June 2014 – Love and a Camera

Into The Perfect Storm

Published on June 25, 2014January 27, 2015 by Susan McConnellLeave a comment

Here comes the 70th anniversary of Lou Gehrig’s famous speech announcing that he was leaving baseball because he had ALS. Here comes Doug to throw out the first pitch on June 26th at the Cub’s game at Wrigley Field. The famous speech was made at Yankee Stadium, where a game will be in action as Doug swims past on June 28th, in the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim, as he raises money for ALS/Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

The perfect storm? You bet. To donate please visit A Long Swim.

As this all happens, watch our Facebook pages as I report live with photos and videos. Stay with us, this is really going to be something.

Bagpipes at Dawn?

Published on June 19, 2014January 27, 2015 by Susan McConnellLeave a comment

The story behind the photograph:

The guy on the bagpipes is Greg Elliott, captain of the pilot boat Bottom Scratcher, one of the two escorts boats for swimmers who want to cross the Catalina Channel.

His boat has aided the majority of the approximately 250 swimmers who have crossed. One of the many reasons that his boat is the favored is because, if your swim is going well, he comes to the deck at sunrise and plays his bagpipes. The Catalina Channel swim begins at midnight from Catalina Island, so by the time the sun rises the crew, and the swimmer, are ready for a lift and this certainly hits the spot. I remember Doug asking Greg if he took requests, and so on this morning he played “Scotland the Brave.”

Catalina Channel Photographs

Published on June 17, 2014January 27, 2015 by Susan McConnellLeave a comment

As we get ready to head to New York to swim the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim, I’ve had the chance to review the photographs from the last big swim, the Catalina Channel. Here are the best ones along with some fun shots of the crew …

A New Sponsor of A Long Swim Team – Phillips Men’s Wear in Barrington, Illinois

Published on June 16, 2014January 27, 2015 by Susan McConnellLeave a comment

To be able to swim around the Island of Manhattan, you need to be able to swim in pretty cold water. Training in Lake Michigan is perfect for that, since on this day the water was 57 degrees close to shore, 53 once the guys got out there. Thanks to Phillips Men’s Wear of Barrington, Illinois for sponsoring the team with high tech gear to help the guys stay warm after those cold training swims.