Local resident Amy Wamsley recently completed an 11.5-mile swim around Coronado Island in California last month. The swim was intended as a qualifier for Wamsley’s upcoming 2025 swim across the English Channel. Though unexpectedly warm water temperatures during the swim exempted it from qualification, Wamsley continues to train and focus on her nonprofit, Amy’s SwimVenture. (Submitted photo)
Wamsley just keeps swimming
- Published: November 23, 2024
As the News reported in September, local resident Amy Wamsley is currently in the midst of pursuing two personal goals: swimming the English Channel, and broadening the reach of a newly established nonprofit, Amy’s SwimVenture, which aims to advocate for water conservation and empower women to meet their goals.
Via email this week, Wamsley said she’s grateful for the local support she and Amy’s SwimVenture have received. A September swimathon event and a donation from the R.C. Appenzellar Family helped the 501(c)(3) reach its first fundraising goal, enabling Amy’s SwimVenture to expand its efforts.
The funds raised are supporting the launch of an educational series and call to action, online and in-person, regarding water conservation and pollution prevention. One of the most pressing causes Wamsley has recently encountered, she wrote, is an ongoing sewage crisis in Tijuana, Mexico, where contaminated water has been traveling up the West Coast, impacting California beaches.
The crisis in Tijuana had an impact on Wamsley last month as she attempted to qualify for her English Channel crossing, which is planned for spring 2025. To qualify for the swim, athletes must complete a swim of six or more hours in water at or below 60°F. Wamsley worked with the Open Water Swimming Association in La Jolla, California, to secure approval and an official observer to attempt the 11.5-mile Around Coronado Swim — a near-circumnavigation of Coronado Island near San Diego.
Two nights before the Around Coronado Swim, Wamsley wrote, advisories were still in place for high bacteria levels in San Diego and La Jolla — levels which are linked to pollution from the Tijuana watershed.
“I was concerned for my health,” Wamsley said. “I consulted with local experts about the conditions, and we had a back-up date, but we didn’t want to wait — conditions had improved, the team was assembled, and they were ready to go.”
On Friday, Oct. 31, 2024, Amy successfully completed the 11.5-mile swim around Coronado Island, taking 6 hours, 20 minutes, and 6 seconds to finish.
However, although Wamsley completed the swim, water temperatures remained above the 60°F threshold — meaning that the endeavor did not qualify for the English Channel.
“It was disappointing,” Wamsley said. “But I now know I’m mentally and physically capable. I have no choice but to keep going.
Wamsley has begun to assemble her support team for the impending English Channel swim, including local resident Victoria Walters, of Yellow Springs Bodywork. Walters accompanied Wamsley to California for the attempted qualifying swim.
Despite the setback, Wamsley said she remains focused on her larger mission — Amy’s SwimVenture. Through the work of the nonprofit, she hopes to connect people to the importance of water conservation, break stereotypes about aging women’s abilities, and inspire others through her own journey.
“So many people have told me how my journey has inspired them,” she said. “And that’s incredibly overwhelming, but it fuels me to keep going.”
To stay up-to-date about Wamsley’s work and upcoming events, go to http://www.aswimventure.org.
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