Swim to the Other Side!

           On July 25, 2009, at 7:00 a.m., the McHaire family packed their bags and hopped in their car heading towards Beacon, New York, along the Hudson River. Like many families exposed to the summer sun, the McHaires hoped to avoid the heat by swimming. But unlike many of the families who planned to make sand castles and playfully splash in the water, the McHaires were off to a location that was once considered too polluted for swimming.

 

           Thirty years ago, nobody expected the 315-mile Hudson River, which flows through eastern New York, to be clean enough for swimming. But on this July day three decades later, after the removal of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other harmful chemicals, an estimated 220 swimmers ranging from 12 years old to 70 years old jumped into the 75-degree water, awaiting their cue to begin swimming the one mile to the opposite side.

 

            The event, which attracted swimmers from various states along the East Coast, focused on raising money for an Olympic-sized swimming pool that will be partially submerged in the Hudson (a cage-like structure will allow users to swim in river water, but without the dangers of swimming in an open current). This was the sixth annual swim and attracted the most swimmers and spectators. According to a local volunteer, the 2008 event attracted around 180 participants, while this year approximately 220 people showed up to participate.

           For many participants and spectators, the swim signified a change. “Yes, we are raising money to build another pool, but it’s more than that. Just having swimmers in the water reflects the transformation of the water,” said spectator Carla Polizer, a 57-year-old mother who grew up in Beacon alongside the once-polluted river.

          From approximately 1947 to 1977, the General Electric Company (GE) leaked up to 1.3 million pounds of PCBs from its facilities in Hudson Falls and Fort Edward. In 1977, the federal government banned companies from using PCBs in industrial processes when PCBs were discovered to cause developmental disorders and cancer. Although GE stopped dumping its toxic chemicals, residents remained unhappy about the quality of the water. One advocate against the water pollution was legendary folk singer Pete Seeger, who lived two miles from the Hudson River. But it was not until 2002 that the Environmental Protection Agency was able to pass a landmark decision, requiring GE to create a plan to remove the toxins that it had spilled.

              Although the river still contains traces of harmful chemicals, the Hudson is now clean enough to drink and swim in.

             Across the river from Beacon, in Newburgh, NewYork, the triumphant swimmers were welcomed with free t-shirts, food, and anappearance by Pete Seeger himself. Dripping wet, the swimmers received applauseand their one minute of fame as they walked down the dock to join fellow participantsand family. “It really was fun. Everyone was so proud and happy to be helping acause,” said Joel Vargas, a 43-year-old fireman in Beacon, who completed theswim in under one hour.

Those who swam enjoyed almost-perfect conditions.Besides the slight current, the cool water was a perfect getaway from the85-degree weather that spectators endured. “The swim was really refreshing,”said Angus Riley, 21, who decided that the swim would be a great goal for thesummer.

            Alongwith the satisfaction of completing the race, participants experienced joystemming from the Hudson’s clean-up. “Nowadays we are having so much troublewith pollution,” said Ashleigh Turner, 71, who grew up in Beacon. “This justshows that humans can change the environment.”