Swim for the Lights Preview 3 - February 6, 2011

Frigid swim will benefit local lighthouses - Portsmouth Herald

I spent some time at Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse with Deborah McDermott and Deb Cram of the Portsmouth (NH) Herald for interviews and photos related to the "Swim for the Lights" fundraising event coming up on 2/26. Deborah did a wonderful job with the story -- click here to read it!

Lights Out for Lighthouses? (CNN)

I'm heavily quoted in an article on the CNN website today -- click here.

George Webster did a fine job with this story. I hope it helps bring attention to the fact that our offshore lighthouses are seriously endangered.

Help Keep the Elements Out of Cape Elizabeth's Lantern!

Few lighthouses in Maine, and throughout the country for that matter, rival the elegance and beauty of the east light tower at Cape Elizabeth, but its stately appearance on the exterior does not reveal what the elements are doing on the interior of the historic structure.

Click here to read more!

Gary gets a wetsuit!

Cinnamon Rainbows Surf Co. of Hampton, New Hampshire, is on board as a sponsor of the "Swim for the Lights," an event coming up on February 26.

The store provided a Xcel wetsuit for Gary Sredzienski at a deep discount, helping to insure that he'll be properly attired when he swims four miles in frigid water to raise funds for lighthouse preservation.

Big thanks to Cinnamon Rainbows for supporting lighthouse preservation!

Left, Gary Sredzienski with Phil Carey of Cinnamon Rainbows.

To learn more about the "Swim for the Lights," click here.

Is this man crazy?

Gary Sredzienski on ice near Kittery, Maine. Photo by Deb Cram

Well, if it's crazy to swim 12 months a year, even if the water temperature is below freezing, then yes, Gary Sredzienski is crazy as a loon. But he's made a science of figuring out the proper gear to wear, and he's made it this far (he's in his upper 40s) without any serious damage. He likes to say that people watching him from shore are colder than he is -- as long as he keeps moving.

Gary is also a very accomplished accordionist, and he has a radio show called "Polka Party" that's listened to nationwide. Everything Gary does is done with passion and commitment. It's those qualities that led him to start doing long-distance winter swims for local charities in the Portsmouth, New Hampshire, area.

Photo by Deb Cram

This year, his chosen cause is the American Lighthouse Foundation and its local chapter, Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouses. Gary is a big believer in cultural heritage, and he feels a strong attachment to the area's lighthouses as historic icons that must be preserved.

Gary will be swimming four miles, with stops at Whaleback Lighthouse and Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse, on February 26. Following the swim, Gary and his band, the Serfs, will play at a party/concert at Captain and Patty's restaurant at Kittery Point, Maine. You can read all the details by clicking here.

If this man is crazy, then we need more crazy people to help support historic preservation.

Swim for the Lights Preview #2 (January 31, 2011)

I shot some more video with Gary Sredzienski today to promote his upcoming "Swim for the Lights" in Feb. 26. Click here for more details.

Special thanks to Jay Gingrich, owner of Portsmouth Scuba, for his generous support of this event!