MOWSA currently offers several solo, sanctioned swims that challenge marathon swimmers over long distances in cold water.

Boston Light to Minot Light – 7.8 miles (12.5 km)
Little BREWStER Island to Minot Lighthouse

In 2025, local swimmer Lee Kaplan asked us to create a new adventure for her. Given her affinity for lighthouses and her love of the Boston Light Swim as well as Scituate, she decided to connect the most obvious marine landmarks associated with each in one swim. At 7.8 miles long, we weren’t anticipating that Kaplan would need to put forth an ultramarathon effort, but as it worked out, strong currents off the tip of Nantasket Beach made for an exceptionally long day for the stubborn and sturdy swimmer.

This swim starts from the water off Little Brewster Island (where the Boston Light Swim starts) and heads southeast, skirting the northeast tip of Hull and runs along Nantasket Beach to land at Minot Lighthouse, a beacon built in 1850 that sits about a mile off Minot Beach in Scituate.

What to expect

Water Temperature: 58 to 70 degrees F depending on date

Tides: This swim is a beautiful concept, but it’s still in its infancy. So far, only one swimmer has even attempted it, and it seems we didn’t time the start correctly. If you’re up for a potentially punishing challenge, give it a go and allow us to gather more data about how the changeable surface currents and tides impact your forward progress so we can dial in on how and when to launch swimmers on what could become a marquee marathon swim event.

Weather: Anticipate ocean swells, wind, waves, and overcast skies. You may get glassy water or four-foot swells. This is New England; expect it all. (And you may get all of it in a single day!)

Swimmer notes: The swim starts from the water just off Little Brewster island. Purists can opt to start on the pebble beach there, but because of the risk of cuts and slipping, we permit an in water start for this course that mirrors what’s used for the annual Boston Light Swim. Your course should be a mostly straight line, but currents and tides will impact the directness and the speed of your crossing.

Minot Lighthouse projects out of the water from a submerged plinth, and because we can’t see whether there are barnacles or obstacles that could harm the swimmer (and the support boat can only get so close without risking running aground), the swim is considered complete when the swimmer gets within 10 feet of the lighthouse itself. Again, purists who aren’t worried about barnacle cuts or potentially getting smashed into a concrete structure may swim up to the lighthouse to touch above the water line, but this is highly conditions-dependent and will ultimately be left up to the pilot’s discretion as to whether it’s safe for the swimmer to proceed beyond that 10-foot mark.

The water temperature will likely remain mostly consistent throughout the swim, though low temperatures are sometimes reported off Little Brewster and along Nantasket Beach. You'll be in the open ocean for the duration of the swim, so expect to encounter some marine life. You are also skirting an active shipping channel and may cross paths with ferries, cargo ships, container ships, cruise ships, and fishing vessels. Commercial traffic has right of way, so you may be told to tread water to allow another vessel to traverse safely and feeds may have to be delayed to prevent interaction with other waterway users.

Dates with favorable tides in 2026: TBD

As with other MOWSA solo swims, we seek to launch swimmers early in the morning on a weekday to avoid recreational traffic as well as the sometimes-strong winds that tend to build in the afternoon. As we learn more about the specific currents that govern this tricky crossing, we will launch swimmers at a time that capitalizes on any current or tidal assistance that may be available. Or, at the very least, we’ll aim to start at a time when currents and tides will be less likely to oppose forward progress. This all means there are limited opportunities available each season.

Solo Records

Banner and gallery photos by Rena Demeo