Swimmer’s attempt to swim lake length thwarted
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FLATHEAD LAKE — Flathead Lake conquered another swimmer, despite a valiant attempt to traverse a 26-mile course.
Mary Staples, 34 of Atlanta, attempted to swim the length of Flathead Lake June 20 under the English Channel rules: no wetsuit, only a standard swimsuit, cap and goggles.
Staples started under the Swan River Bridge at 3:45 a.m. and made it 5.5 miles, just to the west of Woods Bay. She was anticipating a snows, and recent wind events kept this year’s water temperature at a very chilly 57 degrees (7 degrees colder than the same time last year).
That proved to be too much for Staples, according to Mark Johnston, who piloted Staples’ effort with wife Dana.
Staples called it at 6:45 a.m., “after three hours of gutty swimming,” Johnston said.
Despite the disappointment, Staples and her crew had a great time under the full moon on Flathead Lake, according to Johnston. Staples hopes to return to Flathead Lake next season and promises to get in more mid-winter open water training session in her home state of Georgia.
