In the 1960s, there was a series of extraordinary professional marathon swims in Lake Michigan sponsored by Jim Moran. Pro swimmers like Greta Andersen, Abdul Latif Abou Heif and Ted Erikson went head-to-head for hours, day and night, in the cold, rough waters of Lake Michigan.

Lake Michigan has also attracted swimmers like Kevin Murphy, a 34-time English Channel swimmer, and Marcia Cleveland, author of Dover Solo, to its waters.

Many swimmers challenge themselves along the shoreline, either during the annual Big Shoulders race or for marathon swims like Chicago Skyline Swim. But 50 years after the pros forged tough cross-lake swims, amateurs are now hoping to replicate their feats. But with a twist to help others. So the money flows outwards to help make others’ lives better. Daren Wendell is such an individual.

Daren endured a tough Lake Michigan crossing – 50.6 miles in 36 hours. It was a journey that he describes below. His carity effort on behalf of Active Water raised US$14,000 for clean, accessible water in Zambia:

Watch August 8, 2011 – Lake Michigan Swimmer on PBS.

Copyright © 2011 by Open Water Source