Spent summer training in Long Island Sound, raising awareness of water quality challenges
Fourteen hours and 16 minutes after he entered the water near Samphire Hoe off the southeast coast of England, Drew Nemetz stepped onto the beach at Cap Blanc-Nez, France on Saturday afternoon local time, completing the special accomplishment of swimming across the English Channel. Nemetz, 44, of Port Chester, NY, became the 92nd swimmer to complete a solo crossing this year, according to the Channel Swimming Association; fewer than 2,200 individuals have recorded successful solo crossings since 1875 (less than one-third the number of people who have summitted Mount Everest).
Nemetz, who owns Alpen Pantry, a sandwich shop in Old Greenwich, CT, with his wife, Frannie Willsey, spent much of this year training for the Channel crossing. Many of his distance swims took place in Long Island Sound off Rye, so Nemetz coupled his preparation with a campaign to promote clean water in the Sound, launching a fundraiser to support Save the Sound, a regional environmental action nonprofit based out of Larchmont, NY and New Haven, CT. To date, he has raised more than $20,000.
“Accomplishing this swim was very meaningful for many reasons. I enjoyed the challenge, believe it or not, and this lovely area of the world. The conditions were difficult, but my crew and friends helped me get through it,” said Nemetz. “I am looking forward to getting back in my local waters of Long Island Sound to get ready for the next big swim.”
Peter Linderoth, director of healthy waters and lands for Save the Sound, was part of Nemetz’s support team aboard Masterpiece, the boat that accompanied Nemetz along the approximately 21-mile crossing. Linderoth and the rest of the crew provided food and water to Nemetz during his swim, tallied his strokes per hour, monitored his health and safety (helping him fight off a few aggressive jellyfish encountered a couple of hours from the finish), and cheered him on through the marathon crossing.
“It was amazing to watch Drew power through everything he encountered during a grueling crossing,” said Linderoth. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime privilege to be part of his support team on the water. And we are grateful for Drew’s support of Save the Sound, his understanding of the importance of clean water and healthy aquatic habitats, and his committed advocacy for our work to protect and restore Long Island Sound.”
Learn more about Nemetz’s swimming journey and his lifelong relationship with Long Island Sound and support his fundraising efforts on his campaign page.
Join Nemetz and Linderoth as they reflect on Nemetz’s iconic accomplishment and discuss water quality in Long Island Sound during a webinar conversation on Wednesday, Nov. 4 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Save the Sound leads environmental action across the Long Island Sound region to protect the Sound and its rivers, fight climate change, save endangered lands, and work with nature to restore ecosystems. More info at savethesound.org.