The Chester River shone like a jewel at 7:30 a.m. on June 17, 2000 as 19 swimmers took their places in the water to begin an eight nautical mile swim. Each swimmer had trained for months and also raised at least $300 to benefit the Chester River Association and local HIV/AIDS associations. The day had finally arrived and conditions were nearly perfect with 90 degree weather and the water at 70 degrees, except for a slight southwestern wind.

The eight nautical mile course started at Rolph's Wharf, went upriver with the flood tide, under the Chestertown bridge, and then 4 miles down river with the ebb tide. It was a close finish with most swimmers finishing within minutes of the next swimmer. All swimmers finished although Mag Bowen, who had driven to Maryland from Lancaster, Ohio, had to be hospitalized for dehydration after her sixth place finish. Navy SEAL Jim Macciarone broke three hours to finish first in 2:58:53. For complete results, see http://www.crosslink.net/~cherylw/chespress.htm.

Next year's Sixth Annual Eastern Shore marathon swim will be ten nautical miles in the Chesapeake Bay to and around the Poplar Islands and back to the town of Sherwood near St. Michael's on May 20, 2001.

For more information, contact: Joe Stewart at (410) 243-4418 or see