Santa Cruz Man to Swim 25 Miles Within
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

Marathon swimmer and ocean advocate, Bruckner Chase will leave Main Beach in Santa Cruz at 4 a.m. and swim the 54-58 degree waters to San Carlos Beach in Monterey on August 24. Bruckner will follow “English Channel Rules” on his swim, meaning no wetsuit, one standard swim cap and a pair of goggles. The swim is expected to take 10 to 12 hours, reaching Monterey between 2 and 4 p.m., when there will be a welcome party on San Carlos Beach Park and the BLUE Ocean Film Festival will officially begin. Bruckner’s first attempt to swim this section of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, which took place in August 2009, ended over half way across due to extensive jellyfish stings.

Bruckner’s progress on Tuesday can be tracked through Twitter and GPS feeds. During the final mile of the swim, Brucker will be accompanied by Dan Basta, National Director of the National Marine Sanctuaries; Bill Douros, West Coast Regional Director; Justin Kenney, NOAA Director of Communications, Kelly Gleason, Sanctuary Marine Archeologist, and members of the Seafood Watch Triathlon Club. For safety, Bruckner will be accompanied by a support boat with a crew that includes his wife, Michelle, Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer, Pat Roach, and other ocean rescue professionals from New Jersey and Santa Cruz.

This swim will highlight the importance of national marine sanctuaries and healthy oceans. Bruckner’s swim will also serve as a reminder of the connection we all share with the ocean. Bruckner is a motivating speaker, and is articulate in discussing his genuine interests in ocean health, protecting special places, and the importance of national marine sanctuaries. Bruckner embraces the belief that whether you live on the Atlantic, the Pacific or in Ohio, daily choices impact the sustainability of not only the ocean’s ecosystems, but of our economy, security, health and way of life.

During Bruckner’s “Swim through the Sanctuary”, the NOAA Research Vessel Fulmar will aid Brucker and his team by serving as a surveillance vessel, scouting for safe routes through swarms of jellies and stinging nettles. Immediately following the competition of Bruckner’s swim, a Shore-side Welcome will occur at a San Carlos Beach, to celebrate his arrival.

Once Bruckner completes this marathon Swim through the Sanctuary, he is interested in developing a plan to conduct similar swims in other protected areas in the National Marine Sanctuary System.

For additional information, visit www.brucknerchase.com.