The Associated Press and the Watertown Daily News reported that 66-year-old Peter Hendley was swimming from Grenell Island to Murray Island in Alexandria Bay in New York when he was hit by a boat. Peter had been swimming with a small buoy to alert others that he was in the water.
However, visibility was an issue as winds had kicked up whitecaps and the sun’s glare may have made it difficult for others to see him.
Peter was swimming alone at the time of the accident and was pronounced dead at a local hospital after being pulled from the lake by the boater who struck him.
Peter was a regular swimmer in the bay where he stayed and normally swam alone. The U.S. Coast Guard and state park police assisted in the investigation but say no charges are anticipated.
Alexandria Bay is located in New York’s Thousand Islands region where 1,793 islands exist. The region explodes with activity in the summer when boaters, fishermen, and vacationers descend upon the beautifully scenic bay.
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.