This Week in AtlantiqueBy Kirsten CorssenAtlantique may be a small town, but this past weekend it held a big event: The Fire Island Charity Swim! This is the fourth year in a row that the Fire Island Charity Swim took place with the start and finish line on Atlantique sand. The swimmers varied in age and categories depended on the distance one wanted to swim. Some swam the mile race, 5k or were very ambitious and swam the 10k. Being a lifeguard at this event I got to see first hand how dedicated these athletes are, especially the eight participants who swam the 10k. In order to swim the 10k they did two loops, starting in Atlantique to Kismet, then back again twice. This is a total of 6.2 miles, and it took them about four hours. This long swim was worth it to all of them as they stumbled across the finish line. After swimming for four hours anyone would forget how their legs work on land!The race buoys stretched all the way from Atlantique to Kismet bringing all eyes to the water. This racecourse was ideal because it joined all towns to sit on the beach and watch the swimmers go by all day. The racing swimmers got a helpful hand from volunteers who paddled on kayaks or boards to encourage them and make sure they were safe. There were also volunteer lifeguards on shore, such as myself, who oversaw the whole race to make sure no one was in danger.Then there was Bryan Krut who organized the whole event, out on his jet ski supervising all the volunteers and swimmers to make the race ran efficiently. Krut and his team plan for this race all year and it really showed.With the perfect weather and calm seas this race really brought Fire Island together. Some of the swimmers had never been to Fire Island before, for others it was their first time to Atlantique. These new faces on the beach called for a good day and a packed Shack. People really got to experience unique Atlantique and all the perks it has.The next big event that will be held at Atlantique is The Rich Mahogany concert. This classic event is held annually in the Atlantique handball courts, this year it will be on Saturday, Aug. 1, from 5-9 p.m. It is worth the trip over to listen to the good music, hang out with nice people, and enjoy the beautiful Town of Atlantique.News tips for Kirsten? Email her at atlantique@fireisland-news.com.
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