Landing Party Reception and Press Conference at The Harbor View Hotel

A Long Swim has announced a premier open water marathon swim from Nantucket to Martha’s Vineyard for the scheduled date of August 26, 2019. English Channel Swimmer Doug McConnell will be the first to attempt this swim, and will have the critical support of Martha’s Vineyard boat pilots, navigation experts, and his highly seasoned open water crew that includes two experienced ocean kayakers.

Join us for a Landing Party Reception and Press Conference at the Harbor View Hotel – the most beautiful hotel on Martha’s Vineyard – just up the beach from the Edgartown Lighthouse. The Party begins at 5:00pm with a cash bar and appetizers. The party is free and open to the public – all members of the press are invited. The landing is expected to be at 6:00pm according to the swim’s navigation experts. In addition to the open ocean kayakers and the A Long Swim Team, a reporter from the Martha’s Vineyard Gazette will be on board. 

TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE

Guest accommodations for those visiting the Island are available at the Harbor View Hotel here.

In addition to the English Channel, McConnell has swum the the Ka’iwi Channel, the Catalina Channel, around the Island of Manhattan, and the length of Tampa Bay. His marathon swims raise funds for ALS, Lou Gehrig’s Disease, through the foundation A Long Swim, an IRS-recognized 501(c)3.To date, A Long Swim has raised more than $500,000 for collaborative ALS research at Northwestern University, and ALS patients throughout the world have benefitted from their findings. In part because of A Long Swim’s efforts, the world-class research team at Northwestern is on the brink of important discoveries with announcements coming this summer.

The Nantucket to Martha’s Vineyard swim is 18 miles, with some challenges that are specific to that route. Sharks and jellyfish top the list and navigating through tides, currents and shoals will keep the crew on alert the whole expected time of 10 hours.

“I am proud to be the first to attempt crossing the Nantucket Sound to land at the Edgartown Light. Marathon swimming is a team sport, and we’ve traveled the world doing what we do best – swimming in the name of finding a cure to ALS.” There is a Landing Party Reception scheduled at the Harbor View Hotel which overlooks the Edgartown Light. Landing is expected to be at 6:00pm.

Doug McConnell is available for speaking engagements leading up to and following the swim and may be contacted here. Information is also available on the A Long Swim website. A Long Swim and their Facebook page will have announcements leading up to the swim.

Sponsorships are also available and corporations and foundations will join The Harbor View Hotel, The Martha’s Vineyard Gazette, Medtronic, Vineyard Vines, Phillips Men’s Wear, Truly Scrumptious Catering, and Vissant Capital. Tax deductible donations may be made on theA Long Swim website.