The 2020 Alligator Lighthouse Swim
I don’t shoot events often, but the Alligator Lighthouse Swim has always been one of my favorites to be part of. Normally, I’m out on a boat covering the annual open-water race is an 8-mile round trip from Islamorada to Alligator Lighthouse and back. It’s an incredible athletic feat and a pretty wild scene on the water.
This year, the official race was cancelled due to COVID, so my typical maritime duties weren’t needed. But many swimmers came to town anyway, keeping the tradition alive in their own way. I was asked to document some of the socially distanced, land-based activities they organized for a fun four-day weekend. It wasn’t the same, but it was still great to see everyone. Sorry about the weather—September in the Keys can be hit or miss.
The swim itself honors the history and preservation of the Alligator Reef Lighthouse, built in 1873 and named after the USS Alligator, a Navy schooner that ran aground on the reef in the 1820s. The lighthouse is a local landmark, and the event helps raise funds to protect it.
Big thanks to the sponsors who stuck with it this year: Centennial Bank, Amara Cay, Coldwell Banker Schmitt Real Estate, Kaiyo Grill, Green Turtle Inn, La Siesta Resort & Marina, Florida Keys Brewing Company, and the Monroe County Tourist Development Council.
You can learn more about the event and the cause by visiting the Swim for Alligator Lighthouse website.
