Lynn pride was on display Saturday at the annual Boston Light Swim with Kim Garbarino, an English High School graduate and successful English Channel swimmer, making his 18th Boston Light crossing.
Katelyn Kidney, a Classical High School graduate, won the women’s division in the eight-mile swim.
A Boston tradition since 1907, Boston Light is touted on its website as the oldest open water marathon swim in the U.S. and billed as the “Granddaddy of American Open Water Swims.”
Participants start the race in the water at America’s first lighthouse, the Boston Light on Little Brewster Island in outer Boston Harbor. The course continues past George’s Island and Rainsford Island, then along Long Island (and past where the Long Island Bridge used to stand), and around Thompson’s Island.
Swimmers come ashore at the historic L Street Bathhouse in South Boston, home of the world famous L Street Brownies and the L Street Ice Swimmers.
Boston Light swimmers do not wear warmer wetsuits and early August water temperatures average 65 degrees. Swimmers like Garbarino have used Boston Light to prepare for the English Channel crossing.
