*MaineToMoroccoIceSwim

Hello Everyone!

I have been back home for over a week and am still processing this incredible trip and all of the generous support you all have given me. I feel so grateful and so buoyed by your encouragement and excitement. THANK YOU for showing up for me.

Without further ado...
I COMPLETED THE 500M SWIM in 13 minutes and 27 seconds in 42℉ water! Placing 2nd in the Women's Overall category...out of all of TWO women! ;) I am so proud of this swim. As I climbed down the ladder into Lake Aguelmam Azegza and looked out towards the buoy I was awash with relief. Being in the water is simply THE place for this Water Woman.

After the whistle, I got into a good groove and with each stroke I thought about your encouraging messages and generous contributions! I went through my rolodex of swim buddies and shore support who met me at the beach or pool to help me train for this longer distance. And THEN (yes, I was *still* swimming)...I started thinking of all of the amazing people Penny and I met in Fez earlier in the week who were so excited that we had come to Morocco for an Ice Swim! Our tour guide in Fez, Amal, is an AMAZING woman, and was a professional tennis player in Morocco. She was so excited about the swim that I thought she was going to drive up to the mountains and do it herself. Instead, she decided that she would go in 2026 to beat my 2025 time and I have no doubt that she will do just that. I did not swim the 50m freestyle because there was only 1 heat between the 500m and my heat for the 50m. By the time I got my wet suit off and warm things on I had missed my heat for the 50m. I was colder than normal (likely because I hadn't eaten that morning) so I was content with sitting in the sun and eating warm fava bean soup prepared by Chef Simo...the winner of Masterchef Morocco - 2015. (I can still taste it - YUM!)

This trip proved to be a reminder of a couple of things:
1) My connection to the water is powerful. I'm grateful that it seems to be taking me to pretty cool places, to do pretty cool things, with pretty darn cool people!
2) The world is FULL of strong and powerful women. Of course I know this, but it's always a joy to connect with these women - especially when things feel dumpster fire-y. A non-exhaustive list of incredible women we met: Amal, our Fez tour guide; Yasmine, the owner of Riad le Calife where we stayed in Fez; Khadija, the owner of Coelle Travel (a Moroccan woman living in Maine) who connected us to these other amazing women; many amazing female swimmers representing Switzerland, Morocco, Denmark, Italy, Belgium and more!

The impact of your support did not stop with me - you just started the ripple! Let's continue to show up and relentlessly lift up women because every time we do we're strengthening the ties that bind us...all over the world! We are an unstoppable force. 💪

Finally, in the week that I've been home I've poured into planning the 5th Annual Women's Wave - the largest and coldest International Women's Day celebration in the USA. You're invited to join us on Saturday, March 8th at Willard Beach in South Portland, ME! Maine is a haul for a lot of you, but the Women's Wave is an unbelievably buoying experience. It will restore your hope, strengthen your spirit, and remind you of your own power. If you can't make it this year...here's your reminder: YOU ARE STRONG. YOU ARE POWERFUL.

Thank you, again, for believing in me and supporting this epic swim adventure. I'm so proud and hope that you know that you've made a significant positive impact in my world.

Forever grateful,
Caitlin

P.S. If you have any inkling of a desire to go to Morocco - DO IT! I have great recommendations for Fez that I'm more than happy to pass along. And taking the ferry across the Strait of Gibraltar from Spain to Morocco is really cool, too :)

Check out my recap reel on Instagram!

Getting Ready to Swim!

I don't know if you can see the relief, but I certainly felt it!

Knocking on the King's Palace doors in Fez.