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10/09/2014 12:00 AMJim Freeman hasn't met an outdoor adventure he did not conquer and it was a simple sight that led him to his latest conquest in nature.
The Guilford resident and Yale cardiologist lived in California for a decade, a time during which he gained interest in triathlons and other journeys, including an "Escape from Alcatraz" event that required him to swim from Alcatraz to San Francisco in one of its stages. After living in Guilford for only a year, Jim tackled another feat on the East Coast on Sept. 7 when he swam 3.3 miles in open water to Faulkner Island in one hour and 50 minutes.
"Early in the spring, I started to swim out here and I saw Faulkner Island and thought it would be a nice place to swim to," says Jim, who has also done mountain climbing in Asia. "It was a great experience and I was thinking about also doing it in September. The conditions were favorable. There were light winds from the north. I swam at peak tide for a little bit of a boost with the north wind. It was just a picture perfect day and totally beautiful. It was more satisfying to simply see a new place."
Accompanying him on the nautical expedition was friend Brian Walls, who not only served as Jim's traffic cop, but also his personal motivator along the way as he took delight in seeing Jim reach his destination.
"I asked him how his triathlon races were going as I know he has done several and he explained that he had set a goal to swim to Faulkner Island. I explained to him that it is a busy fishing area, many jellyfish, and rough waters as you near the island. I knew he should have an escort and that I would be glad to do it," says Walls. "If nothing else, I thought it would interesting to see someone accomplish this. Jim's motivation was that he drives past the view of the island every morning and he just thought it would be a personal accomplishment to swim to it and celebrate the island and lighthouse, in particular. He chose the weekend of its open house tour as it is a historic weekend for the island and town of Guilford and I was excited to do it. It was incredible to watch because he seemed to never tire and he just kept saying, 'You're the best.' I blocked and flagged four boats away from us throughout the swim as they were heading right for him. It was an emotional moment to see someone accomplish something that daring, particularly for the motivation of doing it just as a personal goal. Not practicing for a race or other competition-just a goal. That is true spirit. Jim is one of the most optimistic people I have ever met."
While Walls had some wise advice, he also played the role of Jim's nutritionist during the swim. Moreover, Jim adds that he kept himself at an even speed and became one with his surroundings.
"Brian was always chatting to help me maintain my course and gave me food," Jim says. "There was a shallow reef off the eastern side of the island and he recommended staying to the west because of the current. It averaged out to about 30 minutes per mile, so not a blistering pace, but I just kept a rhythmic motion and felt great throughout. The Guilford environment is so beautiful as I see tons of life along the beach so it was nice to feel connected to the natural landscape."
Jim explains that there were never any doubts in the midst of his chase for the island. As far as the next task on his aquatic radar, he aims to return to this destination late next summer, in addition to taking a longer trip into the deep end.
"My previous open-water swims were coast to coast so swimming in the open sea was neat. I just floated on my back and enjoyed the wide-open space," says Jim. "I will definitely do the swim to Faulkner Island next year, yet I've also thought about maybe swimming to Long Island Sound, but that requires a huge amount of training. Whenever I see something, I think about making it, but of course, you have issues to contend with, such as currents, winds, etc. I also feel so lucky to live in Guilford and have all the offerings for hiking and biking."