Swimming 15 kilometres across the Northumberland Strait from New Brunswick to PEI is challenging enough but when strong currents get in the way, that makes it even tougher.
49 swimmers took part in the Big Swim to raise money for Brigadoon Village camp.
There were clear skies, but he swim turned out to be 22 kilometres and took almost 8 hours, due those currents.
Logan and Zoe Keirstead, who are originally from Moncton, took on the challenge.
Zoe says, “When we got to seven and a half kilometres, we were so excited because we had reached halfway. Then we got to ten kilometres and still feeling strong. But them we got to 16 kilometres and we weren’t even close to the end. That was a pretty big mental battle.”
This was Zoe’s first time, “The most challenging thing for me was the cold. It really affected me at one point.”
Logan swam once before in 2015, and she was determined to complete the swim in less time, but unfortunately that didn’t happen due to those currents, “When we reached 16 kilometres and it was over five hours in, it was kind of depleting mentally. That was a challenge.”
The twins raised $13,000 and Logan says they were motivated by all the people who supported them. That will send 13 kids to camp.
“Knowing that we had all of this love and all of these people supporting and rooting for us, that motivated us at that 16 kilometre point to say, we signed all of these people up for this journey with us, so we better get moving!”
Logan and Zoe will head back to Calgary, Alberta, where they are living now, in just over a week. They both say they will most likely try do the swim again, but they’ll not for a few years. They’re very grateful to everyone who donated to this wonderful cause.