Teen Swims from Anacapa Island to Silver Strand
Tracy Lehr
VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. – The 15-year-old daughter of a Ventura Fire Captain swam from Anacapa Island to Silver Strand.
Grace Nackers accomplished the ocean swim on Friday, August 8.
She started before sunrise and arrived after 1 p.m.
Her swim took 7 hours and 24 minutes.
Her father, Will Nackers, paddled nearby while family, friends, and a Santa Barbara Channel Swimming Association observer watched from a boat named Faith.
Nackers’ accomplishment serves as a fundraiser for first responders, veterans, and their entry fees for the upcoming 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at the Crowne Plaza on September 7.
The ocean swimmer wasn’t too knackered to reflect on her endurance journey.
“It was definitely a rough swim with strong currents, but I pushed through ’til the end. In the last one to two miles getting to shore, I was really tired after battling strong currents that at times weren’t taking me anywhere, so I ended up swimming close to 20 miles through those big currents,” said Nackers. “The best part of the crossing was when I saw a Mola Mola, or sunfish, sunning itself in the water. It was one motivating factor to keep me going, and I had a bunch of motivating things going through my head.”
Her proud father, Capt. William Nackers, is a Marine who served twice in Iraq.
He lost a friend who served to suicide.
“I am hoping to bring in a little more funding for our first responders, Gold Star families, and veterans,” said Nackers.
Grace excelled at swimming as a Junior Lifeguard and recently won the 6-mile ocean swim race in Santa Barbara.
This fall, she will be a sophomore at El Camino High School on the campus of Ventura College.
The Santa Barbara Channel Swimming Association said a number of teens have made the sanctioned swim across the Santa Barbara Channel since 2012.
Sponsors of her marathon swim include Patagonia, Ventura Surf Shop, Urbane Cafe, Blue Tuna Spearfishing, Sand Cloud, and Zinka Sunscreen.
Revolution Surf Co. and Betty Belts donated raffle items.
People may still donate by visiting her website https://bio.sit/ChannelWithGrace and on Instagram @bluebirdocean days and at venmo @GCNackers
For more information and to see other local swimmers who recently accomplished the crossing visit https://santabarbarachannelswim.org
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