The Night Train Swimmers did not complete their unprecedented 339-mile ocean relay swim this week.

The audacious plan to swim from Northern California to Southern California was tripped up not because of sharks, currents, winds, hypothermia, jellyfish or human exhaustion, but because of a mechanical problem with their steering on their main escort boat. A throttle cable on the Sequel broke, causing the swimmers and support crew to pull into Santa Cruz well short of their goal.

As they pulled into shore dejected as athletes and adventurers, they can and should stand tall and remain proud. The Night Train Swimmers – with Vito Bialla as their captain and Patti Bauernfeind, Kim Chambers, Phil Cutti, Dave Holscher, Joe Locke, and Zach Jirkovsky as the engine – raised over US$1.2 million in donations for the Semper Fi Fund.

The mission to swim 339 miles in the open ocean was not completed, but the mission to support those in need through the Semper Fi Fund was a grand success.



Update: the team will attempt the SF to SB (San Francisco to Santa Barbara) swim again after completing the repairs.

Copyright © 2012 by Open Water Source