50 swimmers will be crossing the Northumberland Strait again next month as a part of the year’s Big Swim on August 6th…
They are raising money for Brigadoon Village, a camp in Nova Scotia that caters to children with chronic illness.
Sophie Deslongchamps is from Scoudouc, and this is her second year taking part in the swim…
She was motivated by a friend to join in, “She had heard about it because her youngest daughter is going through leukemia treatments, so she had heard through the IWK about this camp in Nova Scotia.”
Some of the challenges, are getting used to the wet suit, that you have to wear because the water is so cold, and also you can’t see what is below you in the water.
She says it is kind of nervewracking at first, but the fact you are swimming for such a great cause, that is what keeps you going, “You’re anxious, you’re kind of nervous, you kind of wonder what you have gotten yourself into, but once you get yourself into a rhythm, you’re fine.”
Deslongchamps says they start at Cape Jourmain going under the Confederation Bridge, and ending in Borden, PEI.
This is Deslongchamps second time taking part in the Big Swim. Last year, they did not swim across the Northumberland Strait because of his winds and choppy waters, but they still swm on a different route.
She wasn’t an experienced swimmer when she signed up. She told us, she only learned to swim, when she found out about the event last year. That was about nine months before the swim itself.
It normally takes between three and eight hours depending on how strong the swimmer is.
Their hope is to raise $175, 000 this year.
For more information or to make a donation, visit HERE
