February 5, 2003
'Like being tumbled in a dryer'
Local residents compete in extreme open-water St. Croix Coral Reef Swim
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
Eight area swimmers traveled to the Caribbean last October to compete in an extreme swim event: the seventh annual St. Croix Coral Reef Swim. Taking to the water against competitors that included former Olympic swimmers and veterans of other open-water extreme swim events, the Traverse City contingent nevertheless made themselves proud.
The 200 contestants navigated a five-mile course in open ocean as higher-than-usual swells pummeled them, driving many swimmers off course and disqualifying them. A ten-mile race scheduled for after the five-mile event was canceled due to the swells. Even some of the kayakers at the event to help swimmers would not put their boats in the water that morning.
Besides physical challenge of the waves, the swimmers had to navigate while spending much of their time in the troughs that hid course markings or landmarks.
"Part of the challenge is to get from point A to point B," said Carrie Eby, who finished second in her women's fin division and received a silver bracelet for her efforts. "One leg of the race went in a 'Z' and one direction was totally swells, pretty intimidating. You're on your own out there, they show you how to go but you're on your own."
Mary Wodzien summarized the in-water experience for the group.
"It was like being tumbled in a dryer," she said.
Despite all the challenges of open water and distance swimming, the eight swimmers returned pleased with their results.
Harriet Wall finished just two minutes behind Eby, coming in third while Carol Srdjak finished fifth, 90 seconds later. Chris Szymanski was the fastest swimmer in the group, completing the five miles in two hours and 45 minutes. She won a bottle of rum for finishing tenth in her division: female solo, 40 and over. Mary Wodzien came in 13th in the same division.
Three other area swimmers competed together in a five-mile relay race: John and Fran Van Dalson and Mary Clark. The team, with the Van Dalsons as last-minute substitutes, came in fourth against teams much younger who had extensive training time in open water.
The heart of the swimming adventurers is a group of six women who have forged a friendship in the lanes of the Grand Traverse County Civic Center pool. They are all regular swimmers who meet at least three days a week at the 7:40 a.m. slot to get in their laps before beginning their days. All busy women with families, careers and other pulls on their time, they carve their morning swim segment out of their days. They also find time to socialize together and plan weekly excursions on Saturdays, usually revolving around other sports such as biking or snowshoeing.
Once they took the race in the Virgin Islands on as a goal, they began devoting themselves to training, swimming six days a week for hours at a time. Their summer was consumed with extensive open water swimming in Grand Traverse Bay, starting in wet suits in June.
"We spent a good two months on the bay getting used to open water," said Eby, who competed in the Coral Reef Swim in 2000. "You have different conditions in the bay, waves and distance, you can't get in a pool."
The women mainly swam a route along East Bay because they could clock the distance along U.S. 31 North. They also swam a route in West Bay from Tom's West Bay to Bryant Park. After their training, they have become connoisseurs of open water flavor.
"East Bay has the better flavor compared to West Bay," Wodzien noted. "When you're in the water for hours, this becomes important."
The swimmers received assists from family and friends during their months of training, people they termed their associate mermaids Other men swimmers who also swim at the Civic Center in their time slot provided coaching tips and assistance with technique.
The swimmers also acknowledge the help of the Civic Center staff.
"The lifeguards made it possible for us to do extra time," Wodzien said. "The Civic Center has been very accommodating."