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Amateur sets record swimming across L. Ontario
CTV.ca
News Staff
August 13, 2003
An Ontario man has made history with a marathon swim across Lake Ontario. John Munro, 52, is now the oldest amateur to swim his way 56 kilometres across Lake Ontario.
Munro began the trek Tuesday morning in Sacketts Harbour, New York. Wednesday evening, more than 34 hours later, he emerged from the water in Kingston, Ont.
Before he even slipped in the water, the challenges began when looming thunderstorms threatened to scuttle the expedition. Undaunted, the retired Toronto police officer eventually took to the lake -- which was calm and relatively balmy for the early part of his swim.
But when he headed into the main part of Lake Ontario, he was faced with metre-high waves breaking over his head and strong currents tugging from below. The waters of Lake Ontario are some of the most challenging in the world for swimmers. The crossing is long, the waters cold, the current swift.
Tired, nauseous and gripped by muscle cramps from his constant exertion -- rules stipulate Munro cannot touch escort boats during his swim -- he finally crossed into Canadian waters before midnight Tuesday.
But it wasn't until Wednesday evening that Munro made the final exhausting push back on to land.
Munro was elated hundreds had gathered to witness his arrival in Kingston.
"To see all the great people from the Kingston area here to support an old guy who's just done a swim, I think that's pretty tremendous," Munro said after reaching dry land.
He and his wife Vicki Keith -- a world record-holding marathon swimmer -- hope the "Y Knot Marathon" will raise money for a local YMCA, as well as sports programs for children with disabilities. So far, he has already raised $80,000.
In 1988, Keith herself set several world records when she swam to raise money for similar causes, including accomplishing the impressive feat of conquering all five Great Lakes in a two-month span.
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