The number of athletes who take part in the Red Cross Swim-A-Cross keeps growing. It started with a dozen swimmers and on Friday, Aug. 14, there were 122. "It's really getting to be quite big," said Judge Ute Lally, co-founder of the swim with Joan Imhof of Bayville.

Safety is a big concern. Each swimmer is given a numbered brass tag and they return them as they arrive at the beach after the mile. Boats follow them and lifeguards on boards swim beside them to make sure all are okay.

The one mile swim from Centre Island to the beach in Bayville is usually practiced in pools. It takes from 60 to 72 laps to do the mile according to the size. That's a lot of time in the water.

"Swimming keeps me healthy. It really does," said Renata Maimone at 81. She swims every day. "Without it I think I would fall apart!"

Martha Offerman of Bayville, "Decided that 57 doesn't mean you don't have to take challenges since it will be for a good cause." She swims 45 minutes a day here or in Costa Rica or in the ocean in Florida. "I feel I'm ready," she said as she began her swim.

The first two out of the water were members of the Bethpage Swim Team: Neal Rubin and Janet Reynolds. They swam the last few yards holding hands as they approached the shore and came out together.

The third arrival was Egor Lazebnik of East Norwich. His mother Gula, originally from St. Petersberg, Russia, was there to greet him. Egor is a 10-grader at Oyster Bay High School. He practices at the Huntington YMCA. His mom and dad Yuri also swim. Are there any Olympians in the family? "Maybe a potential one," said Mrs. Lazebnik.

Full coverage of the swim next week in the Oyster Bay Enterprise Pilot.