Plumb Island to Montauk Inlet: SWIM Relay
On Friday, October 3rd 2025, the Dawgpatch Crew took on and completed a swim from Plumb Island to MTK Inlet. Swimmers Caite Kappel, Spencer Schneider and Drew Nemetz completed the swim in a relay style covering a distance of 14 miles in just 5 hours and 40 minutes, while crossing some of Long Island’s most active marine life waters.
Start Point: East Point (Plumb Island, NY)
End Point: Gin Beach (Montauk, NY)
Mode of Travel: SWIM
Distance: 14 miles
Duration of Completion: 7:15 AM Start - 12:55 PM Finish = 5 hrs 40 min
Date of Completion: 10/03/2025
Levels of Support: Single guide boat used, the “Point to Point” (21.5 ft), piloted by Drew Harvey. Open water swim rules applied. Relay style.
Trip Report: This was a three person (Caitlin Kappel, Drew Nemetz, Spencer Schneider) swim relay inspired by the 2023 Orient Point to MTK Inlet OC4 Dawgpatch paddle.
Originally planned for October 4th with just Caite and Spencer, on October 2nd we adjusted the date to October 3rd, and added Drew Nemetz as a third swimmer.
English Channel Relay rules were followed for this swim: swimmers may not wear anything other than swim suit, goggle and cap; no touching the boat or any human contact while swimming; a swimmer must be in the water at all times; the swimmer swap takes place every 30 minutes in the water i.e the next swimmer must jump in and start swimming before the previous swimmer may make contact with the boat and exit the water. This ensures a continuously swam line.
Drew Nemetz started the day swimming off of the East Point on Plumb Island, followed by Spencer Schneider, and then Caite Kappel. Swimmers followed this swim order until the East jetty of MTK inlet was reached, and then all swimmers jumped in and finished the swim together at Gin Beach.
“We expected it to take 7 hours, but it only took ~ 5 hr 40 min due to the speed of Caite and Drew AND the timing with the tide, currents and wind direction.” - Spencer Schneider
Additional Details: We had a current assist and favorable wind. Water had a slight chop, but was clear as a bell. Average water temperature was 67 degrees, air started at low 50's in the morning, and reached high 60's by midday. Splash time was 7:13 AM, just before the tide change. From East Point, MTK Inlet was at a 122 degrees heading into the rising sun. The swim course taken was 140 - 150 degrees, knowing the outgoing tide would set us east. Sky was clear. Good day for it.
High Tide on Plumb Island was 7:37 AM
Winds were 6 kts out of the Southwest, and shifted to West - North West gusting to 10 kts. (Gardiners Island provided a wind shield for the middle of the swim which made the conditions ideal).
Special Notes:
Ocean life was highly active on this swim. Just off Plumb Island seals were observed around boulders in the morning. Multiple pods of dolphin were encountered during the swim. Another seal was observed off of the east side of Gardiners Island, and swam right up to the boat. Towards the end of the swim near mouth of Napeague Bay, a large Humpback whale and calf were observed within 300 yards of the boat. Both whales were heading west towards Napeague Bay splashing and playing. Swimmers never stopped swim due to any marine life encounters.
While Plumb Island was swam to by a crew of Dawgpatch swimmers in 2021 from Gardiners Island AND a swim across Napeague Bay was completed in 2024, this is the first Dawgpatch swim to start from Plumb Island AND to make a complete and single swim crossing of the western Block Island Sound.
