Hundreds of locals braved cold waves off the Huntington Beach Pier earlier this month for the 72nd annual pier swim.
Starting on the North side of the pier, participating swimmers charged into the water, running barefoot across the sand and abundant seashells peppering the shoreline.
Swimmers like Beth Margalis.
Just before the event started, Margalis was sitting on a blanket on Huntington City Beach in the midst of a quick diaper change for her twin children Chloe and Will.
Moments later, Margalis donned her swim cap and goggles and set off to swim the pier, setting a record in her division at 9 minutes and 50 seconds.
Participants in the event were challenged to swim a half mile of open ocean around the Huntington Beach Pier, facing currents, wildlife and potentially treacherous conditions for a chance to win a medal or set a record.
Editor’s note: This is an occasional series where Voice of OC works with local community photographers to offer residents a first-hand look at the local sites and scenes of Orange County.
For pier swim veterans like Margalis, the high-adrenaline swim race does not cease to be an excitement.
“I’ve done it every year for the last ten or twelve years,” Margalis said. “It’s fun, it’s fast. There’s people of all different ability levels and ages and it’s one of my favorite events of the summer.”
It cost each swimmer $25 to enter the pier swim race — which largely covers all city event costs with excess funds going to the city’s budget for recreational services, according to Community & Library Services Supervisor Eric Barraza, who coordinated the event.
After entry, swimmers are divided into 16 divisions based on age and gender.
It cost each swimmer $25 to enter the pier swim race — which largely covers all city event costs with excess funds going to the city’s budget for recreational services, according to Community & Library Services Supervisor Eric Barraza, who coordinated the event.
After entry, swimmers are divided into 16 divisions based on age and gender.
“The pier swim encompasses Huntington Beach. We are a beach city and a beach town. It’s one of our longest running traditions,” Barraza said.
First time swimmer Avrum Xagorakis, 15, said the elements made the swim more challenging than he expected.
“The water was really cold,” said Xagorakis.
Despite the challenges, Xagorakis said people should consider diving in..
“It’s a really fun swim,” he added.
•••
Since you’ve made it this far,
You obviously care about local news and value good journalism. As an independent and local nonprofit, our news is accessible to all, regardless of what they can afford, but it’s not free to produce. Help us become 100% reader funded with a tax deductible donation. For as little as $5 a month you can help us reach that goal.