Cedar Island 5K Swim

In 1190, monks at Glastonbury Abbey claimed to have unearthed the remains of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere at a depth of five meters, uncovering a lead cross that linked their resting place to the legendary Isle of Avalon. While the myths surrounding that distant, marshy landscape of Somerset once defined the name for centuries, swimmers in New Jersey experience a different reality. The borough of Avalon is situated on Seven Mile Island, a landmass that juts roughly one mile further into the Atlantic than its neighbors. This geographical protrusion gives the location its local motto, 'Cooler by a Mile,' a feature that dictates the temperature and current patterns during the annual Murray Mile Ocean Classic.

The Atlantic environment

Navigating these waters means contending with the dynamic geography of the Jersey Shore. To the north, the coastline is shaped by the remnants of the 1962 Ash Wednesday storm, a catastrophic Nor'easter that forced the entire town of Sea Isle City to retreat inland by one city block. The energy of the Atlantic is constant here; participants in the 5000m race often find themselves tracking the coastline where the historic 1894 Life Saving Station still stands. Those seeking a different rhythm later in the season might look toward the Point to Point Bay Swim, which takes place just two weeks after this event in the calmer, protected waters of the back bays.

While the Arthurian legends of Morgan le Fay and the Nine Sisters color the identity of this coastal town, the reality for a swimmer is defined by the salt marsh channels and the shifting sands of Ludlam Island. The event, organized by Tim Kerr Charities, utilizes these barrier island dynamics to challenge athletes across the 1852m and 5000m distances. The dense woodlands that once covered Seven Mile Island in the late 19th century are now largely replaced by beachfront architecture, yet the horizon remains dominated by the open ocean. As you sight the buoys, you are effectively traversing the same Atlantic currents that have defined the maritime history of this specific stretch of the New Jersey coast.