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Swimmers complete 7.25-km lap from Pau Pau to Managaha
Four Dolphin Club Saipan swimmers walked out of the water and onto the sand of Managaha Islands on Saturday to the cheers of friends and family after swimming to the island from Pau Pau Beach—a distance of 7.25 kilometers (4.5 miles).
The swimmers—Ray “Boss” Alvarez, Jeremiah Benavente, Andrea Carr, and John O. Siren—are graduates of the Dolphin Club’s Adult Learn-to-Swim program.
From left, Ray “Boss” Alvarez, John O. Siren, Jeremiah Benavente, and Andrea Carr. (Contributed Photo)
The swimmers were participants in the “Eagle Ray Swim,” one of the open water swims in Dolphin Club Saipan’s “Summer Fun Open Water Series.” They had kayakers to guide them and a DPS Boating Safety escort to monitor the swim and keep motorized boats away. The first swimmer clocked in at three hours and 14 minutes and the last at 4 hours and 24 minutes.
The Dolphin Club provides free swim lessons to adults with little or no swim experience. Lessons are fun and do not require advance booking. Instruction is tailored to the skill levels of the participants who show up on any particular day. Appropriate swim wear is whatever is comfortable, from shorts and T-shirts, to rash guards and swim wear. Swim goggles are provided.
The lessons focus on open-water, distance swimming. Graduates are able to swim a mile or more comfortably and safely. All ages of adults are taught, from 18 up with many swimmers in the 40-60 years age range. Especially welcome are those who need help getting over their fear of water.
The Adult Learn-to-Swim schedule for the remainder of July is:
– 2pm-3pm, Saturdays at the Kan Pacific Pool in Marpi
– 6am-7am, Mondays and Wednesdays on the beach behind the Hyatt Regency Saipan
– 6am-7am, Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Guma Sakman in Susupe (exceptions: 4pm -5pm on July 18 and July 20)
There are two more swims remaining in the “Summer Fun Open Water Series”: The Pau Pau to Tanapag (2.25 km) swim on Saturday, Aug. 12 (registration 6am-6:45am; start 7am) and the Harvest Moon Swim on Wednesday, Sept. 6, at Guma Sakman (registration is 7pm-7:45pm; swim starts at 8pm.
Dolphin Club Saipan is the Water Safety Program of 500 Sails. For more information see the 500 Sails swim page at http://www.500Sails.org/swim or visit the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/500SailsDolphinClubSaipan. (PR)
