A Port Chester swimmer just joined one of the most exclusive clubs in endurance sports — and he did it to raise money and awareness for the water we share on Long Island's North Shore.
At around 3 a.m. on October 3, 2026, Drew Nemetz slipped into the dark water off Dover, England, and started swimming toward France. Fourteen hours and 16 minutes later, he walked onto the French coast as one of only a few thousand people in history to complete a solo crossing of the English Channel.
"When they took that off, I said, 'It's done. I've got it,'" Nemetz told Save the Sound, describing the moment his support crew on the boat Masterpiece lowered the dinghy to bring him in.
The crossing is officially 21 miles. Because of rough conditions and shifting currents, Nemetz actually swam about 31. Along the way he dealt with choppy water, cold temperatures, and jellyfish (no wetsuit allowed) while keeping a steady stroke. At one point he could see the silhouette of France but had to swim a longer route with the boat to avoid fighting the current. His pilot, Harry Mardle, told him: "Put your head down and just follow the boat, and we will get you there."
Drew Nemetz (center, in yellow) with his crew, including Save the Sound's Peter Linderoth (far left), right after the crossing. Photo courtesy of Drew Nemetz / Save the Sound.
Why He Swam for the Sound
Nemetz, 44, runs Alpen Pantry, a sandwich shop in Old Greenwich, and trains in Long Island Sound with a group of open-water swimming friends. His connection to clean water goes back to childhood, when pollution closed the beaches near his home for more than a week.
"I've seen firsthand what pollution can do, how it can shut down beaches, disrupt communities, and take away something as simple and powerful as the ability to swim freely,"
So he turned the swim of his life into a fundraiser. To date, he has raised more than $21,000 for Save the Sound, the nonprofit that works to protect and restore Long Island Sound and its watershed through water quality monitoring, habitat restoration, beach cleanups, and legal advocacy. Peter Linderoth, Save the Sound's director of healthy waters and lands, was on the boat as part of Nemetz's crew, tracking his stroke count and feedings for the full 14 hours.
By the Numbers
14 hours, 16 minutes — Nemetz's crossing time, England to France
31 miles — the distance he actually swam (the official crossing is 21 miles)
Fewer than 2,200 — successful solo Channel crossings recorded since Captain Matthew Webb's first in 1875, according to Save the Sound
$21,000+ — raised so far for a cleaner Long Island Sound
100 years — since New Yorker Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim the Channel, in August 1926
What This Means for Long Island
Long Island Sound runs the length of Long Island's North Shore, from Queens out to Orient Point, and the health of its water shows up in our beaches, harbors, shellfish beds, and wildlife. Save the Sound's New York work reaches right into Long Island communities — from marine debris cleanups on North Shore beaches to community conversations about restoring the Nissequogue River after the Stump Pond dam failure in Blydenburgh County Park (we covered that in A Dam Failed. Now Long Island Has a Decision to Make🔗).
Most of us won't swim to France. But clean water on Long Island is built by a lot of small actions: keeping trash off beaches, managing stormwater at home (see How Long Islanders are getting $500 to make their yards more water-friendly🔗), and backing the local nonprofits that do the monitoring, restoration, and advocacy year-round.
How You Can Get Involved
Hear the story firsthand: Drew Nemetz and Peter Linderoth will talk about the swim, his training in Long Island Sound, and why clean water matters in a Save the Sound webinar on Wednesday, November 4, 6–7 p.m. RSVP here.
Support his fundraiser: Add to Drew's total on his Save the Sound fundraising page.
Clean up a Long Island beach: Join Save the Sound's Halloween cleanup at Gold Star Battalion Beach in Huntington on October 31.
Celebrate the Sound: Save the Sound's Sunset Soirée at the Northport Yacht Club on October 24 benefits its work across the Sound.
Find more ways to help: See all Save the Sound events on PPN, browse Long Island volunteer opportunities, or explore environmental events across Long Island.
Source: Save the Sound, "He Did It! Crossing the English Channel for the Sound" (October 15, 2026). Photos courtesy of Drew Nemetz via Save the Sound.
At A Glance
Who is Drew Nemetz?
Drew Nemetz is a 44-year-old open-water swimmer and small business owner from Port Chester, NY, who trains in Long Island Sound. On October 3, 2026, he swam across the English Channel to raise money and awareness for Save the Sound.
How long did it take him to swim the English Channel?
14 hours and 16 minutes. He started around 3 a.m. near Dover, England, and finished on the coast of France.
How far is the English Channel swim?
The shortest crossing is about 21 miles, but tides and currents push swimmers off a straight line. Nemetz swam roughly 31 miles.
What is Save the Sound?
Save the Sound is an environmental nonprofit that protects and restores Long Island Sound and its watershed in New York and Connecticut through water quality science, habitat and river restoration, community cleanups, and legal and policy advocacy.
How can Long Islanders help keep Long Island Sound clean?
Join a beach or shoreline cleanup, reduce stormwater runoff and lawn chemicals at home, plant native gardens, and support local clean-water nonprofits like Save the Sound. You can always find upcoming opportunities on Proof Positive Network.
