PREVIEW: Alki swimmer Chelsea Lee to attempt to cross Strait of Juan de Fuca (Friday updates)

That’s Chelsea Lee, an Alki resident and open-water marathon swimmer, on the shore of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, where she will attempt a tough cross-strait swim tomorrow (Friday, August 1). We told you last week that she planned to make the attempt sometime in the next few days, depending on the wind and waves outlook, and now the decision’s been made. She’s planning to swim between Beechey Head, BC, and Tongue Point, WA, starting at 7:30 am tomorrow. Chelsea already has completed marathon swims including the what the Northwest Open Water Swimming Association calls the Amy Hiland Swim – Bremerton to Alki Point, which fellow Alki swimmer Justin Davis achieved last Sunday – and the Bert Thomas Swim, Tacoma to Lincoln Park. Once she starts, you’ll be able to follow her on this tracking page.

FRIDAY UPDATE #1: Because of a weather advisory, she’s swimming from the US to Canada instead of the other direction.

FRIDAY UPDATE #2: Another update from NOWSA’s Amanda Winans: “They’ve been enduring some pretty rough conditions (getting too rough for the boat, and getting worse closer to Canada), so they made it a goal to get to the Canadian line. They did a u-turn there, and now she’s hoping to be able to swim for a total of 6 hours, to use it as an English Channel qualifying swim (although this is an extreme version!). They’re keeping the tracker on.”

10 Replies to "PREVIEW: Alki swimmer Chelsea Lee to attempt to cross Strait of Juan de Fuca (Friday updates)"

  • SandwichesAreGood July 31, 2025 (9:20 pm)

    So cool and very inspiring! We will check in on her progress tomorrow. Go Chelsea!

  • Doug July 31, 2025 (9:57 pm)

     Good luck !!!   and please don’t swim into any of those container ships or tankers. 

  • Eddie July 31, 2025 (10:01 pm)

    Stupid question: how does she clear customs/legally re-enter the US?Good luck, safe travels. 

    • WSB July 31, 2025 (10:20 pm)

      There’s some explanation of that here.
      https://northwestopenwater.org/swims#sjdf

    • K August 1, 2025 (2:14 am)

      Thank you, I wondered the same!  Like, do they need a passport pocket on the swim suit?

  • WS mom July 31, 2025 (11:44 pm)

    So inspiring! Best of luck to you. 

  • rose August 1, 2025 (10:15 am)

    You got this!

  • AB August 1, 2025 (12:08 pm)

    Yay, Chelsea!  Kellan and I are cheering for you!

  • Hil August 1, 2025 (2:19 pm)

    Way to go, Chelsea! Home waters ❤️

  • Lucy August 1, 2025 (5:55 pm)

    GO! CHELSEA!  GO!

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