Last week, we told you about three marathon swims announced by the Northwest Open Water Swimming Association for last week. We noted the first swim’s successful completion last Wednesday – Chelsea Lee completing what’s known as the Bert Thomas Swim, almost 19 miles from Old Town Dock in Tacoma to Point Williams by Colman Pool in West Seattle, in . She finished in just over 9 hours. Two days later, last Friday, NOWSA confirms, Wendy Van De Sompele of Vashon Island – aquatic director at Colman Pool – swan from Alki Point to West Point, six miles, in 2:45.

(Wendy, post-swim – photo by Scott Lautman)

With that, she became the first person to complete 5 out of the 6 swims in the Puget Sound Lighthouse Series.

Then on Sunday, NOWSA’s big week concluded with a round-trip all-woman relay from/to Alki Point, around Blake Island, completed in 6:28:

(Salish Sirens at relay’s end, photo by Stephanie Zimmerman)

They were dubbed the “Salish Sirens” – Melissa Kegler, a Triple Crown marathon swimmer (English Channel, Catalina Channel, around Manhattan Island) headed the relay team, whose members spanned all decades from 30-70: Becky Smith, Carol Horowitz, Guila Muir, Emily White, and Shea DeWald. They all regularly swim in the Sound off Alki. Boat support was provided by Seastr PNW, which NOWSA explained is “dedicated to inclusive access to waterborne activities for people who have been historically excluded from the maritime industry and water sports.” You can learn more about NOWSA here.