'Swim to New Orleans' event challenges all swimmers

The thought of swimming from Cape Girardeau to New Orleans has never crossed most people's minds. Even the most able-bodied swimmers probably haven't considered the idea, but through the new event at the Student Aquatic Center, that is exactly what people are doing.

"Swim to New Orleans" is an event that allows students to count the number of laps they swim through the end of the semester and, using a map posted next to the pool, track their journey down the Mississippi River to New Orleans.

"At first we wanted to do 'Swim the Nile,' said Paul Kettenbach, graduate assistant for Recreation Services for Aquatics. "Well, the Nile is virtually impossible to swim, and it's very, very long, and we were trying to do 'Swim the Missouri River' or 'Swim the Mississippi River,' something relevant to here."

According to Kettenbach, "Swim to New Orleans" was finally decided on due to its relatively short distance, which could easily be created on a map.

"What it comes down to is 50 laps a week, so if you swim five days a week it would be 10 laps a day, a down and back being one lap, which is 50 yards," Kettenbach said.

Sam Rhodes, a student at Southeast Missouri State University and a member of the swim club, is participating in "Swim to New Orleans."

"It's kind of a publicity stunt for the pool," Rhodes said. "We don't have much going on here all the time, and it's nice to get a little attention drawn here. I'm just doing my part to help out."

Kettenbach said that "we're really just trying to draw new people into swimming who never really swam that much before."

Participants are required to swim 500 laps over the 10-week period, which comes out to a total of 25,000 yards, the approximate distance down the Mississippi River from Cape Girardeau to New Orleans.

"It's a lot of swimming to do, but when you break it down to 500 [yards] a day it's no big deal," Rhodes said. "Even for an inexperienced swimmer that should be easy to do in 30 minutes to an hour."

For those regular swimmers that are participating, "Swim to New Orleans" has become a little bit of a competition.

"They're kind of getting competitive with it, challenging each other, seeing who can get there first," Kettenbach said.

It's a free event that anyone can participate in, and those that swim the entire distance will receive a T-shirt that says "I swam to New Orleans."

Participants can sign up at any point during the event, which started Oct. 7 and runs until Dec. 13, by going to the pool and filling out a sign-up sheet.

The Student Aquatic Center, located at the Recreation Center-North, is open from 5:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. every weekday during the semester.