Calling All Rough Water Swimmers (and Wanna Be's)!

Everyone’s “bucket list” includes jumping into frigid 50-degree water and swimming a mile and a half through shark-infested waters while battling ferocious currents that can sweep you out into the boundless ocean never to be seen again.

Right?

Okay, maybe not.

But here’s the good news. In order to be a way cool member of the “Reach for the Sky” fundraising swim team, you don’t have to!

Thanks to the San Diego Sharkfest swim -- a calmer, tamer and much easier version of the legendary Alcatraz Shark Swim -- you can now scratch “complete an open rough-water swim” off your bucket list without putting life or limb in danger.

In fact, unless you really push yourself, you can easily complete this 1.25 mile swim without even breaking a sweat!

At the SD Sharkfest, you’ll dive into balmy 65 to 68-degree water and leisurely stroke your way though scenic San Diego Bay, with panoramic views of downtown San Diego on your left and the awe-inspiring Coronado bridge on your right.

No vicious currents. No sharks. No fear of embarrassment from having to be rescued by the kayak safety patrol.

Heck, you don’t even have to wear a wetsuit. Unless you’re a major wuss. In which case, you might want to bump up your life insurance coverage prior to the race.

Seriously, about the worst that can happen is you might get your goggles kicked off at the start of the race by some amped-up granny lady who’s shooting for a new record in the 75 and over age group. Or the bright yellow swim caps might clash badly with your new floral print speedo.

But other than that -- piece of cake!

If you’re an experienced ocean swimmer, this is probably the easiest race you’ll ever do. If you’re new to the sport, a few months of training in the pool should be enough to prepare you for the race. We’ll be posting some open-water training tips soon for those that need them.

So waddya say? Why not join us for a fun swim and a great way to help raise money for FSMA?

You’ll get a cool San Diego Sharkfest T-shirt to wear with pride. A great party at Maggie’s after the swim. A real sense of accomplishment from completing a rough water swim.

And most important, a chance to honor the memory of our beloved son/brother/nephew/cousin/friend Skylar Bahrenburg in a very meaningful way.

So sign up for the race now (http://www.sharkfestswim.com/default.asp?PageID=20158). Then get to your nearest pool, pond, lake, river, canal, ocean or over-sized bathtub and start training.

See you in October!