There must be something magical in the water that rushes through the channel between Catalina the mainland California coast.
Just listen to what our new friend Rooney Daschbach has to say and whast heis up to doing…
“On Sept. 1, I am swimming the Catalina Channel solo as a fundraiser for Special Olympics,” he says.
Rooney is a 30-year resident of Sunset Beach who is hopin to bring attention to the Special Olympics.
Daschbach , 54, has been a Board Member of Orange County Special Olympics for almost 4 years. Apparently that was enough for him to want to swim the channel that can at points be as much as 26 miles of open sea.
“I wanted to do something to help support the organization as the last couple years have resulted in budget cuts due to a slow down in charitable support as a result of the recession,” he said. “I chose the Catalina Channel swim because it one of the most challenging sanctioned open water swims, comparable in distance to the English Channel.”
The crossing has been completed by less than 180 people since 1927.
“I have been training for 1 year and will attempt the swim on the night of Sept. 1,” he said. “Swimmers leave at night to take advantage of calmer seas.”
The swim he will do is 22 miles.
“I am hoping to finish in 11-12 hours, finishing around noon on September 2 at the tip of the Palos Verdes Peninsula,” he said. “My close friend and training partner Don Smith of Long Beach will swim with me from start to finish.”
Smith is a former swimmer at Long Beach State. Daschbach is a former rugby player at Cal Berkeley.
“But I have also swam my entire life and open water swimming has been my hobby for 30 years,” he said. “I have swam in 26 Seal Beach Rough Water swims, multiple Alcatraz swims, 6 Trans Tahoe relay and in July won 1st place in the San Francisco Bridge to Bridge Swim.”
He also trains with the Seal Beach Sea Monkeys, an open water club started 10 years ago with 4 people that has now grown to more than 30.
“We swim each Thursday morning starting at the Seal Beach Pier,” he said. “My support crew will consists of my wife Claire and several members of the Seal Beach Sea Monkey Club including Sue Dvonch and Joe Vargas of Seal Beach, Pat West, City Manager of Long Beach, Hank Wise, founder of Long Beach Rocket Fish swim program, and Amy Ashton and Mary Brain of Huntington Beach.
“My son Eric will escort paddle along with Pat West and Rick Hodgin, another long time Seal Beach resident.”
Currently to date they have raised more than $ 13,000 for Special Olympics.
“Our goal is to reach $ 20,000 by Sept. 1.
Donations can be made online at www.sosc.org/catalinaswim All donations are tax deductible and a receipt will be provided by Special Olympics.
