In Search of Memphré

Loch Ness People

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Howley) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 15:36:00 +0000

Break of Day by Nate Fakes, Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Oh those scary Loch Ness People. Actually, it's people who made and continue to create lake monsters and other legends. Kind of a symbiotic relationship all around. As the ice begins to break up in Vermont, we wonder if Memprhe is starting to come out of hibernation.

Help Nate Meehan Get a Service Dog!

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Howley) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:01:00 +0000

In Search of Memphre veteran Alison Meehan's autistic son, Nate, needs a dog! Watch this great report from Baltimore's ABC affiliate about Nate Meehan's family's quest to raise money for a service dog to assist him. Visit http://autismservicedogsofamerica.com/for-donors/ to make a donation and put "Nate Meehan" in the reference line.

In Search of Memphre 2012, on TDNOOWS

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Howley) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:51:00 +0000

http://dailynews.openwaterswimming.com/

In Search of Memphre Invites Swimmers

The Northeast Kingdom Open Water Swimming Association (NEKOWSA) is now accepting applications to participate in the In Search of Memphre.

The second-year event is a cross-border swim that requires its swimmers to traverse the entire length of Lake Memphremagog from Newport, Vermont (USA) to Magog, Quebec (Canada) on September 8th, 2012.

Only 20 qualified marathon swimmers will be accepted into the 25-mile amateur, invitation-only swim.

The cost of the swim is US$1,500 which includes an escort boat to accompany each swimmer. Swimmers are required to provide two crew members (each over the age of 18). The qualifications of each swimmer will be reviewed by a vetting committee headed by Ned Denison of Cork, Ireland.

Similar to its Swiss counterpart, International Self-Transcendence Marathon-Schwimmen in Lake Zürich, In Search of Memphre offers a significant, cold-water, freshwater marathon swim in North America. Its goals are to promote a more open border with our friends in Canada, to search for our legendary and elusive lake creature Memphré, and to raise money for the local community’s sports, fitness and recreation center and its special programs for people suffering from chronic conditions such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease, MS, rheumatoid arthritis, and cancer.

In 2011, 9 individual soloists swam in the face of fierce headwinds with four finishers:

1. Liz Fry: 13 hrs 25 min
2. Charlotte Brynn: 14 hrs 40 min
3. Greg O’Connor: 17 hrs 38 min
4. Elaine Kornbau Howley: 17 hrs 58 min

For more information or to submit an application, contact Phil White at swim@orleansrecreation.org or www.insearchofmemphre.com.

In Search of Memphre’s Organizing Committee includes Phil White of Derby, Vermont, Ned Denison of Cork, Ireland, Elaine Kornbau Howley of Waltham, Massachusetts, Leslie Thomas of San Fransisco, California, Liz Fry of Westport, Connecticut, Greg O’Connor of Natick, Massachusetts, Peter Stuart of Derby, Vermont and Charlotte Brynn of Stowe, Vermont.

The swim is hosted by NEKOWSA that promotes and supports open water swimming in the legendary lakes of the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. Other NEKOWSA swims include the Kingdom Swim, the Seymour Swim, and the Willoughby Swim. NEKOWSA is an affiliation of Indoor Recreation Orleans County.

Two Month Anniversary!

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Howley) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 15:10:00 +0000

Today is the 2-month anniversary of the inaugural In Search of Memphre Tour! We have it on good authority that all the participants are fully recovered and back to their various training regimens and other typical shenanigans (you know who you are! Greg, I'm looking at you!).

But this can mean only one thing... a mere 10 months left until the next Search commences...

I wonder how Memphre survives the cold winter? Does he hibernate? Or burrow into the mud at the very bottom of the lake? Hmmm....

The Search Continues...

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Howley) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 14:20:00 +0000

THE SEARCH CONTINUES

We've mapped the length of the lake once, and now we know some of Memphre's secret hiding places. All the better to find her next year!

Ten swimmer scouts have set their sights on September 8, 2012 to continue their search for that elusive lake creature, Memphre.

New blood Davis Lee and Amanda Hunt have signed on to this invitational expedition. Veterans Elaine Howley, Bill Shipp, David Dammerman, Emma Otto-Moudry, Liz Fry, Alison Meehan, Shannon Kegan, and Jen Dutton have tossed their hats in the ring for a second jaunt.

If you support the mission, support a more open border, and support IROC as it struggles for survival in the Northeast Kingdom, please donate here, either in support of one of our swimmers on in general support of the expedition.

For photos of this past swim, click here

Wow, what a swim...windy conditions and cold air and water temps made for a very difficult traverse of Lake Memphremagog

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Howley) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 21:25:00 +0000

September 11, 2011

In Search of Memphre

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

In Search of Memphre Breaks the border and Raises over $26,000 for IROC

Swimmer scouts from left to right: Bill Shipp, David Dammerman
Emma Otto-Moudry and Charlotte Brynn enter the water at the start
at midnight 9/10/11 to swim to Magog, Quebec.

Newport, Vermont and Magog, Quebec – On the weekend of the 10^th anniversary of 9/11, 11 extraordinary marathon open water swimmers undertook the 25 mile international, cross border swim the length of Lake Memphremegog from Newport to Magog. They were supported by 21 yackers and 12 boat pilots and crew. The expedition was organized and hosted by the Northeast Kingdom Open Water Swimming Association and IROC and was sponsored and outfitted by Newport Marine Services, Clyde River Recreation, and Great Outdoors.

Swimmer Scouts O'Connor and Howley warm up in *very* stylish
gear in Magog 18 hours after starting the search for Memphre.

The expedition known as In Search of Memphre was intended to promote a more open border with Canada and to search for the elusive lake creature Memphre.

Participants, their friends, family, and employers raised over $26,000 for Indoor Recreation Orleans County, a community center in Derby, Vermont which is presently fighting for its financial survival. Four swimmers completed the swim: Elizabeth Fry of Westport, CT finished in a time of 13 hours and 25 minutes. Close behind her was Charlotte Brynn, of Stowe Vermont with a time of 14 hours and 40 minutes. Greg O’Connor completed the 25 miles in a time of 17 hours and 23 minutes. And Elaine Kornbau-Howley finished in just under 18 hours with a time of 17 hours and 58 minutes. “This was tougher than crossing the English Channel,” said Elaine Kornbau Howley who was the first to sign on for this invitational swim, just a month ago.

Magog and the regatta await the swimmers several hours away.

Swimmers faced strong headwinds from the north, especially during the first four hours of the swim, forcing many swimmers to pull out. All but one, however, hung in for at least the first five miles in order to assure that they crossed the border.

Charlotte Brynn swims at sunrise.

Michel Dubois, of Canadian Customs arranged with the organizers of In Search of Memphre for pre-clearance of the participants at The Gateway. They were very helpful and very supportive of the resumption of a cross border swim. US Customs received the participants back also at The Gateway.

The border was ours, for a brief moment in time. It felt great to watch these athletes, their yackers and the patrol boats cross past the border buoys in the middle of the night. Westmore Fire and Emergency Rescue led the way through the night with a beacon that allowed swimmers and their yackers to sight on as they swam north.

We were truly humbled and honored to support this wonderful, high spirited group of marathon swimmers, yackers, and support. Their fundraising prowess was awe inspiring. Their endurance in some tough conditions was incredible to experience. And their exhuberance is contagious.

Liz Fry finished first in less than 14 hours.

While Memphre remains elusive, we thank Barbara Malloy for her support of this swim, In Search of Memphre.

Great Outdoors Sponsors Memphré Search

noreply@blogger.com (In Search of Memphre) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 02:29:00 +0000

We are pleased that The Great Outdoors has signed on to The Search as our official outfitter. It's great to see support for the swim coming together. We hope you will join us in our thanks to The Great Outdoors by visiting one of their shops in Newport, Ensoburg Falls or Morrisville, VT.

Visit online at www.greatoutdoorsvermont.com for great information about camping gear, kayaks, canoes, shoes and more.

Thank you!

Track (some of) Us Online Tomorrow and Saturday!

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Howley) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 01:26:00 +0000

Thanks to the wonder of GPS, there will be a few swimmers trackable online. Check out this link at MyAthleteLive to see where Liz Fry, Bill Shipp, and Jen Dutton are during the swim. Given what we know about the swimmers, this seems like a good distribution of tracking devices between the "forward recon" group, the middle of the pack, and the "sweep pair." See the group online at http://www.myathletelive.com/events and click on one of the athletes listed under the Scouting for Memphre Event.

Follow us and watch us make history. And while you're at it, if you're feeling philanthropic, chuck a few bucks IROC's way.

As Adele would say, "Rumor has it" our little expedition may have raised about $20K for IROC over the past two weeks. How's that for inspirational? Nice work, Swimmer Scouts!

Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Howley) — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 01:03:00 +0000

We won't say which swimmer scout is coming the most prepared, but given the recent revelation that Memphe seems to prefer Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale, a case of the fine brew has been procured and may be used as bait. We're just sayin'... it's a possibility. And if she doesn't drink it, we have it on good authority that some of the swimmer scouts might be convinced to try some.

There are some perks to summer giving way to fall...

Water temperature update- got a report this afternoon that the water in Memphremagog ranges from 63 to 68 which is right toasty for most of our swimmer scouts. We are banking on a northward current to cancel out any opposing headwind. Fingers crossed!

Memphre Sighting at the Dudley Chateau...

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Howley) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 17:37:00 +0000

This just in...

Photographic evidence of a run-in between Memphre and swimmer scouts O'Connor and Howley last Thursday night at the Dudley Chateau in Wayland, MA! We hear the lake creature likes

Shipyard Pumpkinhead ale (with the cinnamon and sugar on the rim of the glass) the best. Not sure how Memphre managed to teleport herself to Dudley Pond all the way down in Wayland, but there was a quick sighting and a photo made with the scouts and their replica of the sighting. We raised a bunch of money at that fun-draiser and had a whale-- or is that serpent??-- of a good time making merry with fellow swimmer scout Dutton and our cast of helpful athletic supporters. Ha.

Early weather reports for Friday night/Saturday morning look pretty good. It will be a chilly night on the water and there is the possibilty of a light headwind, but we are hoping that the north wind does not thwart our attempt or alter our course. A final decision about start time and location will be made tomorrow at 7pm.

She's out there waiting for us. Perhaps a case of beer on the support boats will help us in our quest to spot Memphre...

We're going to Canada, too!

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Howley) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 15:15:00 +0000

We wouldn't dream of making fun of our Canadian hosts in Magog! We are thrilled they're letting us cross that watery border and check out their 2/3rds of Lake Memphremagog.

Excitement is building, along with funds for IROC! Our little search party has raised a lot of money so far, and the good news keeps coming in. Stay tuned for an updated tally soon...

“IN SEARCH OF MEMPHRÉ” SWIM REOPENS INTERNATIONAL BORDER ON 10th ANNIVERSARY OF 9/11 TRAGEDY TO SUPPORT LOCAL CHARITY

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Howley) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 13:59:00 +0000

September 8, 2011, Newport, VT – Eleven marathon open water swimmers have banded together to swim the 26-mile length of Lake Memphrémagog from Newport, Vermont to Magog, Quebec, Canada on the weekend marking the tenth anniversary of September 11^th, 2001. Hosted by Indoor Recreation Orleans County (IROC), an innovative health and fitness club serving the underprivileged in northeastern Vermont, and the Northeast Kingdom Open Water Swimming Association (NEKOWSA), the expedition has several goals:

· To financially support IROC in a time of need;

· Promote a more open border with Canada; and

· Search for the legendary lake creature, Memphré, a serpent-like animal who has quietly inhabited the lake for more than two centuries, according to local legend.

IROC, built in 2004, is a 54,000 sq. ft. sports, fitness, and recreation center housing a swimming pool, a 94-foot water slide, a therapy pool, a fitness center, and a multi-purpose sports arena. IROC is located in the Northeast Kingdom, a rural area of Vermont plagued with one of the nation’s highest rates of chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Through its “Healthy Changes Initiative,” IROC subsidizes memberships for local residents based on a “use-it-or-lose-it” incentivization policy intended to improve fitness and reduce the risk and impact of many health problems; the more frequently a member uses the facility, the cheaper the membership becomes. Twenty-percent of area residents are either members or regular users of the facility. IROC was built and continues to operate courtesy of funds donated by local residents and other supporters, and it has become a lifeline for local residents. But IROC is facing a budget shortfall this year and is in danger of closing.

Elaine Kornbau Howley, a 33-year-old writer from Waltham, MA and Greg O’Connor, a 42-year-old cancer researcher from Natick, MA were the first to heed IROC’s cry for fundraising assistance and collaborated to create the In Search of Memphre Tour to help IROC raise much-needed funding. Last year, Howley and O’Connor smashed the 41-year-old record for the Boston Light “Double,” a 16-mile out-and-back swim between South Boston and the Boston Lighthouse. They completed the swim as a “tandem solo” and set the standard at 7 hours 7 minutes.

Both veterans of NEKOWSA’s annual 10-Mile Kingdom swim, Howley and O’Connor have long wanted to swim the entire 26-mile beautiful length of Lake Memphrémagog. With the help of IROC Executive Director and NEKOWSA founder Phil White, 63, of Derby, VT, who runs several other swimming, running, and triathlon events in the Northeast Kingdom, they determined the start date and time for the swim and extended an invitation to several other top marathon swimmers to join the expedition.

Solo swim participants undertaking the 26-mile swim include:

· Liz Fry, 52, of Westport, CT, a five-time solo crossing veteran of the English Channel who completed a 24-hour solo-double crossing of the Channel earlier this summer;

· Bill Shipp, 51, of Mitchellville, MD, who will be undertaking the swim on the one-year anniversary of the date he was diagnosed with prostate cancer (now in remission);

· Emma Reade Otto-Moudry, 16, of Ithaca NY, an 11^th grader who recently set the course record for the 4.75-mile Lake Willoughby Swim;

· John Humenick, a 36-year-old airline pilot from New York City who won the 10-mile Kingdom Swim in 2009, the event’s inaugural year;

· Charlotte Brynn, a 45-year-old New Zealander now living in Stowe, VT who recently took first place among the women in the historic 8-mile Boston Light Swim;

· Jennifer Dutton, 42, of Wayland, MA who hails from northern Vermont and has completed a number of long-distance swims in Lakes Champlain and Memphrémagog;

· David Dammerman, 42, of Saratoga Springs, NY, the 2011 winner of the 10-mile Kingdom swim.

Relay swimmers include Alison Meehan, 39 of Elkton, MD and Shannon Keegan, 36, of Derby VT who will each swim half of the 26-mile course. All swimmers will be supported by a fleet of kayakers, boaters, and other crew volunteers who will watch for dangers on the course and feed the swimmers at pre-designated intervals. The event will take between 11 and 15 hours for each swimmer to complete. All participants have previously taken part in the annual Kingdom Swim event.

White and Howley hope to turn the “In Search of Memphré Tour” into an annual event organized by NEKOWSA. “With any luck, we will have a successful swim this weekend and be able to offer this experience to other swimmers in the coming years. It’s a wonderful way to pay tribute to one of America’s cleanest, most beautiful waterways while having fun and helping out an important local charity,” Howley says. “I hope I see the lake creature, Memphré, out there!”

In addition to raising funds for IROC, the “In Search of Memphré Tour” is intended to “reopen” the border between the U.S. and Canada. Up until about 15 years ago, FINA— the international governing body of swimming— ran an annual, professional open water race in Lake Memphrémagog that followed this same course. In the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the border has only become increasingly more difficult to cross, and the La Traversée Internationale du Lac Memphrémagog swim completely died out.

“While respectful of all of the efforts at the border to detect and deter terrorist activities, the swimmers have joined together to make a simple statement that the border should remain truly open,” says race director, Phil White. “International travel should be encouraged, not discouraged, with our Canadian friends. We hope to promote peace with this swim,” he says.

The swim will begin at midnight on Saturday morning, September 10th and should conclude between 11 am and 3 pm on Saturday afternoon. Depending on conditions, swimmers will swim north from Newport to Magog and will follow English Channel rules. They will not wear wetsuits and the water temperature is expected to be between 60 and 65 degrees.

For more information about the swim or the swimmers, please visit our website: http://www.insearchofmemphre.com/. Complete bios of each participant are available on our website or as a PDF attachment.

Donations in support of the expedition and IROC can be made online at IROCs website: http://www.irocvt.org/index.php?id=36

For further information or to arrange interviews with any of the players, please contact Elaine Howley at ekornbau@yahoo.com

In Search of Memphré is being conducted with the support of Barbara Malloy.

Did you know? Inspiration 101...

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Howley) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 19:01:00 +0000

We've got some really inspiring people on this swimmer-scout team!

For starters, let's take a quick look at our two most "senior" swimmer scouts, Bill Shipp and Liz Fry. At 51 and 52 years old respectively, they have some "time in the bank" on some of the other swimmers, but that hasn't slowed them down one iota. Despite a cancer diagnosis last year, Bill is back stronger than ever and ready to conquer this lake. Liz, who suffers from asthma, just completed a double crossing of the English Channel. Those are some seriously inspiring people and we dare you to call either of them "over the hill"!

On the other end of the spectrum, our youngest competitor, Emma Reade Otto-Moudry, 16, is brand new to open water swimming and blazingly fast. Watch for her to give Liz a run for her speedy money, with New Zealander Charlotte Brynn in contention for the coveted position of "forward recon" scout as well.

While this event is not a race, there will be differing paces among the swimmers, and we expect to split up into pods to swim in packs. We hope that allows for the best possible eyeball-coverage of the lake so we won't miss Miss Memphre!

John Humenik, 36, an airline pilot from New York City will also be at the front of the pack, and we hope he stays warm enough in the water rather than the sky. His fellow Kingdom Swim 10-mile swim winner, David Dammerman, 42, of Saratoga Springs, NY, will also be a speedy entrant somewhere in the forward group.

Greg O'Connor, a 42-year-old cancer researcher from Natick, MA who completed a Catalina Channel crossing last summer will likely be holding down the center of the pack. The father of a precocious four-year-old is used to keeping both eyes peeled for trouble and creatures, so he may well spot Memphre long before anyone else.

Towards the back of the pack, look for Jennifer Dutton, a 42-year-old swim coach from Wayland, MA and Elaine Howley, 33, of Waltham, MA to be dawdling and chatting from time to time as the pack anchors. The two channel swimmers enjoy long, slow swims in whatever body of water will have them and hope that by playing sweep to the rest of the group, they may notice Memphre after everyone else has swum on ahead.

It's anybody's guess where the relay of Alison Meehan, 39, of Elkton, MD and Shannon Keegan, 36, of Derby, VT may end up. The two fast pool swimmers will be trading off during the swim and staying fresh. Their team approach could put them out in front of the solo swimmers. Shannon's local knowledge of the lake should also be a big bonus as they search for Memphre.

So, we'll leave you with this idea for today: What did you do today to inspire yourself or someone else? You don't have to swim a big lake to do it. Something as simple as donating a few dollars to IROC will help someone who desperately needs it have access to a health center that really does work miracles. Please consider supporting our cause and thanks for reading about us and our upcoming adventure!

"A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle." -- James Heller

The Countdown is ON: 4 days to go!

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Howley) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 15:42:00 +0000

Happy Tuesday morning, all! We are now just four days away from the In Search of Memphre Tour! Our anonymous donor has extended his/her offer to double our donations recieved (up to $10,000) through tomorrow, so if you're planning to donate, please do so today and make your dollars go even farther! Visit our donation page on the IROC website for an easy online donation form. You're just three clicks away from doing real good for real people.

We are making final preparations and getting very excited for this weekend's big adventure!

Stay tuned for more info coming soon and THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!

Fundraising, Memphre Style

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Howley) — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 17:45:00 +0000

The Swimmer scouts would like to thank the generous donors who have stepped up to the plate to support our swim and IROC! We have had an amazing response already with a lot of pledges coming in and a rousing, successful raffle party in support of the search. Every single dollar counts, so keep the pledges coming! We and IROC appreciate your support!

THANK YOU to our DONORS and SPONSORS!

Thank You, Clyde River Recreation!

noreply@blogger.com (In Search of Memphre) — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:23:00 +0000

We are pleased to report that Clyde River Recreation has signed on as a sponsor of In Search of Memphre, supplying and transporting kayaks used to support our Swimmer Scouts.

Visit Clyde River Recreation, and let them know how much we appreciate their contribution to the safety of our expedition.

Meet our Ringleader!

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Howley) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 14:14:00 +0000

In today's edition of "Meet the Players," we'd like to introduce our esteemed ringleader, Phil White. Without Phil, In Search of Memphre would not be happening and poor, old Memphre would be left by herself, all alone in that lake this fall.

Phil White, 63, Derby, VT

Ringleader, Attorney, Race Director, and Volunteer Executive Director of IROC

The driving force behind the In Search of Memphre Tour and all the Northeast Kingdom Open Water Swimming Association (NEKOWSA) events is Phil White. In just a few short years, Phil has turned Newport, Vermont into a “cannot-miss” destination for swimmers, runners, and triathletes from all over the country and around the world, and he’s done it a little differently than most race directors. While the aim is always to host elite athletes in a world-class atmosphere, he achieves this with a sense of humor. This levity is a welcome change of pace for many athletes who tire of the bombast that sometimes comes with these types of events. To be sure, there is a value placed on being fast and first, but there’s also a heavy emphasis on participating and having fun. He even organizes a “Swimmers’ & Pets’ Parade” as part of the Aquafest the evening before the 10-mile swim Kingdom Swim so the entire community can join in the fun and meet some of the extraordinary people the race draws to town. (Last year’s parade was also an Elton John look-alike contest.) These are not the sort of activities that typically precede one of the top 50 open water events in the Americas, as rated by The Daily News of Open Water Swimming, but it works for this event because of the character of the director and the town.

All the fun stuff aside, Phil does take the mission behind the events, including the In Search of Memphre Tour, very seriously. An attorney in his “real” life, Phil leads the fundraising efforts (an unpaid position) of the Indoor Recreation of Orleans County (IROC), a community wellness and recreation center. When Phil joined the board of directors in 2007, the IROC center was losing about $160,000 per year; in 2010, the events grossed $178,000 in sponsorships, registrations, and donations. IROC nets about 50% of the revenue from these events, and Phil’s efforts have transformed the outlook for the IROC center and many people in the community who rely on it for access to health and wellness activities and services.

But the benefits aren’t localized just to the Kingdom. In 2010, roughly 800 participants traveled to the Northeast Kingdom from 35 different states, four Canadian provinces, Mexico, Great Britain, and India. They came to participate in more than a half dozen different events including swims, triathlons, runs, and motorcycle rallies. Many of these people would have no other reason to find this beautiful corner of Vermont and might blissfully miss it altogether. But after taking part in one of these events, most pledge to come back, whether for a future race or just to visit. They, in turn, take a little piece of the Kingdom and Vermont home with them.

The swimmer scouts would like to thank Phil for his tireless efforts to ensure the continued successful operation of some of the best swimming events in the country. He puts in hours of unpaid time and energy to provide fun and challenging outlets for athletes from all walks of life. And he does it for the love of the lake, his community, and open water swimming. Our (flamingo) hats are off to you, Phil!!

Meet our Inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Howley) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 19:02:00 +0000

In today's installment of "Meet the Players," we're introducing you to our inspiration for this event, Memphre, the gentle, misunderstood, and quite green lake creature we're hoping to sight along the way. She looks darn good for 263 years of age, doesn't she?

Memphré, 263, Dual Citizen of Magog, Quebec and Newport, Vermont

Professional Lake Creature

Last sighted strolling down Newport, Vermont’s Main Street during the Aquafest Parade in July, Memphré is Lake Memphremagog’s answer to the Loch Ness Monster. Memphré is a shy, retiring young lake serpent, but has been sighted more than 200 times according to local legend. Crypto-zoologists have long sought hard evidence that the lovely lady of the lake is indeed real, and the swimmer scouts are hoping to provide just the material for scientific verification of a new species of lake creature. In addition, the swimmer scouts are hoping to reopen the border between Canada and America and traverse the waters of Lake Memphremagog freely, just like Memphré does.

Event rules state that if any swimmer is lucky enough to not only see Memphré, but also catch her, any drafting or free ride will not disqualify the swimmer and the finish placement will stand. Hot diggity- we bet she can swim really fast and that could take what most of the scouts are expecting to be a 13 hour swim and turn it into a 20 minute water skiing session!

Memphré's likeness is being used courtesy of Barbara Malloy.

Meet the Swimmer Scouts, Part III

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Howley) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 15:54:00 +0000

This morning's offering rounds out our team of solo swimmers and introduces our one relay team.

Liz Fry, 52, Westport, CT

Financial Services Consultant

The most accomplished swimmer scout in the group, Liz Fry is something of a legend in open water swimming circles. The five-time solo crossing veteran of the English Channel achieved a major pinnacle of open water swimming earlier this summer by completing a grueling 24-hour double crossing of the English Channel. She undertook this amazing swim in the same season as her historic “Double Ederle,” a first-ever round trip swim between Sandy Hook, NJ and New York, NY. Liz also holds the record for the fastest clockwise circumnavigation of Manhattan Island—a battering swim going against the swift currents of the East, Harlem, and Hudson Rivers that she completed in 2010. A Catalina Crossing in 2005 puts her on the list of Triple Crown achievers, and some of her other off-the-beaten track swims have ensured her good standing in the annals of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame’s extensive record books.

This open water distance powerhouse is also the director of the St. Vincent’s Medical Center Foundation’s Swim Across the Sound, a premier, 25K-long open water event that sees upwards of 100 swimmers crossing the treacherous expanse of Long Island Sound every summer.

David Dammerman, 42, Saratoga Springs, NY

Manager, Great Mountain Investment Associates

Swimming changed for David the day he pulled through the water and actually moved somewhere. So began long summer days at the Y and winter evenings at nearly every pool in Connecticut. David swam competitively through high school at Fairfield Prep and at Hamilton College. Ending a half-hearted attempt to continue swimming after college with US Masters, David steered clear of the pool for a number of years.

After moving to Saratoga Springs, NY three years ago, David found a group of early morning swimmers who gave him the boost he needed to come back to the pool regularly. When spring came, they introduced him to the open water, and he was hooked on longer distances and lower temperatures.

David swims with Adirondack Masters and directs the annual Betsy Owens Memorial One- and Two-mile Swim event in Lake Placid and helped develop a program to introduce young swimmers to the pleasures of open water swimming. He won the 10-mile Kingdom swim event in 2011.

In his professional life, David manages Great Mountain Investment Associates, an investment company focused on real estate transactions other private investment opportunities.

Relay Swimmers

Alison Meehan, 39, Elkton, MD

Full-Time Mom (formerly an Elementary School Teacher )

Alison lives in Elkton, MD with her “super-supportive family,” which includes her husband, Ted, and two boys, aged four and nine. She trains in open water with the ABC group in Annapolis, MD. Her biggest challenge these days is raising an Autistic child and trying to squeeze in swim time.

Alison has swum competitively in the pool since she was a child. She was a top breastroker in high school. After high school, she took some time off from swimming, but got back in the pool about six years ago swimming in Masters swim meets. She is ranked nationally in the 50 yard and 100 yard breaststroke events.

Alison discovered open water swimming only four years ago. Her first event was the 1-mile Chesapeake Bay swim, where she placed third. From there on, Alison has competed in many open water events including the Chesapeake Bay 4.4-mile event in 2011 where she finished third in her age group. Her favorite swim so far has been the 6-mile event in Lake Memphremagog where she placed first overall in the non-wetsuit category.

“Accepting this invitation to swim in a relay was a no brainer for me,” she says. “Lake Memphremagog is such a beautiful lake and I find it to be very spiritual. It’s like swimming to the heavens and I just feel so at peace in the lake.”

Alison says she feels honored to be a part of this swim and hopes to do the 26-mile solo swim next year.

Shannon Keegan, 36, Derby, VT
Operations Program Manager, Microsoft

Shannon Keegan began swimming at age seven as part of a local summer club swim team. Within two years, she had joined a year-round club team in Denver, Colorado and focused on competitive pool swimming. “As far as I knew, swimming only occurred in the chemically-treated, crystal clear waters of municipal pools,” and Shannon spent most of her childhood “underwater, in chlorinated pools, watching a black line on the bottom.” She hesitated to venture into the local manmade ponds and reservoirs in Colorado because they seemed murky and uninviting, but she continued building up her pool swimming experiences. She competed in various intrastate and local competitions through the end of high school.

Shannon describes herself as a “middle of the road swimmer” and upon entering the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, she hung up her cap. But soon, she was pulled back to the pool by the water polo team. During her second year of college, Shannon found out that water polo provided a great forum for applying her swimming skills. Once she picked up the fundamentals, she quickly started traveling with UNM’s co-ed intramural team to matches all over the West and Southwest.

In 2008, Shannon moved to Newport, Vermont, and that’s when she discovered the joy of open water swimming. Her first open water swim was the 1-mile race at the Kingdom Swim in 2009. “It was a last minute decision to jump in and I was unsure whether I would be able to brave the murky water or find my way around the course without a black line. Ultimately, I called on my water polo stroke for sighting and eventually found the cool, un-chlorinated, freshwater refreshing,” she says.

In 2010, Shannon tried the 3-mile Kingdom Swim event and later completed the 10K ‘Round the Sound Swim in Harrington Sound, Bermuda. Upon completing this swim, Shannon says she
“realized that there are no limits. If you just keep on swimming, the miles and hours fade away and you can, in fact, complete the 10-mile course at the Kingdom Swim.” She will be testing that theory as half of the lone relay team participating in the In Search of Memphre event. She will be covering 13 miles with Alison Meehan completing the other 13 miles.

When Shannon is not in the water, she works as an Operations Program Manager for Microsoft and enjoys spending time playing along the shores of Lake Memphremagog with her two dogs and husband, Noah.

Meet the Swimmer Scouts Part II

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Howley) — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 13:31:00 +0000

This morning's offering of swimmer scouts includes two-thirds of our MetroWest Boston contingent, Greg and Jen, as well as our New Zealander.

Greg O’Connor, 42, Natick, MA

Cancer Researcher

Greg began swimming during the summer months off the southern shore of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, later becoming a competitive swimmer for the local YMCA, high school team, and Gettysburg College. “I learned how to manage my time and focus on goals during these years in the pool,” Greg says. “The skills and discipline that I gained early in life have helped me at work and play in my adult life.”

Over the past six years, Greg has continued to challenge himself with progressively longer and tougher swims. Beginning with the 8-mile Boston Light Swim, an event he now directs, Greg has progressed up the ladder of open water swims.

In August 2010, Greg broke the 41-year-old record for the fastest 16-mile out-and-back swim of the Boston Light course along with fellow swimmer scout Elaine Howley. Prior to their swim, only four people in history had successfully completed the double crossing, and Jim Doty’s 1969 record of 9 hours 30 minutes had stood the test of time. Swimming side-by-side, pacing each other, the duo ended up shattering Doty’s time with a new record of 7 hours 7 minutes.

Following the Boston Harbor record swim, Greg attempted his first channel crossing, completing the Catalina Channel in 9 hours 26 minutes and qualifying for the 28.5-mile Manhattan Island Marathon Swim, which he successfully completed in June 2011 in just 8 hours, 21 minutes.

Greg, who is a cancer research scientist, has also felt a strong need to give back to the community. He’s volunteered during the MIMS event in 2009 and 2010, became the race director of the annual Boston Light Swim beginning in 2009. “I have put together a committee of accomplished athletes, and we have brought the event into the 21st century,” Greg says. “In the future, we plan on forming a non-profit association that will sanction and assist swimmers in attempts to swim out to Boston Light and back, a 16-plus-mile feat in sub-60 degree water.”

Jennifer Dutton, 42, Wayland, MA

Swim Coach

Jennifer Dutton is a local swimming icon in MetroWest Boston. Nearly every swimmer you speak with from club team 8-and-unders on up to 60-plus-year-old Masters swimmers have either been coached by her or inspired by her perseverance in a sport that doesn’t always love her back.

Jen says she had an “unremarkable” high school swimming career in Connecticut, but planned to swim at college. But during her freshman orientation, she sustained a brain injury and struggled with everything at college. She dropped swimming for good, she thought, but managed to complete her degree.

However, the siren pull of the water brought her to Candlewood Lake in 1986, where she completed a 10-mile swim for “purely social reasons.” A few years later, she decided to give ocean swimming a go and completed the Boston Light Swim seven times between 1993 and 2004. Her 1997 BLS swim was most memorable because she was pregnant at the time. “I didn’t know I was pregnant when I started the swim, but figured it out as I went along,” she says. She returned in 1998 while still breastfeeding and competed again right after the birth of her second child in 2000. “The Boston Light Swim will always will have a special place in my heart because I have done it so many times,” Jen says. “It was different each time and it marked many events in my life.”

Jen has also completed the 10-mile Kindgom Swim twice, in 2009 and 2010, as well as a 17-mile swim in Lake George and a 15-miler in Morse Reservoir. She does all this while suffering severe sea sickness in virtually every swim she does, a residual effect of the brain injury she suffered as a teenager. Despite this uncomfortable situation, Jen still trains upwards of 24 miles per week and has conquered a range of health issues relating to both the brain injury and an underlying heart condition. “I swim to prove to myself that I can,” she says.

Jen has always wanted to swim the length of Lake Memphremagaog. “I have been putting a lot of training in for distance the last couple of years, and I am excited to do a long lake swim in the Northeast Kingdom, which has been a part of my life as long as I can remember.” Her parents now live in the Northeast Kingdom.

Charlotte Brynn, 45, Stowe, VT

Non-Profit Executive Director and
Fitness Instructor

Charlotte Brynn is the “resident alien” of the swimmer scout group. Born and bred in New Zealand, she was “lured to Vermont by love” in 1998 by her third-generation Vermonter husband. She is now the Executive Director of The Swimming Hole, a non-profit community pool and fitness center in Stowe, Vermont. She is also a personal trainer, group fitness, spinning, and kranking instructor, and coach of the Stowe Masters workout group

Charlotte has always been drawn to the water. She grew up just a mile or so from the ocean in New Zealand and when she wasn’t in the sea, you could probably find her in a nearby lake or pool instead. Charlotte raced while in school and during her college years in triathlons. Recently, she has enjoyed open water swimming events and training and is currently working towards a solo crossing of the English Channel scheduled for the summer of 2012.

Charlotte is excited to be taking part in the Lake Memphremagog swim because it is promoting open water swimming, health and fitness, and because it involves “a talented and good-natured group of swimmers led by Phil White. He is unstoppable with regard to doing good things for people, and I would LOVE to cross the border swimming!” She also says her purpose is to “light the fire in me so I can light the fire in others. I am committed to helping others improve their overall health and fitness. Whether it be through instruction, coaching, guidance or inspiring others, whether one-by-one or making an impact on a community or state, the important thing is to encourage those around us. We are all different, whether it is swimming in Lake Memphemegog or making the goal of walking 20 minutes each day to start exercising— it is all fantastic.”

Charlotte recently won the 8-mile Boston light Swim event for the women with a time of 3 hours 6 minutes and 50 seconds. She also won the Lake Willoughby swim in 2010 and came second to Emma Otto-Moudry in 2011. She has also completed a 16.4-mile double crossing of Lake Champlain in 8 hours, 30 minutes, 49 seconds, which is her longest swim to date and her first long night swim. “I was excited to swim from Vermont to New York and back again. Once I finished and climbed into the boat, the highlight of the whole adventure was seeing my crew and pilot so thrilled and having so much fun,” she says.

Charlotte was named a USMS All-American Distance Swimmer in 2009, and says her most exciting swim was the Golden Gate Bridge to Aquatic Park swim held in March 2011 in San Francisco, CA. “The water was 53 degrees, and it was exciting seeing the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz while I was swimming, not to mention the sea lions and dolphins.

Newport Marine Services Signs On To The Search

noreply@blogger.com (In Search of Memphre) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 23:47:00 +0000

We are pleased to report that Newport Marine Services has signed on as a sponsor of our expedition In Search of Memphré. Newport Marine Services is donating the use of a pontoon boat for the swim, which will be a key component in keeping the scouts and crew safe.

We thank Bob and Amy for their support.

Meet the Swimmer Scouts

noreply@blogger.com (Elaine Howley) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 22:19:00 +0000

Over the next couple days, we will be introducing the swimmers and other players involved with the In Search of Memphre Tour. Today's installment includes Emma and Bill, who represent two ends of the swimming spectrum and Elaine and John, two east coasters who are firmly in the center of the age spectrum for this event.

William Shipp, 51, Mitchellville, MD

Attorney

Bill lives in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C. with his wife and two daughters. He is a relative novice to marathon open water swimming having completed the Kingdom Swim 10-mile event in 2010 and 2011. He has also completed the 4.4 mile Great Chesapeake Bay Swim five times and has competed in numerous other open water swims in the Washington/Baltimore region.

A traditional pool swimmer, Bill competed in age group swimming as a youth and swam for Herndon High School in Virginia. He attended George Washington University on a swimming scholarship and graduated in 1982. He then proceeded on to law school at GWU as well. After college, Bill took a several-year hiatus from the grind of swimming, and after a few failed starts, returned to swimming in earnest in his early 40s. Initially competing only in USMS pool competitions at the local and national level with the Terrapin Masters swim team, Bill thought that open water seemed like a strange and foreign pursuit. After becoming affiliated with the Arundel Breakfast Club in Annapolis, Maryland, Bill found the club’s love of open water infectious and eventually signed up for the Great Chesapeake Bay Swim. Since his first Bay swim, Bill has been hooked on open water swimming and has found the challenge of the open water and camaraderie among the fellow swimmers to be irresistible.

Bill will be attempting this swim on the weekend of the one-year anniversary of his diagnosis with prostate cancer. “A year ago I had completed a very successful indoor swimming season, swam the Chesapeake Bay swim four times and stepped up to swim my longest open water swim ever, The Kingdom 10-mile. In August we dropped our first daughter off at college and everything seemed to be going along just fine. Life was good,” he says. However, a routine physical in September that included some abnormal lab results became a game changer: Bill had prostate cancer. In otherwise excellent health, Bill’s prognosis for full recovery was good and he underwent surgery in January. He immediately set some goals for his recovery. “I knew the Spring swim meet season would be lost but even before I left the hospital I determined I would complete my fifth crossing of the Chesapeake Bay in June and then travel to Vermont in July to do the Kingdom 10-mile swim again.

“For me it was incredibly important to have a goal to shoot for. The Kingdom Swim is a great event that provides a first class open water swimming opportunity for hundreds of swimmers. More importantly it raises money for an incredibly worthy cause. The IROC programs that provide health and wellness support for those in need are critically important. Those with heart disease, cancer, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and other potentially debilitating conditions need the comfort and helping hand of their family, friends, and community. With the support of IROC these people can take charge of their lives again and achieve their goals, whatever they may be.

“I am honored to be invited to swim in the search for Memphre but more importantly, I am honored to know folks like Phil White and the many volunteers that work so hard with IROC to serve the community.

When he is not swimming in chlorine or river water, Bill is a partner in the law firm of O’Malley, Miles, Nylen & Gilmore specializing in land use and zoning law

Emma Reade Otto-Moudry, 16, Ithaca, NY

High School Student (11^th Grade)

Emma is a brand-new open water swimmer who is beginning to make a big name for herself right out of the gate. At just 16 years old, she is by far the youngest swimmer scout in the group this year. She swims for the Lansing CATS, a club team in the USA Swimming system and first tried open water swimming in the summer of 2009. She was instantly hooked.

In addition to setting the course record for the 4.75-mile Lake Willoughby Swim in August 2011, Emma has also taken part in the around Manhattan Island Marathon swim as part of a four-person relay in 2011. She is also scheduled to swim the 17.5-mile Ederle Swim from Sandy Hook, NJ to Manhattan on October 1^st.

Emma loves “the wildness and the beauty of open water swimming, and the challenge. Swimming for a cause while you are doing something you love is powerful.” As such, the water is her medium for service; she helps to coach the youngest swimmers on her team as a volunteer, has been a volunteer lifeguard for Ithaca Hospicare’s Women Swimmin’ event on Cayuga Lake, and is fundraising for Swim Free in conjunction with her Ederle Swim in October. She is delighted to be taking part on the 26-mile event, which will be her longest solo swim yet.

Elaine Howley, 33, Waltham, MA

Writer

Elaine Howley (Waltham, MA) is recognized by the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame as the co-world record-holder (with fellow swimmer scout Greg O’Connor) for the fastest Boston Light “Double,” a 16-mile out-and-back swim across the Boston Harbor (between L-Street and Little Brewster Island). She became the second female to ever complete the course on August 12, 2010 in 7:07:48. Her swim broke the 41-year-old record by 2 hours, 23 minutes.

Elaine completed the “Triple Crown” of open water, marathon swimming in 2009 by successfully completing swims around Manhattan, NY (28.5 miles); Catalina Island to the California mainland (21 miles); and the English Channel (21 miles).

Elaine has also completed swims of varying distances and difficulties including a 41K in Lake George, NY; the 10-mile Kingdom Swim in Lake Memphremagog, VT; a 12.5-miler in Key West, FL; and a 2.4-miler in 48 degree water in York, ME. All without a wetsuit.

Elaine attempted a 50-mile swim in Narragansett Bay, RI in July 2011 but was thwarted by conditions and sea life, managing to complete 27 miles in about 15 hours. That swim was a fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and raised more than $10,000 for blood cancer research. Elaine lost her younger sister to Leukemia in 1986.

Elaine currently lives in Waltham, MA where she works as a freelance writer and editor. She is a frequent contributor to SWIMMER magazine and espnW. Learn more about Elaine at her website.

John Humenik, 36, New York, NY

Airline Pilot

John learned to swim early on but retired from pool races at the ripe age of eleven. After a long period of aquatic inactivity, he eventually discovered the joys of open water swimming in 2006. John enjoys swimming events around New York City, where he lives. He is an active member of the CIBBOWS group. The longest swim he’s completed to date is a 36-mile, two-day section of the week-long, multi-stage event 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim in July 2011. He also won the inaugural Kingdom Swim 10-mile event and considers Lake Memphremagog to be one of the loveliest places to swim, but only “when there’s no wind. And if the water’s not too cold.”

Out of the water, John is a connoisseur of fine marzipan and a creator of excellent cheescakes. He’s also distinguished by his inability to gain weight, despite feasting on these two food items. As an airline pilot, John tends to fly places, and he’s also been known to knit some mean pairs of mittens as prizes for local ocean swim races.

Planning the Search

noreply@blogger.com (In Search of Memphre) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 11:44:00 +0000

The route has been set. Our initial plan is to begin in Newport and end in Magog. But that's just a plan. Mother Nature will have something to say about it at launch time.
&lt;p&gt;&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt; &amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/47109174"&amp;gt;In Search of Memphre 9/10/11&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br/&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt; &amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/?location=Newport, VT"&amp;gt;Find more Cycling Routes / Bike Rides in Newport, VT&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt; &lt;/p&gt;