Ultra-marathon open-water swimmer swims from Chesapeake Bay to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor
By Kate Amara
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BALTIMORE, Maryland (WBAL) — She made it!
Ultra-marathon open-water swimmer Katie Pumphrey, a Maryland native, swam 24 miles from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor on Tuesday as part of a “Bay-to-Baltimore” history-making event.
The swim started at Sandy Point State Park at 3:19 a.m. and finished at the Harborplace amphitheater at 5:12 p.m.
She said most of the swim was smooth until the wind picked up as she passed the site of the Key Bridge.
“It was kind of like a washing machine meets a popcorn maker meets incredibly frustrating waves,” Pumphrey said after her swim.
Pumphrey said she did the swim because of the now-swimmable Baltimore Harbor, and in honor of women’s sports.
“I’ve been dreaming about this swim for a long time. To be the first person to ever do it, to champion women’s sports, and to champion this amazing city feels unbelievable,” Pumphrey said.
Pumphrey was accompanied by two support boats and a crew of six to eight people who rotated in kayaks and swam alongside her. For the final mile of the swim, Baltimore’s Mr. Trash Wheel joined the fleet as Pumphrey completed the 24-mile swim.
Her family joined for part of her swim, cheering her on from a pirate ship.
“Why not? We have had a party today, and if you’re going to celebrate and cheer somebody on, you might as well be in costume,” said Pumphrey’s older sister, Laura.
Pumphrey’s entire family was there to cheer her on, which is the first time they’ve all been able to attend one of her swims. Her family was happy to see everyone cheering her on.
“It’s amazing,” said Pumphrey’s mom, Karen Pumphrey. “People just lining the water here, it’s very exciting.”
For her next big swim, Pumphrey will be traveling to Catalina, California, where she’ll swim for the second time. Next summer, she’ll swim the English Channel for a third time.
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