The Cross Bay Swim - circa 1927
It was interesting to
read about Rory Allen's efforts, successful I might add, to revive the Cross Bay
Swim. It is particularly heartening to know that this revival is to honor the
memory of Margaret Fischer.
One article I read
concerning the swim indicated that it first took place in 1947. Actually,
this event had taken place in summers as far back as the 1920's. My mother, Anna
Dennis, competed in the swim around 1927. At that time she was known as Anna
Zoeller. She was born in Manhattan (1909) and was a resident of Brooklyn in the
1920's. She and her two younger brothers, Robert and Edwin, lived in the South
Third Street Industrial home in that borough.
Each summer, the young
Zoellers along with the other children from the home spent their vacations at a
camp in Hauppauge. The camp was located near the intersection of Route III and
Townline road. That's the corner opposite the north side of the land Hauppauge
High School occupies today. Some long-time residents might recall that a Robert
Hall clothing store was on that site. Well, long before Robert Hall, the Locust
Dale summer camp was there. Anna remembers that the camp was given its name
because of the many locust trees that could be found in the area. She has fond
memories of summers spent at the camp particularly bicycle riding with her
friends throughout the area. They often went to Central Islip and toured the
many gardens on the hospital grounds. Occasionally, they ventured as far as Bay
Shore to see the town and take in a movie.
One summer morning in the
late 1920's, 1927 she believes, her good friend Augusta Dixon woke her with the
news that they were late for an important event. That event was the Cross Bay
Swim and unbeknownst to Miss Zoeller, her name had been entered as a contestant
by her good friend Augusta. Anna Zoeller was a fine athlete of some repute among
her peers and was known to be a particularly good swimmer.
Whether it was held Memorial
Day, the 4th of -July or some other special day escapes Anna's memory. In any
case, Dixon and Zoeller were on the roster of entrants and they were both
determined to participate. One of the camp counselors, Chet
Tanner, offered to drive
them so off they went. How they got from some south shore embarkation point to
Fire Island remains a mystery. All Anna recalls is that it was a mad rush all
the way through. She remembers going down a stairwell in the lighthouse where
she and Augusta changed into their bathing suits. Once attired, they ran back up
the stairs to the starting line. The girls were in such a hurry there was no
time to get "greased up" for the race.
Almost immediately, the
signal was given to start and they plunged into the Great South Bay along with
the other entrants and the Cross Bay Swim began. A rower and rowboat was
assigned to accompany each swimmer as they swam the bay.
Anna remembers the long
swim alongside the rowboat and peering over every so often during the race to
see how Augusta was faring. She also remembers that both of them were able to
complete the entire course but cannot remember the exact location of the finish.
She thinks that it might have been Benjamin's beach. Anna is proud to have
competed and for having the stamina to complete the entire course. She was also
the second female to finish the Cross Bay Swim that summer day long ago.
Anna's last memory is
that she was so tired and sore from the swim that she stayed in bed the entire
day after the race. After a swim of 7 or so miles who could blame her.
Bill Dennis on behalf of
the Dennis Children - Maureen Haag, Barbara Drowne, Vincent Dennis, Bill Dennis
and Alice Dennis.
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