News
September 8, 2021
ISLAMORADA, Fla. (AP) — A 148-year-old Florida Keys lighthouse could get a new life now that a community organization is poised to take ownership and begin a massive preservation project.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland has approved a recommendation from the National Park Service that Islamorada-based Friends of the Pool Inc. be granted ownership of Alligator Reef Lighthouse under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act. The non-profit organization announced the approval Tuesday.
“Alligator Reef Lighthouse has stood since 1873,” project organizer Rob Dixon said. “It’s an important part of Islamorada’s local history.
“It’s our Statue of Liberty and needs to be saved.”
Dixon said the restoration project is likely to take five to seven years and cost up to $9 million.
“We’re going to need a lot of fundraising help and a lot of technical help,” Dixon said.
Friends of the Pool hosts an annual eight-mile swimming race to the offshore lighthouse and back to fund collegiate scholarships. The effort to save the lighthouse and to start the “Swim for Alligator Lighthouse” event was conceived by Larry Herlth, an Islamorada metal artisan who created detailed replicas of Alligator Reef Lighthouse and other Keys lighthouses.
“The six lighthouses off the Florida Keys are the biggest collection of iron piling lighthouses anywhere in the world,” Herlth said. “The history is just phenomenal.”
Alligator Reef Lighthouse is named after the USS Alligator, a U.S. Navy schooner that ran aground on the reef in 1822 and sank.
ISLAMORADA, Fla. (AP) — A 148-year-old Florida Keys lighthouse could get a new life now that a community organization is poised to take ownership and begin a massive preservation project.
U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland has approved a recommendation from the National Park Service that Islamorada-based Friends of the Pool Inc. be granted ownership of Alligator Reef Lighthouse under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act. The non-profit organization announced the approval Tuesday.
“Alligator Reef Lighthouse has stood since 1873,” project organizer Rob Dixon said. “It’s an important part of Islamorada’s local history.
“It’s our Statue of Liberty and needs to be saved.”
Dixon said the restoration project is likely to take five to seven years and cost up to $9 million.
“We’re going to need a lot of fundraising help and a lot of technical help,” Dixon said.
Friends of the Pool hosts an annual eight-mile swimming race to the offshore lighthouse and back to fund collegiate scholarships. The effort to save the lighthouse and to start the “Swim for Alligator Lighthouse” event was conceived by Larry Herlth, an Islamorada metal artisan who created detailed replicas of Alligator Reef Lighthouse and other Keys lighthouses.
“The six lighthouses off the Florida Keys are the biggest collection of iron piling lighthouses anywhere in the world,” Herlth said. “The history is just phenomenal.”
Alligator Reef Lighthouse is named after the USS Alligator, a U.S. Navy schooner that ran aground on the reef in 1822 and sank.
22 November 2021, 03:10pm
By Vanessa Steigauf, Swimming World College Intern
Whoever said swimming was not an extreme sport hasn’t heard of the many unique challenges that exist around the world. Every year, they pull swimmers out of their sheltered swimming pools into the waters our planet has to offer. And you don’t have to be Veljko Rogošić, the world record holder of the longest distance ever swum in an open ocean, to do extreme swimming. Here are some milder challenges that still require a lot of grit for swimmers who look for more than just daily tile-counting at the pool.
Swim for Alligator Lighthouse, Florida Keys, Florida
This extreme swimming challenge, the Swim for Alligator Lighthouse, is an 8-mile (12.8km) swim, starting at Key Largo in Florida. While there are probably no real alligators swirling around your feet, you might share the water with some tiny sharks that help to spice up the race. Several decades ago, the artist “Lighthouse Larry” had swum out to the lighthouse all by himself and everyone thought he was crazy. Now, this has become a yearly event that hundreds of courageous swimmers participate in.
Sweden – The Mecca of Crazy Swimmers In Sweden, you can always find someone to show you the closest lake or pond to swim in. No question they established several official races for all the enthusiastic extreme swimmers as well. The most well-known races include the ÖtillÖ SwimRun in Stockholm, and the Vidösternsimmet in Tånnö.
ÖtillÖ means “island-to-island” in Swedish. It was the result of a bet between two friends who wanted to see whether they could swim and run a chain of 24 islands. The whole race will consist of six miles (10km) of open-water swimming and 40 miles (65km) of trail running. The Vidösternsimmet is a 13-mile open water race – this time without running in between. But what all the races in Sweden have in common is a totally different challenge than just long distances. The water is usually freezing cold. So, when you do finish your race, retain some energy for the sprint to the sauna.
Morocco, The Desert Swim
When you finally feel like your toes have recovered and you would like a warmer challenge, try the Sahara Desert Swim Trek in Morocco. Here, swimmers will have to compete on four consecutive days, with 4, 5.2, 6.2, or 3.1-mile races each day (6.5, 8.5, 10, 5km). The fastest combined time will produce the overall winner. Staying hydrated will get a totally new meaning once you raced in the rare lakes of the Sahara Desert.
Following in The Footsteps of Roman God Neptune
During this race, you might not really feel like a god, but the feeling after finishing will be even bigger. The Neptune Steps in Glasgow, Scotland, is another extreme competition for aquatic athletes. With a total of 400 meters of swimming per round, it isn’t very impressive distance-wise. But once you see the obstacle-course-like setup, you know why it is only done by some of the craziest athletes. Seven canal locks and short pool segments with brutally cold water are swum and climbed through for prelims, semifinals and finals. It’s a real challenge for everyone looking for some cross-training outside the pool as well.
This might make you feel like the 200 fly or the mile aren’t so brutal. How about trying one of those extreme challenges yourself during the next offseason? You already put in the work in the pool – now it’s about adapting to extreme environments. Now that temperatures start to fall, it is the perfect time to get your first ice swim in and prepare for your first extreme swimming challenge.
All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swim for Alligator Lighthouse nor its staff.
By Vanessa Steigauf, Swimming World College Intern
Whoever said swimming was not an extreme sport hasn’t heard of the many unique challenges that exist around the world. Every year, they pull swimmers out of their sheltered swimming pools into the waters our planet has to offer. And you don’t have to be Veljko Rogošić, the world record holder of the longest distance ever swum in an open ocean, to do extreme swimming. Here are some milder challenges that still require a lot of grit for swimmers who look for more than just daily tile-counting at the pool.
Swim for Alligator Lighthouse, Florida Keys, Florida
This extreme swimming challenge, the Swim for Alligator Lighthouse, is an 8-mile (12.8km) swim, starting at Key Largo in Florida. While there are probably no real alligators swirling around your feet, you might share the water with some tiny sharks that help to spice up the race. Several decades ago, the artist “Lighthouse Larry” had swum out to the lighthouse all by himself and everyone thought he was crazy. Now, this has become a yearly event that hundreds of courageous swimmers participate in.
Sweden – The Mecca of Crazy Swimmers In Sweden, you can always find someone to show you the closest lake or pond to swim in. No question they established several official races for all the enthusiastic extreme swimmers as well. The most well-known races include the ÖtillÖ SwimRun in Stockholm, and the Vidösternsimmet in Tånnö.
ÖtillÖ means “island-to-island” in Swedish. It was the result of a bet between two friends who wanted to see whether they could swim and run a chain of 24 islands. The whole race will consist of six miles (10km) of open-water swimming and 40 miles (65km) of trail running. The Vidösternsimmet is a 13-mile open water race – this time without running in between. But what all the races in Sweden have in common is a totally different challenge than just long distances. The water is usually freezing cold. So, when you do finish your race, retain some energy for the sprint to the sauna.
Morocco, The Desert Swim
When you finally feel like your toes have recovered and you would like a warmer challenge, try the Sahara Desert Swim Trek in Morocco. Here, swimmers will have to compete on four consecutive days, with 4, 5.2, 6.2, or 3.1-mile races each day (6.5, 8.5, 10, 5km). The fastest combined time will produce the overall winner. Staying hydrated will get a totally new meaning once you raced in the rare lakes of the Sahara Desert.
Following in The Footsteps of Roman God Neptune
During this race, you might not really feel like a god, but the feeling after finishing will be even bigger. The Neptune Steps in Glasgow, Scotland, is another extreme competition for aquatic athletes. With a total of 400 meters of swimming per round, it isn’t very impressive distance-wise. But once you see the obstacle-course-like setup, you know why it is only done by some of the craziest athletes. Seven canal locks and short pool segments with brutally cold water are swum and climbed through for prelims, semifinals and finals. It’s a real challenge for everyone looking for some cross-training outside the pool as well.
This might make you feel like the 200 fly or the mile aren’t so brutal. How about trying one of those extreme challenges yourself during the next offseason? You already put in the work in the pool – now it’s about adapting to extreme environments. Now that temperatures start to fall, it is the perfect time to get your first ice swim in and prepare for your first extreme swimming challenge.
All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swim for Alligator Lighthouse nor its staff.
By Monroe County Tourist Development Council | Marta Oliver Craviotto
September 10, 2021, 3:43 PM
The Alligator Reef lighthouse, which dates back to 1873, sits about four miles off Islamorada in the Upper Keys. The nonprofit Friends of the Pool, Inc. says restoration of the lighthouse is a multimillion-dollar project that will take several years.
This group wants to save a Florida Keys lighthouse. The feds gave them the job.
By Gwen Filosa
Updated September 11, 2021 07:53 AM
Read more here: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/florida-keys/article254134793.html#storylink=cpy
Fittingly, Rob Dixon was dockside on the waters of the Florida Keys when he learned that he and others had a shot at restoring a piece of maritime history.
That’s the Alligator Reef Lighthouse, which was first lit in 1873 and sits four miles off Islamorada in the Upper Keys.
Dixon, a longtime charter boat captain in Islamorada who still runs boats, checked his email to find a message from the U.S. Department of the Interior. It said the federal government was handing over ownership of the lighthouse to the nonprofit he helps run
“Goosebumps, just goosebumps,” said Dixon, 60, president of the Friends of the Pool, Inc., which announced the acquisition this week. “I couldn’t believe it.”
Alligator Reef Lighthouse is an honored symbol for the Village of Islamorada, appearing in the center of its official seal.
In 2018, the U.S. Coast Guard, which oversees the lighthouses, declared five of the six lighthouses in the Keys as “excess,” meaning they were no longer needed.
One of them was the weather-battered Alligator Reef, named for the USS Alligator, a U.S. Navy schooner that ran aground on the reef in 1822 and sank.
This meant the General Services Administration, which manages procurement and real estate for the federal government, was looking to unload the historic sites for free to either a nonprofit agency or to another government entity, in accordance with the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000.
Friends of the Pool spent two years navigating the application process. Dixon himself put in hundreds of hours to finish the paperwork.
“Two copies of the application weighed 7-and-a-half pounds,” Dixon said. The lighthouse project is estimated to cost about $9 million and take at least five years.
“We realize how much work comes along with it and the responsibility to everyone to stabilize it,” Dixon said.
The goal is to restore the lighthouse to its original condition, Dixon said, making it safe for people to tour it.
The fundraising effort has already started.
“There are a lot of very deep pockets in the Keys,” said Larry Herlth, an artist known as “Lighthouse Larry” for his built-to-scale sculptures of the beacons that can be seen throughout the Keys outside businesses and at the entrance to the city of Marathon. “We’re very optimistic.”
He’s known for having big ideas.
Herlth came up with the Swim for Alligator Lighthouse, an annual eight-mile round-trip swim from shore to the lighthouse that started in 2013. It’s an annual fundraiser for the Friends of the Pool, which also raises money for college scholarships.
“It dawned on me that something needed to be done,” Herlth said. “I decided to swim to the lighthouse just to bring attention to it. One thing led to another.”
The open swim is set for Saturday and has drawn 470 swimmers, including about 180 solo swimmers and the rest in relay teams.
Alligator Light is also a revered spot for many locals, who have spread their loved ones’ ashes there
“My mother and younger brother’s ashes are there,” Herlth said. “Someday mine will be there. I’ll be sprinkled out there for fish food and enjoy every minute of it.”
September 10, 2021, 3:43 PM
The Alligator Reef lighthouse, which dates back to 1873, sits about four miles off Islamorada in the Upper Keys. The nonprofit Friends of the Pool, Inc. says restoration of the lighthouse is a multimillion-dollar project that will take several years.
This group wants to save a Florida Keys lighthouse. The feds gave them the job.
By Gwen Filosa
Updated September 11, 2021 07:53 AM
Read more here: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/florida-keys/article254134793.html#storylink=cpy
Fittingly, Rob Dixon was dockside on the waters of the Florida Keys when he learned that he and others had a shot at restoring a piece of maritime history.
That’s the Alligator Reef Lighthouse, which was first lit in 1873 and sits four miles off Islamorada in the Upper Keys.
Dixon, a longtime charter boat captain in Islamorada who still runs boats, checked his email to find a message from the U.S. Department of the Interior. It said the federal government was handing over ownership of the lighthouse to the nonprofit he helps run
“Goosebumps, just goosebumps,” said Dixon, 60, president of the Friends of the Pool, Inc., which announced the acquisition this week. “I couldn’t believe it.”
Alligator Reef Lighthouse is an honored symbol for the Village of Islamorada, appearing in the center of its official seal.
In 2018, the U.S. Coast Guard, which oversees the lighthouses, declared five of the six lighthouses in the Keys as “excess,” meaning they were no longer needed.
One of them was the weather-battered Alligator Reef, named for the USS Alligator, a U.S. Navy schooner that ran aground on the reef in 1822 and sank.
This meant the General Services Administration, which manages procurement and real estate for the federal government, was looking to unload the historic sites for free to either a nonprofit agency or to another government entity, in accordance with the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000.
Friends of the Pool spent two years navigating the application process. Dixon himself put in hundreds of hours to finish the paperwork.
“Two copies of the application weighed 7-and-a-half pounds,” Dixon said. The lighthouse project is estimated to cost about $9 million and take at least five years.
“We realize how much work comes along with it and the responsibility to everyone to stabilize it,” Dixon said.
The goal is to restore the lighthouse to its original condition, Dixon said, making it safe for people to tour it.
The fundraising effort has already started.
“There are a lot of very deep pockets in the Keys,” said Larry Herlth, an artist known as “Lighthouse Larry” for his built-to-scale sculptures of the beacons that can be seen throughout the Keys outside businesses and at the entrance to the city of Marathon. “We’re very optimistic.”
He’s known for having big ideas.
Herlth came up with the Swim for Alligator Lighthouse, an annual eight-mile round-trip swim from shore to the lighthouse that started in 2013. It’s an annual fundraiser for the Friends of the Pool, which also raises money for college scholarships.
“It dawned on me that something needed to be done,” Herlth said. “I decided to swim to the lighthouse just to bring attention to it. One thing led to another.”
The open swim is set for Saturday and has drawn 470 swimmers, including about 180 solo swimmers and the rest in relay teams.
Alligator Light is also a revered spot for many locals, who have spread their loved ones’ ashes there
“My mother and younger brother’s ashes are there,” Herlth said. “Someday mine will be there. I’ll be sprinkled out there for fish food and enjoy every minute of it.”
Dear Swimmers,
We know 2020 and this year has been a difficult ones. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected us all in ways we could have never imagined. We’ve had to adjust as best we can to accommodate the needs of those around us, while still taking care of our own health and wellness needs. We are still looking forward to 2021 event. If you are able to swim anywhere, anytime it is good for your mental health.
What we know today
COVID-19/Variant is still here with us. The state of Florida still has mandates and updates based on the Covid/Variant numbers.The state of Florida and The Island of Islamorada will play a vital part in issuing the event a permit for 2021. Our permit has been submitted and awaiting approval. At this time we have 100% faith that we will be on the beach swimming for Alligator Lighthouse on September 11th.
What we're doing to get ready
we are working towards our planned swim on September 11, 2021. Planning for an event and forecasting during COVID/Variant has been very difficult. The host hotels are sold out. Travel has been a challenge for many. We understand many decisions will made last minute. So please understand we will do our best to make the weekend one to remember. We are planning to extend our packet pick hours on Thursday and Friday to accommodate our swimmers.
We still have swimmers that need to update their support kayaker’s information or add a team mate to complete your teams. THIS must be done as soon as possible.
https://www.imathlete.com/events/SwimForAlligatorLighthouse/register/fsource=website
Kayak rentals and meals tickets are now available. Links for kayak rentals and meals tickets https://www.imathlete.com/#/legacy?url=%2Fevents%2FEventStore.aspx%3FfEID%3D74008%26mSource%3DimAOverview
Here's how a participant can add a Kayak Rental to an existing registration:
1. Go here: https://www.imathlete.com/#/legacy?url=%2Fevents%2FEventStore.aspx%3FfEID%3D73066%26mSource%3DimAOverview
2. Click Get it! next to either Reserve a Single Kayak or Reserve a Double Kayak
3. In the box that pops up, select a quantity and check the box that says "Add this to my Swim For Alligator Lighthouse registration"
4. Enter their confirmation code (found on the confirmation receipt)
5. Click Search
6. Select their registration from the drop down menu
7. Click Add Item
8. Continue through the check out process
We also are planning a weekend of activities while swimmers are in the Islamorada area. 2021 will be the best year to swim for the Alligator Lighthouse. Please see timeline schedule on our web site. https://www.swimalligatorlight.com/
Preparing you for what's next
Please take the time to read all FAQ’s and Rules for the event. This will help you and your fellow swimmers better understand what is required from the swimmers and support kayakers. Remember only swimmers and support kayakers are allowed on the swim course the day of the event. No outside powerboats will be allowed (2018 change) https://www.swimalligatorlight.com/faqs/ Rules https://www.swimalligatorlight.com/schedule-rules-safety/
Contact us at info@swimalligatorlight.com
Swim for Alligator Lighthouse staff
We know 2020 and this year has been a difficult ones. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected us all in ways we could have never imagined. We’ve had to adjust as best we can to accommodate the needs of those around us, while still taking care of our own health and wellness needs. We are still looking forward to 2021 event. If you are able to swim anywhere, anytime it is good for your mental health.
What we know today
COVID-19/Variant is still here with us. The state of Florida still has mandates and updates based on the Covid/Variant numbers.The state of Florida and The Island of Islamorada will play a vital part in issuing the event a permit for 2021. Our permit has been submitted and awaiting approval. At this time we have 100% faith that we will be on the beach swimming for Alligator Lighthouse on September 11th.
What we're doing to get ready
we are working towards our planned swim on September 11, 2021. Planning for an event and forecasting during COVID/Variant has been very difficult. The host hotels are sold out. Travel has been a challenge for many. We understand many decisions will made last minute. So please understand we will do our best to make the weekend one to remember. We are planning to extend our packet pick hours on Thursday and Friday to accommodate our swimmers.
We still have swimmers that need to update their support kayaker’s information or add a team mate to complete your teams. THIS must be done as soon as possible.
https://www.imathlete.com/events/SwimForAlligatorLighthouse/register/fsource=website
Kayak rentals and meals tickets are now available. Links for kayak rentals and meals tickets https://www.imathlete.com/#/legacy?url=%2Fevents%2FEventStore.aspx%3FfEID%3D74008%26mSource%3DimAOverview
Here's how a participant can add a Kayak Rental to an existing registration:
1. Go here: https://www.imathlete.com/#/legacy?url=%2Fevents%2FEventStore.aspx%3FfEID%3D73066%26mSource%3DimAOverview
2. Click Get it! next to either Reserve a Single Kayak or Reserve a Double Kayak
3. In the box that pops up, select a quantity and check the box that says "Add this to my Swim For Alligator Lighthouse registration"
4. Enter their confirmation code (found on the confirmation receipt)
5. Click Search
6. Select their registration from the drop down menu
7. Click Add Item
8. Continue through the check out process
We also are planning a weekend of activities while swimmers are in the Islamorada area. 2021 will be the best year to swim for the Alligator Lighthouse. Please see timeline schedule on our web site. https://www.swimalligatorlight.com/
Preparing you for what's next
Please take the time to read all FAQ’s and Rules for the event. This will help you and your fellow swimmers better understand what is required from the swimmers and support kayakers. Remember only swimmers and support kayakers are allowed on the swim course the day of the event. No outside powerboats will be allowed (2018 change) https://www.swimalligatorlight.com/faqs/ Rules https://www.swimalligatorlight.com/schedule-rules-safety/
Contact us at info@swimalligatorlight.com
Swim for Alligator Lighthouse staff
From freezing lakes to choppy oceans and, erm, a desert, here are eight gruelling aquatic endurance trials for any swimmer looking for a big test.
November 13, 2019 by Tom Ward
You don't need to be Ross Edgley powering around the coast of Great Britain in a wetsuit and goggles to understand just what a physical and mental test swimming in open water can be.
Take some of the many outdoor swim challenges scattered across the world, where you not only have to contend with the elements but also go elbow-to-elbow with some equally driven competitors.
But which are the toughest of the tough? We've scoured the globe for the very best, most exotic, and, crucially, most challenging swimming events coming your way in 2020. Some will see you travel halfway across the globe just to reach the start line. Others take in some of the most stunning scenery this earth has to offer. And one is in Glasgow...
Now’s the time to wet your head and start training as if your life depends on it.
1. Channel 7 Port to Pub with Hotel Rottnest, Perth, Australia
2. ÖTILLÖ SwimRun World Championships, Stockholm, Sweden
3. Red Bull Neptune Steps, Glasgow, Scotland
4. Norseman Xtreme Triathlon, Eidfjord, Norway
5. Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swim, Istanbul, Turkey
6. Morocco Swim Trek, Sahara Desert
7. Swim For Alligator Lighthouse, Florida Keys, Florida
8. Vidösternsimmet, Tånnö, Sweden
- Original article can be found at https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/toughest-swimming-challenges-in-the-world?fbclid=IwAR2cFnaBV1OnhvNrqZWZUhr1u5Gbs16bYUxKzP7zRaoKjZY5iRnez5y6vx4
November 13, 2019 by Tom Ward
You don't need to be Ross Edgley powering around the coast of Great Britain in a wetsuit and goggles to understand just what a physical and mental test swimming in open water can be.
Take some of the many outdoor swim challenges scattered across the world, where you not only have to contend with the elements but also go elbow-to-elbow with some equally driven competitors.
But which are the toughest of the tough? We've scoured the globe for the very best, most exotic, and, crucially, most challenging swimming events coming your way in 2020. Some will see you travel halfway across the globe just to reach the start line. Others take in some of the most stunning scenery this earth has to offer. And one is in Glasgow...
Now’s the time to wet your head and start training as if your life depends on it.
1. Channel 7 Port to Pub with Hotel Rottnest, Perth, Australia
2. ÖTILLÖ SwimRun World Championships, Stockholm, Sweden
3. Red Bull Neptune Steps, Glasgow, Scotland
4. Norseman Xtreme Triathlon, Eidfjord, Norway
5. Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swim, Istanbul, Turkey
6. Morocco Swim Trek, Sahara Desert
7. Swim For Alligator Lighthouse, Florida Keys, Florida
8. Vidösternsimmet, Tånnö, Sweden
- Original article can be found at https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/toughest-swimming-challenges-in-the-world?fbclid=IwAR2cFnaBV1OnhvNrqZWZUhr1u5Gbs16bYUxKzP7zRaoKjZY5iRnez5y6vx4
ISLAMORADA, Fla (AP)
14 September 2019, 03:33pm
A Florida swimmer has posted the fastest time among 460 participants during an open-water swimming competition in the Florida Keys.
Thirty-year-old Michael Schultz of St. Pete Beach, finished Saturday's four-mile Swim for Alligator Lighthouse in one hour, 28 minutes and 48 seconds.
Thirty-nine-year-old Brooke Bennett a three-time Olympic gold medalist from Clearwater, Fla., was the top woman, finishing in 1:28:59.
Maryland swimmers David Speier of Bishopville and Charles Potterton of Salisbury won the two-person relay in 1:39:55.
Georgia residents Jack Haire of Gainesville, Phil Stafford of Atlanta and Bill Weiss of Dawsonville, along with Jim Jacobson of Edgewater, Maryland, won the four-person mixed relay division at 1:56:38.
The annual event was conceived to raise awareness of preserving the nearly 150-year-old Alligator Reef Lighthouse and five other aging lighthouses off the Keys.
Copyright 2019 The Associated Press.
14 September 2019, 03:33pm
A Florida swimmer has posted the fastest time among 460 participants during an open-water swimming competition in the Florida Keys.
Thirty-year-old Michael Schultz of St. Pete Beach, finished Saturday's four-mile Swim for Alligator Lighthouse in one hour, 28 minutes and 48 seconds.
Thirty-nine-year-old Brooke Bennett a three-time Olympic gold medalist from Clearwater, Fla., was the top woman, finishing in 1:28:59.
Maryland swimmers David Speier of Bishopville and Charles Potterton of Salisbury won the two-person relay in 1:39:55.
Georgia residents Jack Haire of Gainesville, Phil Stafford of Atlanta and Bill Weiss of Dawsonville, along with Jim Jacobson of Edgewater, Maryland, won the four-person mixed relay division at 1:56:38.
The annual event was conceived to raise awareness of preserving the nearly 150-year-old Alligator Reef Lighthouse and five other aging lighthouses off the Keys.
Copyright 2019 The Associated Press.
by DIANA PIMER
18 September 2018, 07:20pm
ISLAMORADA, Florida Keys – Over 350 national and international participants competed in calm, clear waters off the Florida Keys Saturday during the Swim for Alligator Lighthouse, an eight-mile open-water challenge.
Miami resident Yoelvis Pedraza, 31, emerged from the Atlantic Ocean as the top individual swimmer with a time of 2 hours, 55 minutes and 36 seconds.
Top female finisher Chelsea Nauta, 29, of Tampa, completed the race in 3:04:21.
In other divisions, Tampa residents Pam Owens and Connor Signorin finished with the fastest two-person relay time of 3:28:57. Punta Gorda, Florida, residents Danielle Chance and Melissa Varlas teamed up with Laura Hamel and Rick Walker of Sarasota, Florida, in the four-person mixed relay division to place first with 3:33:46.
Athletes swam to Alligator Reef Lighthouse off Islamorada, rounded the beacon and came back to the start and finish points at Amara Cay Resort.
The annual event, conceived to raise awareness of preserving the 145-year-old Alligator Reef Lighthouse and five other aging lighthouses off the Florida Keys, raises college scholarship funds for Keys students interested in competitive swimming.
— The above press release was posted by Swimming World in conjunction with Andy Newman and fla-keys.com. For press releases and advertising inquiries please contact Advertising@SwimmingWorld.com.
— Original article can be found at "https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/swim-for-alligator-lighthouse-brings-over-350-racers-to-florida-keys/"
18 September 2018, 07:20pm
ISLAMORADA, Florida Keys – Over 350 national and international participants competed in calm, clear waters off the Florida Keys Saturday during the Swim for Alligator Lighthouse, an eight-mile open-water challenge.
Miami resident Yoelvis Pedraza, 31, emerged from the Atlantic Ocean as the top individual swimmer with a time of 2 hours, 55 minutes and 36 seconds.
Top female finisher Chelsea Nauta, 29, of Tampa, completed the race in 3:04:21.
In other divisions, Tampa residents Pam Owens and Connor Signorin finished with the fastest two-person relay time of 3:28:57. Punta Gorda, Florida, residents Danielle Chance and Melissa Varlas teamed up with Laura Hamel and Rick Walker of Sarasota, Florida, in the four-person mixed relay division to place first with 3:33:46.
Athletes swam to Alligator Reef Lighthouse off Islamorada, rounded the beacon and came back to the start and finish points at Amara Cay Resort.
The annual event, conceived to raise awareness of preserving the 145-year-old Alligator Reef Lighthouse and five other aging lighthouses off the Florida Keys, raises college scholarship funds for Keys students interested in competitive swimming.
— The above press release was posted by Swimming World in conjunction with Andy Newman and fla-keys.com. For press releases and advertising inquiries please contact Advertising@SwimmingWorld.com.
— Original article can be found at "https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/swim-for-alligator-lighthouse-brings-over-350-racers-to-florida-keys/"
17 September 2016, 02:59pm
ISLAMORADA, Florida Keys — More than 180 athletes competed in a 9-mile open-water swim Saturday off the Florida Keys.
Noah Zhang of Jupiter, Fla., emerged as the top individual swimmer at the fourth annual Alligator Lighthouse Swim in the Atlantic Ocean.
Zhang, 17, a high school senior at Oxbridge Academy, completed the swim in 3 hours and 46 minutes.
“This is the craziest race I have ever done,” Zhang said. “When I came around the lighthouse I saw two turtles and a couple of barracudas.
“I snorkeled the reef at the lighthouse as a kid, so this was a great excuse to come back to the Keys.,” he said.
Zhang said his strategy was to get a good start.
“I wanted to get out fast, keep a good pace and stay there,” said Zhang, who swims for the North Palm Beach Swim Club . “The guy behind me (second-place finisher Diego De Los Rios of Miami Beach) pushed me, which was good.”
Participants swam to Alligator Reef Lighthouse, around the beacon and returned to the Islamorada shoreline.
Islamorada residents David Jacobson, Tracy Collett, Robert Kelley and Eric Wunderlich won the four-person relay division with a time of 4:09:18. Hollywood, Fla., residents Bennett Rodriguez and Carly Hyman won the two-person division with 3:50:05.
The top female swimmer was Alison Hayden of Kinnelon, New Jersey, with a time of 4:02:38.
The event was staged as a college scholarship fundraiser for Keys students interested in competitive swimming, but also to raise awareness of a need to preserve the 143-year-old Alligator Reef Lighthouse and five other aging lighthouses off the Florida Keys.
The beacons are no longer tools for maritime navigation due to Global Postioning System usage and other modern seamanship tools.
The event’s individual course record of 3:18:03 was set in 2015 by Miami resident Yoelvis Pedreza.
The link between pirates and Alligator Lighthouse
KEYNOTER PUBLISHING
JULY 31, 2015 11:40 AM,
UPDATED JULY 31, 2015 10:40 AM
One of the most visible and photographed structures in the Upper Keys is directly related to piratical activity. The story behind the pirate tale begins at the Boston Navy Yard and dates back to 1820 when construction began on a new schooner for the Navy.
The 86-foot long ship-of-war was one of four swift 12-gun schooners built to aid in the fight against piracy. The vessel was named the U.S. Schooner Alligator.
The Alligator was commissioned in March 1821 and first used to ferry representatives of the American Colonizing Society to the west coast of Africa. The trip was made in hopes of finding land on which to create a colony where freed American slaves could reestablish themselves on the African continent. The Alligator returned to America and, in June 1822, command was reassigned to Lieutenant William H. Allen.
Allen was directed to join the West Indies Squadron and hunt pirates in the Caribbean and Florida Straits. Including Allen and Lieutenant Dale, Allen’s second in command, the ship was armed with a crew of nine officers and 45 seamen and U.S. Marines. In November 1822, the Alligator was patrolling off the northern coast of Cuba. It entered the harbor at Matanzas on November 8. Almost immediately the Alligator’s crew witnessed local merchants helping two Americans outfit the schooner Ploughboy with armaments necessary for a fight.
Allen was approached by the Americans who informed him that their ships had been captured by pirates and were being held for a $7,000 ransom. Allen was told that the pirates were threatening to burn the ships and every man on board if they were not paid. Allen ordered the Alligator to sail east for Guajaba. The Ploughboy followed.
Allen and his men spotted the masts of the captured ships sticking up from behind the tree line in the early hours of the following morning. The pirates had stashed the ships in a cove, a cove too shallow for the Alligator to access. Allen ordered the ship’s three auxiliary boats, a launch, cutter and a gig, lowered. Allen took command of the launch and Dale the cutter. Four men got into the gig and the little fleet of Marines rowed into the cove.
REVENGE was carved into the side of the pirate schooner. Her decks were crowded with approximately 30 cutthroats. A broadside of round and grapeshot was fired at the Marines, but the pirates’ aim proved wild and none of the Alligator’s auxiliary ships suffered damage. As the Marines drew closer, their accurate musket fire began to cripple the pirate forces.
Though the pirates attempted to escape, there was insufficient wind for their sails and they were forced to heave and heave with their long oars. In the meantime, a nearby schooner armed with 60 pirates heard the fracas and joined the fray. Outnumbered two to one, the Marines fought on. The Revenge was abandoned and the surviving pirates escaped aboard the second pirate schooner.
Allen was hit twice by gunfire and though mortally wounded, continued to issue both orders and encouragement. During the 30-minute skirmish, four Marines were injured and two killed, including Allen. Command of the Alligator shifted to Lt. Dale who, nine days after the fight, escorted the liberated American ships and the Revenge to Norfolk, Virginia.
Before departing Cuba, however, Dale had been informed that pirates were planning to attack any of the convoy’s stragglers. One of the American ships in the convoy was the Anna Maria, a merchant vessel carrying a load of molasses. While the Alligator had been built for speed, the Anna Maria had been constructed for capacity and it did not take long for the merchant ship to fall behind.
Dale’s concern only increased as he spied ships falling increasingly behind through his telescope. To slow the Alligator, Dale ordered the schooner to begin tacking maneuvers. Understanding the dangerous nature of the water, soundings were ordered to be taken every 30 minutes. At 9 p.m., November 19, the water showed 270 feet deep. At approximately 9:30 p.m., the Alligator came to a sudden halt as it struck the reef.
While the ship was hopelessly lost to the reef, the crew was rescued by the Anna Maria.
The Alligator was stripped of its sails and rigging before gunpowder was exploded and the ship burned to the waterline in order that pirates not profit from the resources left behind with the wreck. Today, the general site of that wreck is marked by Alligator Lighthouse, completed in 1873 at a cost of $185,000 and named for the wrecked anti-piracy ship the U.S. Schooner Alligator. The iron screw-pile outpost that approximately marks the wreck site stands 136 feet high.
Brad Bertelli is a published author of four books on Florida and Florida Keys history. He is the curator of the Keys History and Discovery Center, located at the Islander Resort. His column will appear every other week in The Reporter. Reach Brad with comments and questions at WhyPanic@aol.com.
— Original article can be found at "https://www.flkeysnews.com/living/article79616702.html"
KEYNOTER PUBLISHING
JULY 31, 2015 11:40 AM,
UPDATED JULY 31, 2015 10:40 AM
One of the most visible and photographed structures in the Upper Keys is directly related to piratical activity. The story behind the pirate tale begins at the Boston Navy Yard and dates back to 1820 when construction began on a new schooner for the Navy.
The 86-foot long ship-of-war was one of four swift 12-gun schooners built to aid in the fight against piracy. The vessel was named the U.S. Schooner Alligator.
The Alligator was commissioned in March 1821 and first used to ferry representatives of the American Colonizing Society to the west coast of Africa. The trip was made in hopes of finding land on which to create a colony where freed American slaves could reestablish themselves on the African continent. The Alligator returned to America and, in June 1822, command was reassigned to Lieutenant William H. Allen.
Allen was directed to join the West Indies Squadron and hunt pirates in the Caribbean and Florida Straits. Including Allen and Lieutenant Dale, Allen’s second in command, the ship was armed with a crew of nine officers and 45 seamen and U.S. Marines. In November 1822, the Alligator was patrolling off the northern coast of Cuba. It entered the harbor at Matanzas on November 8. Almost immediately the Alligator’s crew witnessed local merchants helping two Americans outfit the schooner Ploughboy with armaments necessary for a fight.
Allen was approached by the Americans who informed him that their ships had been captured by pirates and were being held for a $7,000 ransom. Allen was told that the pirates were threatening to burn the ships and every man on board if they were not paid. Allen ordered the Alligator to sail east for Guajaba. The Ploughboy followed.
Allen and his men spotted the masts of the captured ships sticking up from behind the tree line in the early hours of the following morning. The pirates had stashed the ships in a cove, a cove too shallow for the Alligator to access. Allen ordered the ship’s three auxiliary boats, a launch, cutter and a gig, lowered. Allen took command of the launch and Dale the cutter. Four men got into the gig and the little fleet of Marines rowed into the cove.
REVENGE was carved into the side of the pirate schooner. Her decks were crowded with approximately 30 cutthroats. A broadside of round and grapeshot was fired at the Marines, but the pirates’ aim proved wild and none of the Alligator’s auxiliary ships suffered damage. As the Marines drew closer, their accurate musket fire began to cripple the pirate forces.
Though the pirates attempted to escape, there was insufficient wind for their sails and they were forced to heave and heave with their long oars. In the meantime, a nearby schooner armed with 60 pirates heard the fracas and joined the fray. Outnumbered two to one, the Marines fought on. The Revenge was abandoned and the surviving pirates escaped aboard the second pirate schooner.
Allen was hit twice by gunfire and though mortally wounded, continued to issue both orders and encouragement. During the 30-minute skirmish, four Marines were injured and two killed, including Allen. Command of the Alligator shifted to Lt. Dale who, nine days after the fight, escorted the liberated American ships and the Revenge to Norfolk, Virginia.
Before departing Cuba, however, Dale had been informed that pirates were planning to attack any of the convoy’s stragglers. One of the American ships in the convoy was the Anna Maria, a merchant vessel carrying a load of molasses. While the Alligator had been built for speed, the Anna Maria had been constructed for capacity and it did not take long for the merchant ship to fall behind.
Dale’s concern only increased as he spied ships falling increasingly behind through his telescope. To slow the Alligator, Dale ordered the schooner to begin tacking maneuvers. Understanding the dangerous nature of the water, soundings were ordered to be taken every 30 minutes. At 9 p.m., November 19, the water showed 270 feet deep. At approximately 9:30 p.m., the Alligator came to a sudden halt as it struck the reef.
While the ship was hopelessly lost to the reef, the crew was rescued by the Anna Maria.
The Alligator was stripped of its sails and rigging before gunpowder was exploded and the ship burned to the waterline in order that pirates not profit from the resources left behind with the wreck. Today, the general site of that wreck is marked by Alligator Lighthouse, completed in 1873 at a cost of $185,000 and named for the wrecked anti-piracy ship the U.S. Schooner Alligator. The iron screw-pile outpost that approximately marks the wreck site stands 136 feet high.
Brad Bertelli is a published author of four books on Florida and Florida Keys history. He is the curator of the Keys History and Discovery Center, located at the Islander Resort. His column will appear every other week in The Reporter. Reach Brad with comments and questions at WhyPanic@aol.com.
— Original article can be found at "https://www.flkeysnews.com/living/article79616702.html"
