The Buzzards Bay Coalition suggests, “Make your New Year’s resolution to have a great time for a good cause at the 27th anniversary Buzzards Bay Swim on Saturday, June 27 in New Bedford and Fairhaven. Registration is open at savebuzzardsbay.org/swim with 40 percent off sign-ups through Friday, January 31. 

The Buzzards Bay Swim welcomes swimmers of all abilities and fitness levels ages 11 and up. Four hundred or more swimmers will complete a scenic 1.2-mile point-to-point open water course from New Bedford’s South End, past the Butler Flats Lighthouse and New Bedford Hurricane Barrier with a crowd of hundreds watching and cheering.

At the finish line at Fort Phoenix State Reservation in Fairhaven, swimmers and their guests are welcomed with a beach party featuring a live steel drum band, pancakes cooked to order, gourmet coffee, free massages, local craft beer and awards and prizes. First-time and beginner swimmers can swim with a personal kayak or paddleboard escort for added support.

South Dartmouth resident Martha Yules and her husband tried the swim for the first time in 2018. “We loved it — what a fun and memorable experience! This event should be added to the proverbial ‘bucket list’ for everyone living on the Southcoast.”

The $15 early-bird registration for the Buzzards Bay Swim is available through Friday, Jan. 31. Swimmers commit to raising a minimum of $150 each, although most find they can raise more. Last year, 347 swimmers raised $187,000 for clean water in Buzzards Bay, including first-time swimmer Xan Williams, a member of top fundraising team SPLASH from Rochester, which raised $6,350 in 2019. “The Swim is a great opportunity to push yourself and see what you can accomplish, and even better to do so for a worthy cause,” Williams said. Funds raised support the Coalition’s ongoing work to prevent pollution and protect water quality in the community.  

Participants this year will help the Coalition raise an additional $75,000 for clean water, through the final year of a four-year challenge grant from the Fish Family Foundation via long time swimmer and West Falmouth resident Larry Fish. To meet the terms of the challenge, the swimmers must collectively raise $200,000 for bay conservation efforts.

Sign up at www.savebuzzardsbay.org/swim. 

The swim is sponsored by BETA, Fiber Optic Center and YMCA Southcoast. If your business would like to sponsor the Swim, contact events@savebuzzardsbay.org.