Manhattan 20 Bridges

The blue dot is me

I complete my second Big Swim on July 20 circumnavigating Manhattan beginning, and ending, at Pier A on the island's southern tip, next to the Staton Island Ferry, which runs every 15 minutes, forcing me to scoot from the start while keeping an eye on the boats. During the swim I'm accompanied by my cut man Ethan (an opera singer, comedian and extra on Law & Order), the observer (otherwise an exec at Goldman Sachs), the Pilot Dave and a kayaker.  It was an A-plus team and the swim never in doubt.

And what a swim. From the git go there were the icons - The Brooklyn Bridge ! The Williamsburg Bridge! The Manhattan Bridge! - within the first hour. Then the Empire State and the Chrysler building and the United Nations. Eventually things string out on the Harlem River (NB NYC resides in a tidal estuary and the East River and Harlem River are tidal and not rivers) while 15 of the 20 bridges cross here.  Finally the mighty Hudson's flow brings me home, ending beside Wall Street lit-up like a 100-story Christmas candle.

Sonnet, Kate, Brad and Deborah follow me around the island, notably at the Washington Bridge connecting NY to New Jersey where they hoot and holler from the little red light house. Then, 8 hours and 30 minutes later later, Sunday Midnight/ Monday morning, Sonnet and I find a strictly saw dust and cheerful Irish pub for a Guinness and an intimate celebration.   

 

The cut man at the Little Odessa boardwalk, pre swim