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PT109 Commemorative Swim Marathon
John F Kennedy aboard the PT109
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This site will be updated regularly Dear Friends Nearly a year to the day after the 1st Marine division landed on Guadalcanal, a major historical event took place near Gizo in the Western Province, Solomon Islands. In the earlier morning hours of August 2nd 1943, the patrol boat PT109 was sunk after being rammed by the Japanese Destroyer Amagiri, in Blackett Strait near Ferguson Passage. The Captain, Lt. John F. Kennedy, an ex Harvard swimmer spent the next 30 hours supporting and towing his 10 surviving crew members to a temporary shelter known today as Kennedy Island. In addition to the swim after the collision, Kennedy staged a daring rescue attempt, swimming first to Naru Island and then to Olasana Island in search of help and a better source of food for his men. His swim of approximately 4 kilometres, through waters patrolled by enemy ships, has long been recognised as a feat of tremendous courage and bravery. A marathon swim marking the 60th anniversary of the sinking of PT109, on August 2, 2003, will be the first of what will become an annual event – The JFK PT109 Swim Marathon in Gizo. Planning of the event is still in the early stages, but already there is considerable interest being shown by people wanting to swim in the event. The main purpose of the swim is to raise money for the Gizo Hospital and Gizo Community schools, specifically to purchase medical supplies for the hospital and to help build a permanent library for the schools. The swim will consist of a beach start, from Kennedy Island, along to the east swimming in close proximity to the barrier reef system keeping the reef on the swimmers left-hand side. The swimmer will follow the edge of the reef system all the way along to the southern tip of Naru Island. This will give the swimmer a reference point for his/her direction to the most Southern end of the course and float marking the turn. You will then be making a hard right hand turn to the island of Olasana and a straight line back to Kennedy Island (see site map below). Support vessels and kayaks will be provided for the swimmers. A good portion of the swim will be like snorkelling in clear, blue, warm water allowing you to experience the most diverse fish life in the South Pacific. Plaques will be provided for a number of participants. They include the over-all winner, the person with the largest pledge for the hospital and library and the oldest and youngest swimmers will also be rewarded. Current swimmers include: Idris Lane (Idris recently completed the Kolombangara to Gizo swim), Anita Butler, Australian Deputy High Commissioner, Satit Staponset from Thailand. The main organiser of the JFK PT109 Swim Marathon will be a local company, Dive Gizo that I established over 18 years ago here in Gizo, the Provincial capital of Western Solomons. You may contact me via DiveGizo@solomon.com.sb and you may also want to check out our web site www.divegizo.com. Dive Gizo will establish a special trust for the event, and will be totally accountable to all sponsors for the event. If you would like any further information about the JFK PT109 Swim Marathon event, or if you would like to discuss how best you can participate in or support the event, please do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward to a positive response from you. Thanking you in anticipation. Yours sincerely Danny Kennedy
Swim Distances The total distance of the swim is 5.7 kms. Kennedy to Naru buoy is 2.7 kms
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