Swim Across America is an organization which has always been on my radar. You see the signs around town, the bumper stickers and t-shirts, however it wasn't until moving to Old Greenwich in the fall of 2020 that I had the opportunity to participate in my first SAA event. Growing up a swimmer in South Florida, an open water ocean swim is something I have tackled numerous times. However, a Swim Across America swim is an entirely different animal. Creeping out of the house in the dark, coffee in hand, bundled up against the crisp and drizzly June morning. Meeting up with my fellow swimmers on the shores of the Long Island Sound, inelegantly shoving myself into a wet suit and finally jumping into the murky water for a minimum of a 1/2 mile swim - I admit, it's not my ideal way to spend a Sunday morning. However, for myself and each swimmer participating, the reason #whyiswim makes it worth the effort.