MYSWIMBATICAL : Introduction

Send us Fan MailAn introduction to the Alpine Lakes SWIMBATICALWhat is it? , where is it? And why now? I’ve always been someone who follows my curiosity — sometimes on impulse, sometimes with a spreadsheet, and occasionally with a level of planning that makes my family nervous. That mix has taken me to some odd places over the years: running across deserts, cycling across countries, and swimming through channels, lakes, and straits that most people sensibly admire from dry land.I never set out to “collect” challenges. They just kept appearing — the English Channel, Lake Zurich, the Strait of Gibraltar, Catalina, Manhattan Island, Lake Constance, the Sea of Galilee, Bonifacio, Windermere, and a long list of swims that started with “it might be fun if…” and ended with “well, that was bigger than expected.”But lately, I’ve felt a different pull. Not towards something harder — just something… deeper. Slower. More creative. More curious.So I’m taking a break from the desk and heading off on a SWIMBATICAL — a season of lakes, travel, sketching, filming, swimming, and seeing what happens when I stop rushing from one big thing to the next.It’s not a race.It’s not a record attempt.It’s just me, wandering around Europe with goggles, a notebook, and a slightly over‑packed vW camper for a season of lakes, creativity, and intentional adventure.Travel, swim, sketch, film, write.If you enjoy quiet adventure, open water, creative projects, or simply watching someone enjoying life one lake at a time, you’re very welcome to follow along.This is MYSWIM.And This is the My SWIMBATICAL.Let’s see where it goes.