Save The Bay kicks off the new year by opening annual Swim registration on January 7, 2019.
Olympian and Rhode Island native Elizabeth Beisel at the finish line of the 2018 Save The Bay Swim.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Save The Bay will mark the season of new beginnings by opening registration for the Annual Save The Bay Swim on January 7.
The iconic open-water swim, taking place this year on Saturday, July 27, challenges skilled swimmers to a 1.7-nautical-mile journey from the Naval War College in Newport to Potter Cove in Jamestown.
The event draws as many as 500 swimmers and 200 kayakers from across the country every year.
“For the serious swimmer, registering for the Swim is the perfect goal-setting opportunity for the new year,” said Save The Bay Events Manager, Leanne Danielsen. “Not only is qualifying for and completing the Swim a worthy challenge, but the experience of viewing Narragansett Bay and the Pell Bridge from the open water is also deserving of a resolution.”
Since 1977, strong swimmers and fierce Save The Bay advocates have battled the elements, early start times, and even pollution to tackle and complete the journey across Narragansett Bay’s East Passage.
Today, the event serves as a celebration of the improvements made in the Bay and its watershed.
With a fundraising goal of $325,000, the Swim is Save The Bay’s largest annual fundraiser, providing critical support toward the organization’s mission to protect and improve Narragansett Bay and its watershed.
The event is generously sponsored by local businesses and fundraising efforts are supported by thousands of individuals who donate funds to swimmers.
Last year’s Swim raised $260,000 for Save The Bay’s education, restoration and advocacy programs.
Interested swimmers can register for the event at savebay.org/swim and are invited to join the Save The Bay Swim community online via the Swim Facebook Group. Those interested in supporting the Swim as volunteers can also begin signing up on January 7 at savebay.org/volunteer or by emailing volunteer@savebay.org.
About Save The Bay:
Founded in 1970, Save The Bay works to protect and improve Narragansett Bay and its watershed through advocacy, education, and restoration efforts. It envisions a fully swimmable, fishable, healthy Narragansett Bay, accessible to everyone and globally recognized as an environmental treasure.