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Sandpoint Long
Bridge Swim - 2009
Today was the
perfect day for a swim. The proverbial news on the airwaves
called for temperatures to be the highest of the year so far.
Not a cloud in the sky. The 1.76-mile swim was most likely in
65-70 degree water (usually the temperature is between 68-70
degrees) from the south end of the Long Bridge to the north. Two
and a half hours was the allotted time limit for swimming the
distance.
There were
hundreds and hundreds of cheering onlookers, and with yesterday
being the beginning of Sandpoint's Artwalk, the perfect day was
underway.
The swim is not
quite the distance of the two-mile span of the Long Bridge,
which crosses Lake Pend Oreille from Sagle to Sandpoint.
The first Long
Bridge began May 26, 1908, and was in operation until being torn
down in the 1930's to make room for a new wooden bridge.
During
the Great Dpression that the second bridge was built with help
from the WPA and finished March 3, 1934. The bridge had the
moniker of "The longest wooden bridge in the world" and was a
tourist draw for decades, serving the region for 22 years. Heavy
traffic of World War II (Bayview had a Naval training station
during the war) took its toll on the structure and in June of
1956 the third bridge was built.
This current
Long Bridge was dedicated on September 23, 1981 and it runs
along side the previous one.
This Long
Bridge swim is the fifteenth annual rendition of this event, and
was very cool. Check it out.
41 South Restaurant at the end of the Long Bridge
The dock at 41 South Restaurant
Crossing under the Long Bridge
Crossing under the Long Bridge
The swimmers arrive!
Nice crowd to cheer on the swimmers
Getting ready for the plunge at the Long Bridge Swi
...and they're off!!!
The race begins - Long Bridge Swim
The Long Bridge Swim
The Long Bridge Swim
The Long Bridge Swim - Crossing the bridge
Sand Creek Byway construction
The finish line - Long Bridge Swim
The finish line - Long Bridge Swim
Pictures by Bill Schaudt
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