Water Daze

POLSON — The water frothed and churned as something approached the shore. Soon, a dark figure rose from the depths of the lake as a crowd looked on in astonishment, making sure to snap pictures.

No, it wasn’t the Flathead Lake Monster, but John Weston, 56, of Missoula. Clad in his wetsuit, Weston was the first swimmer to complete this year’s running of Polson Bay’s Water Daze. Saturday marked the tenth anniversary of the annual one-mile open-water swim from Salish Point to Boettcher Park.

Each year, proceeds from the event go toward the Mission Valley Aquatic Center, tentatively set to open in Polson this November, depending on funding. According to the Center’s Project Director, Tana Seeley, the traditional swim raised over $2,000 this year.

Seeley said that the event has been “well received” by the community since its beginnings a decade ago. While it’s a reliable fundraising event, Seeley added that it’s done “mostly for awareness” to help promote the Aquatic Center.

Eighty people participated in this year’s event, which attracted a diverse group of swimmers to the water. Participants ranged in age from 11-year-old Claire Becker of Missoula to Mac Binger, 71, of Big Arm.

The swimmers came from all across Montana and also represented states and provinces such as Colorado, British Columbia, Arizona, California, Minnesota and Pennsylvania.

The conditions were a bit choppy out on the lake, but Phil Rempe of Kalispell thought the overall glorious weather helped atone for the waves.

“It was wavier than usual,” said Rempe, “(but) it was a good day for it.”

“It seems like you get a little sorer every year,” he conceded with a laugh.

Although she admitted to drinking a couple mouthfuls of lake water, competitor Alice Ford, also of Kalispell, was all smiles after the race.

“It feels good to be done,” Ford said.

Pretty soon, when the construction is complete, the staff of the newly finished Aquatic Center will be able to say the same.