Thomas and Bosch Triumphant
Sarah Thomas, 31 of Conifer, CO, stepped into the water in Magog, Quebec at 12:22 pm on Friday, September 6, 2013, facing 20+ MPH winds and waves coming directly at her from the south west. Sarah was attempting to be the first person to complete an international 50 mile double crossing of Lake Memphremagog between Magog, Quebec and Newport, Vermont. She was participating as part of the Third Annual, In Search of Memphre with the plan to join up at midnight with three other ultra marathon swimmers attempting a 25 mile one way crossing, from Newport to Magog – Humphrey Bohan, 38, of Medford Lakes, NJ, Bob Fernald, 46, of North Hampton, MA, and Bethany Bosch, 29, of Wallingford, VT who would all be departing from Newport VT at midnight and swimming throughout the night and day of September 7th.
(photo is of Bosch as she exited the water in Magog)
Weather forecast had been for light and favorable winds from the north for the first leg of Sarah’s swim. Sarah didn’t flinch in the face of the fierce south wind that greeted her. Over the course of the next 30 hours, Memphre threw some serious surprises in there with windy and wavy conditions throughout most of the swim. Sarah just ate her alive, one powerful stroke after another and triumphed. As did Swimmer Scout Bethany Bosch, completing her 25 mile one way swim under windy conditions. Epic and historic swims, both. Humphrey Bohan and Bob Fernald were valiant in the face of these wily and unpredicted conditions before they were forced to pull with injuries, including Bob’s broken rib.
Thomas’s swim came right on the heels of her successful 44 mile crossing of Lake Tahoe earlier this summer. Bosch is known for her swimming buddy, 3 year old chocolate lab, Guri Bosch, who was the first dog to make the 5 mile swim the length of Lake Willoughby.
 |
| Sarah Thomas enters the water in Magog, QC to start her historic double crossing of Lake Memphremagog |
Some wonderful cooperation from the folks in Magog and Newport. Newport’s Department of Parks and Recreation provided The Gateway Center and city docks as an excellent staging area. The police from Magog were out on the lake protecting the swimmers from boat traffic. An EMT from Magog was there to greet and check out our swimmers when they landed. Thanks to Alec van Zuiden, Mayor of Ayer’s Cliff and pilot of Boat #6, for organizing this support on the Canadian side. Thanks to the border officials on both sides of the border for their enthusiastic support of this international swim. And thanks to the General Store in Georgeville for providing us with carafes of coffee and warm water and some excellent pastries along the way.
And to the 22 pilots and crew members who were out on the lake supporting these inspiring swimmers. Huge, huge thanks for the support that made this possible.
 |
| Thomas triumphant after 30 hours in the water. Even finished upright and smiling! |
The official times:
Sarah Thomas: 15:09 from Magog to Newport, 6 minutes out of the water in Newport, Return in 14:46. Total time start to finish 30:01
Bethany Bosch: Newport to Magog: 17:11
In Search of Memphre is made possible by the underwriting of Jay Peak Resort and North Country Hospital and the sponsorship of The Passumpsic Savings Bank, Northeast Delta Dental, Community Financial Services Group, Town of Derby, City of Newport, Derby Village Store, Wilson & White, PC.
Special Thanks to Barbara Malloy, Vermont’s First Lady Dracontologist, for her support of In Search of Memphre and for the many decades she has devoted to collecting and archiving over 175 sightings.
Congratulations to all four of this year’s swimmers for joining the legendary ranks of Swimmer Scouts and laying down some epic and historic swims. The Search continues.
Phil White, Director
Northeast Kingdom Open Water Swimming Association
Hi all,
