Fourth of July

22nd Annual Freedom Swim Participants Cross the Peace River with Foam Noodles, Inflatable Rafts and Patriotic Colors, Charlotte Harbor, Fla., July 4, 2013

Florida Fun

They Came, They Swam, They Bobbled Across the Peace River for Charlotte Harbor Freedom Swim

“Swim along the bridge!” Michael P. Haymans, co-founder of the Charlotte Harbor Freedom Swim yelled out from the Gilchrist Bridge to patriotic swimmers in the Peace River. There was supposed to be a talk to swimmers somewhere around Noon before the start of the swim. As Michael explained, his uncle blew the bullhorn to get everyone’s attention to listen to instructions but a few thought it was the start of the swim and so they were off.

Florida Fun Snapshots

Wordless Wednesday: 20th Annual Charlotte Harbor Freedom Swim in Punta Gorda, Florida

Twenty years ago a few friends decided to swim across the Peace River in Southwest Florida to celebrate Independence Day. They heard the activity was a rite of passage for local high school kids and called it the Charlotte Harbor Freedom Swim. Today, it’s evolved into something affectionately describe as a gloriously unorganized blobblefest where […]