Rivard’s and Brynn Complete Circumnavigation Border Bumper Swim

Courtesy of Phil White, Lake Memphremagog, Vermont.

On August 2nd, 13-year-old Margaret Rivard, 16-year-old Vera Rivard, and 53-year-old Charlotte Brynn completed a 15-mile Circumnavigation Border Bumper Swim on Lake Memphremagog. The trio started from The Clubhous docks in Derby Bay, swam to the green buoy at the Bluffs, to the second green buoy off Bluff Farms, to the small dock at the EastSide Restaurant, to the bow of the Northern Star, to the red buoy at Farrant’s Point, to the Lighthouse by Blueberry Acres, to the large rock on the US side of the slash at the border and back to The Clubhous.

Brynn and the older Rivard completed their swim in 8 hours 49 minutes [shown above] while the younger Rivard finished in 9 hours 49 minutes.

Margaret was escorted by her mother, Darcie DeBlois Rivard, paddling a kayak throughout. Bryann and Vera were escorted by pontoon boat, Lucky, piloted by Phil White and crewed by Heidi Brynn. The swim was organized and hosted by Kingdom Games and ratified as being completed in conformity with traditional channel crossing rules, by the Northeast Kingdom Open Water Swimming Association.

Water temperature ranged from 74° to 75°F. Winds were light and variable during the first few hours, but started to increase from the south as the swimmers headed north from the City Docks. By the time they reached the border, the wind had picked up to 10 to 20 mph from the south with gusts as high as 30 mph. It made for a joyfully challenging three-mile crossing from the west side of the lake back to the eastside. Waves were about two feet high most of the way, with a brief respite in the lee of Black Island.

It was the second major marathon swim for Vera in the COVID-19 era; she completed a 45.9 km mile circumnavigation swim of Manhattan Island and has plans to attempt a crossing of the English Channel this month. Margaret is hopeful of swimming the entire length of Lake Memphremagog, if the border is re-opened before the end of the summer.

Small group, socially distanced open water swims will continue during August with the NEK Swim Week on August 8th through 16th, and several more Saturday Clubhous Swims at the end of August. For more information or to register: www.kingdomgames.co.

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