Eleven swimmers completed the 16th annual L. Wayne Hudgins Memorial Wharf to Wharf Swim on Sunday, Sept. 18 at Williams Wharf Landing. Raising more than $22,000 to date, this year’s event was the most successful swim event yet for the Mathews Land Conservancy’s Williams Wharf project and facilities.
Starting at Williams Wharf, the swim course was one mile out and back along the East River. Coming in first was Patrick McGarrity, 45, with a time of 30:45. Second and third places, respectively went to Sierra Higinbotham, 28, with a time of 35:38 and David Randolph, 61, with a time of 36:41. Boo Schwartz, Craig DeRemer and Bob Griffith provided timing for the event. Winners received handmade shell medals from the Poddery in Foster.
Other finishers were Donald Allen (39:50), Sarah Dunston (43:09, Will Buklad (54:43), Missy Johnson (55:18), Liz O’Neil (55:19), Richard Goldstein (55:53), Thane Harpole (56:23) and Tim Hudgins (58:35).
Top fundraisers for the event were Hudgins and O’Neil. All participants received donated prizes from Brent and Becky’s Bulbs, Short Lane Ice Cream, Heartfelt Touch Massage, Southwind Pizza and Chick fil-A of Gloucester.
Conditions were ideal with no jellyfish and air/water temperatures in the mid ’70s. Swimmers and spectators alike enjoyed food by Backwoods BBQ and music from Jonathan Brown of Tappahannock.
Members, friends and family of the board of the Mathews Land Conservancy, owners of the wharf, including Tim Hudgins, Rick Machen, Boo Schwartz, Bernadette La Casse, Craig DeRemer, Jay White, Lynda Smith Greve, Bob Griffith and Carolyn Smith, handled registration, course set-up, safety launches and parking for the fundraising event, as well as perimeter patrol on the water.
A volunteer kayak patrol of Mary Jane Wikswo, Lynn Miller, Kim Berry, Timmy and Alexis Deagle, Bill Johnson, Teresa Sanger and Beth Brown kept the swimmers safe.
The Wharf to Wharf Swim is a tribute to the late L. Wayne Hudgins who was a Mathews native, Williams Wharf enthusiast and long-time member of the MLC board. Wayne’s son, Tim, now serves as the board’s president.
Williams Wharf and Bayside Landing have continued to be open to the public from sunrise to sunset daily throughout the pandemic. If you wish to support these facilities, make a tax-deductible gift to the Mathews Land Conservancy, Box 306, Mathews, Va. 23109, or online at www.mathewslandconservancy.org.
Next year’s event will take place on Sept. 17, 2023.