% be a personal preference.
 
But I signed up to wear/not wear a wetsuit, can I change?
 
Absolutely you can, all the way up to when you check in. No need to bombard me with "I want to change" emails. EVERY swimmer will be asked their category when they sign in.
 
I have so many questions. Where can I get them answered?
 
First and foremost, read your Swimmer Guide. That is at www.BaySwim.com
 
Send an email to info@bayswim.com
 
Tune in and ask questions on our YouTube Live on Thursday at 7pm (https://youtube.com/live/lR76g8RHRKs?feature=share)

Maxwell Adams
Sarah Alexander
Brian Alleva
Dominic Alleva
Gilles Alliaume
Erik Andersen
Charlotte Ashton
Julie Azzam
Michael Bader
Gini Bailey
Bruce Bastian
Colleen Bastian
Rachael Battin
Harry Beckwith
Gregory Bellware
Edward Bispham
Mark Booth
Mitchell Bottini
Erin Bougie
Julian Brock
Stephen Burger
Melissa Burroughs
Pete Buryk
Amy Byrd
Katherine Byrd
Rebecca Byrd
Segundo Calonje
Brigette Carhart
Maria Cariaso-Long
Mathias Chamberlain
Amy Charley
Monica Churm
Anthony Cino
Patricia Colabucci
Riley Collins
Bruce Cormack
Brian Corona
Malcolm Cosgrove-Davies
Alyssa Cowden
Danielle Coyne
Robert Coyne
Alexander Crego
Stephen Cress
Peter Crilly
Ambes Debretsion
Christophe Delcroix
Andrew Demarest
Jeanie Denison
Andrew DiBari
Maree Dieterich
Griffin Diven
Meira Doherty
Ramon Dominguez
Josh Dorfzaun
Justin Doty
Edward Dougherty
Caitlin Duckwall
Julie Dukes
Tryn Dunne
Matt Durante
Kendall Eby
Jennifer Eckhoff
Ryan Elder
Graham Ellis
Kara Erskine
Margaret Eshenour
William Faries
William Ferguson
Ian Fessler
Lindsey Fox
Andrew Fraser
Sam Gailbreath
Guillermo Garcia
Olsen Garland
Sara Gebhardt
Grace Giitter
Joseph Giitter
Meg Giitter
Nathan Goldstein
Jamie Greci
Juan Julio GUTIERREZ
David Hawkes
Alison Headley
Tony Heimer
Katie Hershey
Jake Hillibush
Riley Hope
Joanne Hopkins
Grady HOUGH
Jonathan Howard
Doug Irminger
Stephanie Jacobs
Michael Jensen
Andrew Johnson
Aaron Jones
Sarah Jurczyk
Elizabeth Kantor
KIAN KARIMI
Tamara Kauder
Colin Kenny
Casey Kenton
Lori Ann Kline
Matt Kowalewski
Eric Laing
Bart Lane
Emily Lane
Meghan Lang
Zachary Laris
Elizabeth Leaderman
Michelle Lee
Luke Leibolt
Nick Leischow
Greg Lemek
Alfred Levinson
Ralph Levy
Jessica Lituchy
Johannah Litwin
Scott Lowry
Kevin Mackenzie
Tia Maggini
Ezra Martin
Richard Marx
John Matulevich
Erin McDonald
John McFarland
Bernie McLafferty
Samantha McManus
Dan Messmer
Tim Methric
JAMES MICHAEL
Therese Mills
Joel Monza
James Moore
Caitlin Morrell
Bruce Morse-Ellington
Jennifer Moynihan
Isa Muqattash
Kaitlyn Murphy
Kevin Murphy
D Nielsen
Mallory O'Connor
Dipa Patel
Dolan Plummer
Erford Porter
Kimberly Price
Gregory Prokopowicz
Francisco Ralston Fonseca
BT Rappaport
Lauren Rhim
Donna Rhoads
Desiree Riccardelli
Bridget Riley
Courtney Roberts
Richard Roden
Stephan Rodiger
Timothy Rooney
Jennifer Ross
Samanthia Rousos
Dave Ruf
Colleen Sabatino
Samuel Schoch
Eric Severin
Marc Severin
Gregory Seward
Mikala Shremshock
Daniel Shub
Ashley Silberhorn
Anthony Simonetta
Jeffrey Smith
Lauren Smith
Michelle Smith
Dawn Smyers
John Snyder
Zachary Sprenkle
Austin St John
Alyssa Starman
Maebelle Stern
Jennifer Stetson
Timothy Takacs
Joe Taylor
Paul Thayer
Sophie Thomas
Lauren Thompson
Taylor Thorson
Boyd Tomasetti
Kari Vander Stoep
Eric Villeneuve
Catherine Wallace
Tim Walsh
Harley Weigle
Kevin Weisser
Brady Welch
Alex Wetzler
Noah Wichrowski
Ciara Willett
Katherine Williams
Gabriella Winig
Kristin Wojnovich
Michael Womack
Scott Womer
Elizabeth Young

Round 2... BEGIN!!!!

Congratulations to the swimmers chosen in Round 2. You should have received an email a few moments ago with instructions on how to claim your spot. Decisions must be made by December 31st so that we can make our FINAL round on January 1st. 

Congratulations to:

Richard Abbott
Oliver Abbott
Brian Alleva
Gilles Alliaume
Allan Altera
Ryan Altera
Michael Amberman
Kari Andreasen
Peter Anthes
Christopher Arena
Colin Ault
John Avallone
Colin Belgrave
James Bell
Matthew Bella
Sarah Belson
Evan Benke
Jeffrey Benner
Margaret Bergamini
Sarah Biran
Mark Booth
James Borger
Patricia Bowditch
Andrew Bower
Peter Bowman
Kirra Brandon
Barbara Brawn
Stephen Burger
Melissa Burroughs
Taylor Callicrate
Charles Campbell
Chris Carlson
Mathias Chamberlain
Scott Champagne
Alexander Chororos
Connor Clayton
Abby Cohen
Alex Condrell
Jennifer Connor
Troy Conran
Mary Kate Cook
Adam Coon
Josey Coviello
Jackie Coyne
Gaylene Crisafulli
Diana Davis
Sean DeFeo
David Deitch
Edward DeJesus
Jeanie Denison
Rachel DeTone
Thomas Dodd
Christy Donley
Robert Duffy
Sara Edwards
Sarah Eikrem
Caroline Estrada
Frank Ferraro
John Fitzsimmons
Nathaniel Folkemer
CJ Fox
VICTOR GALLO
Guillermo Garcia
Chris Gellene
Lara Goldmark
Anna Goodman
Jim Gorske
Harry Goudy
Juan Julio GUTIERREZ
Andrew Hamer
GRACE HANSEN
Jessica Harkcom
Gary Hartnett
Marc Hartstein
Lauren Hasselquist
Kelly Hasselquist
Joshua Hayes
Alison Headley
Hans Hesse
Alan Hoberg
Linda Hoke
Charlotte Hollings
Joanne Hopkins
Michael Houston
George Humbert
Carly Hunt
Lynn Introcaso
Jay Jacobs
Ian Jarvis
Nikolai Jenkins
Michael Jensen
Ian Jenstrom
Andrew Johnson
Caitlyn Johnson
Jamie Johnson
Austin Johnstone
Robert Jones
David Kaizer
Eric Kane
Brian Kelly
David Koenig
Kayle Krieg
Reed Kroncke
Keith Kwiatek
Elizabeth Landretti
Cody Larrimore
Annelies Layton
Greg Lemek
Ted Lemieux
Danielle Lestage
Katie Levine
Michael Lucci
Brian Mailloux
Katherine Malinski
Elizabeth Mao
Laura Marquez
Richard Marx
Ryan McCabe
Ryan McCann
Mary Beth McGann
Bernie McLafferty
Samantha McManus
Alex McNally
Margaret Mead
Ingrid Mercer
Chad Merrill
Mark Milleker
Paula Miller
Zach Mitchell
Ryan Mitcheltree
Travis Mohr
Steven Muchow
John Nolan
Connor Nye
Kimberly O'Brien
Sheridan O'Connor
Matt Otto
Meghan Papineau
Charles Paquette
Keith Peterson
Gailynn Petry
Mitch Phillips
Joshua Piccoli
Mark Plett
Luke Plummer
William Pond
Hunter Proctor
Julian Rager
Francisco Ralston Fonseca
Cameron Rathbun
Timothy Reason
Kevin Reed
Mary Reisenwitz
Heidi Remick
Kathy Rice
Brooke Riester
Michele Riley
Courtney Roberts
David Rodriguez
Kimmy Rohrs
Edward Rossi
Patrick Ryan
Jennifer Ryniewicz
GABRIELA SALAZAR
Samuel Schoch
Bradd Schwichtenberg
Kevin Sherman
Jackie Shrader
Daniel Shub
Charles Sicotte
Mo Siegel
Natalie Smith
Caeden Smith
Dawn Smyers
Joanne Sonberg
Matthew Sonne
David Speier
Austin St John
Zach Steinberg
Benjamin Sternberg
Jennifer Stetson
Jacob Stevens
Susan Stock
Gregory Tokarsky
Stephen Tosini
William Tyson
Sergey Urazov
Kendall Van pool
Adam Vann
Juri von Bonsdorff
Joe Weinstein
Kevin Weisser
Jim Welkos
Noah Wichrowski
John Williams
Katherine Williams
Greg Wolf
Michael Womack
herbey zepeda

If your name is on this list, then congratulations on being selected in Round 1 of the lottery. You will receive an email tonight (already went out) with a Google Form link to complete by Dec 15th, 2025 at noon. This Google Form gives you the ability to:
1) Accept your entry
2) Decline your entry from Round 1 but be put in for later rounds
3) Decline your entry from Round 1 and remove yourself from the lottery.
IF you are holding out, waiting to see if one of your friends gets in (or a family member) please go ahead and accept your entry, and hopefully they can join you
If we don't hear from you by December 15th at noon, via that Google Form, then we will put you back in for another round.
That listing of lucky swimmers is:
Christopher Adams
Michael Amberman
Lisa Anderson
Lauren Baguley
Joe Bakel
Erin Barket
Jeffrey Boteler
Paul Breza
Colleen Bruce
Grant Burgess
Andrew Campbell
Debbie Campbell
Katie Campbell
Catie Caywood
Peter Clerkin
Joanna Crosby
Kevin Dai
William Davis
Maree Dieterich
Gregory Diven
Thomas Dolan
Patrick Donahue
Jon Ericson
Grace Evans
Julianna Falzon
Erik Franklin
Meghan Fugate
David Gassert
Jim Gorske
David Graumann
Brian Guarraci
Kerensa Hadley
Josiah Halasz
Andrew Hamer
Mark Hannan
David Hawkes
JP Hechter
Erik Hendrickson
Maggie Hendrickson
Angela Herb
Churchill Hooff
Lainey Hooff
Katie Horvath
Boyang Huang
Bowen Hunt
Elizabeth Karn
Rose Kehoe
Adam Klinger
Jonathan Lang
Aliyah Majeed-Hall
John Malloy
Katherine McComas
Rob McGuckin
Daniele Merlis
Olivia Miller
Travis Mohr
James Moore
Duilio Morichi
Paul Morrissey
Hope Mao Oehler
Katie O'Hara
Molly ORourke
Jay Owen
Katie Palavecino
Woody Parsons
Jane Paul
Courtney Paulk
Christena Pazos
Donna Pierce
Rachel Pumphrey
Gabi Redford
Kevin Reed
Peter Reifenrath
Patrick Retallack
Ellie Ridgeway
Sarah Rogstad
Holly Sackett
Lorelei Schmidt
Kevin Scott
Chip Shand
Peter Shauger
Bill Shipp
Amy Shopkorn
Troy Slider
Cassie Steppe
Jonathan Stone
Matthew Strom
Vanessa Teitelbaum
Sara Trohaugh
Ray Visconti III
Steven Volkers
Adam Walker
Gretchen Weinbach
John R Widtfeldt
Paris Wilson
Bert Winchester
Elizabeth Wood
Raza Zaidi
Jeff Zifrony
Martin Zoltick

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This list, below, includes longevity swimmers (if you swim more than 15 crossings you bypass the lottery) AND those poor souls who were left on the beach in 2024 and didn't get to join us in 2025. These folks are IN and don't need to do anything else.

If YOU have crossed more than 15 times and/or you are from our 2024 class (and didn't swim in 2025) then please reach out to us at info@bayswim.com

List of swimmers (again, you don't need to do anything)
Alan Arnold
Alexander Koff
Andrew Cubbison
Andrew Kramer
Andy Cosgarea
Angie Melton
Anna Leonard
Anthony Johnson
Antonio Piraino
Ben Dolan
Beth Schlegel
Bruce Gianniny
Catherine Doud
Cathy Gainor
Christian Locke
Christine Kelly
Craig Condon
Dana Gianniny
David Brown
David Chadwick
David Wenhold
Denise Priddy
Dennis Hagan
Doug Frohock
Elizabeth Mesora
Ellis Merschoff
Emily Watts
Emily Weigel
Evia Nelson
Fiona McClure
Gary Ott Jr.
Glenn Gwilliam
Heather Colleran
Holly Donnelly
James Feeney
James Horwitz
James Sullivan
Jay Kennedy
Jeff Rommel
Jeffrey Hirsch
Jim Stafford
Joe Petrochko
John Aiello
John Guinee
John Murphy
John Post
John Smirnow
Joseph Kilfoyle
Joseph Schmitz
Kaitlin Bulavinetz
Karen Knee
Kevin Broderick
Kevin Sayers
KIRSTEN KEMPE
Kris Rutford
Kyle McAvoy
Laurie Wei
Lynn Knothe
Mark Levy
Maureen Rohrs
Michael Clark
Michael Graban
Michael Hart
Michael Keene
Michael Lee
Michael Lee
Michael MacDonald
Michael Parry
Mollie Schmitz
Morgan Oehler
Nick Cochran
Paul Brabson
Paul Doremus
Paul Timmons
Peter Garver
Ray Suziedelis
Rick Calder
Robert Benson
Robert Lynch
Robert Veigle
Robert Weigel
Robyn Wyman
Sam Wallace
Sarah Letos
Scott Breza
Scott McDonald
Shannon Maguire
Spencer Naake
Steve Hocking
Steven Smith
Susan Kasimer
Tara Flynn
Thomas McComas
Tiffany Collins
Tyler Randles
William Caywood
Yvonne Brach

RJA Perseverance Award
The third annual Perseverance Award, sponsored by the Robert J. Astheimer Memorial Foundation, will be presented at this year's GCBS.

The Award will recognize one or more individuals who have overcome a physical, mental or emotional challenge to enable a personal achievement and/or to make significant contributions to family, community, or country.

The award is open to swimmers and their family members, GCBS organizers and supporters. Nominations of no more than two pages should be sent to the Foundation Director, JoAnn Milliken, at joann.milliken@gmail.com, by April 30, 2024. Nominations will be reviewed by the Foundation's Board of Directors. The Perseverance Award comes with an honorarium of $1000. For more information about Bob Astheimer and the foundation, please visit https://rjafoundation.com

Thank you to our friends over at Crossing Currents Aquatics for putting together this amazing infographic

Pay attention to the 100 yard times. These will help you to judge where to seed yourself for the swim start this year!

For the 1 Mile swim.... 

All buoys remain on your RIGHT hand side. Clockwise swim

Leg 1 of the swim -750 yards

Leg 2 of the swim - 440 yards

Leg 3 of the swim - 580 yards

4.4 Mile Swim  (approximate locations of Mile locations) 

From the Beach to the Bridge - @430 yards

Right after the curve in the bridge - 1 Mile Mark

Near the end of the 1st Shipping Channel (2nd large concrete support structure) - Mile 2

Right around the center of the 2nd Shipping channel opening - Mile 3

Right after you cross from under the Bridge (Almost Done!!!) - Mile 4

The last stretch is ROUGHLY 700 yards to the finish, and you will find it gets shallow as you get near closer to the end.