New Yorkers marvel at the Statue of Liberty from many vantage points, from rides on the Staten Island Ferry to high in the sky through the glass of the One World Observatory.
But on Sept. 19, 27 athletes got a glimpse at Lady Liberty practically from her feet while swimming through New York Harbor.
Since 2012, UrbanSwim, a New York City open water swimming organization, has been hosting the Liberty to Freedom Swim. The route consists of a 2.2-mile open water swim crossing the channel of the New York Harbor from near the One World Trade Center to Liberty Island, finishing at the feet of Lady Liberty.
Established to honor the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks,the swim stands as a celebration of “the resilience that is possible in the aftermath of adversity,” according to UrbanSwim.
The 2.2-mile endeavor was first traversed by Martin Strel, a long-distance swimmer known for his impressive resume of numerous long-distance world records, such as swimming the length of the Amazon and Mississippi rivers.
At 9:50 a.m. on Sept. 19, 27 swimmers on Pier 25 form a line to receive their race number and UrbanSwim cap. As the volunteers and swimmers wait for the UrbanSwim boats to come pick them up, they discuss the anticipated level of choppiness in the water.
Swimming to the Statue of Liberty is no easy feat, not only because of the exercise itself but because of the details of the specific route. The Hudson River and New York Harbor are highly congested; NYPD boats were stationed across the swim route in order to properly monitor the athletes and kayakers.
To further ensure the safety of the swimmers, each athlete is assigned a spotter in the form of a kayaker or paddleboarder volunteering through the Hoboken Cove Community Boathouse. Founder and Event Director of UrbanSwim, Deanne Draeger disclosed that the majority of the funds acquired from the admissions fee is donated to the Boathouse.
Although taking a 2.2-mile dip in the Hudson is not the most conventional weekend activity, Draeger said it ought to be — considering the Hudson River and New York Harbor are no longer as polluted as some may think
“We call it the Hudson River and the East River and the Harlem River, but really we are connected to the ocean, so it’s a tidal estuary. So twice a day we get tides that come in and go out that flush basically all of the waterways around New York City,” Draeger said. “So I think the water here has the reputation of being very dirty, and I’m not going to lie it’s not pristine, but because we have the connection to the ocean that we do, it’s a lot cleaner than a lot of people think.”
Upon being asked what she hopes swimmers take away from their race experience, Draeger responded, “I hope one of the things they take away is that point there that the water is cleaner than the reputation that it has and also that the water belongs to everyone. It belongs to swimmers as much as it belongs to kayakers and motor boat captains and to developers that are putting up condos for them; it’s a view, and for us it’s public space. It’s your city, your water.”
One race participant, when asked the same question, responded, “Happy to be here. Taking in the sights of New York City from the Hudson.”
You don’t have to live near the Hudson in order to participate in this daring endeavor. UrbanSwim participants are a collage of New York locals as well as residents in other areas of the United States and even abroad.
“We are very lucky here in New York City,” said Draeger.
