The thought of swimming the length of Newfound Lake can be daunting to campers when they join the Onaway community and swim past the bobberline for the first time. For most campers, swimming five triangles a day between the three floats is more than enough. However, each summer a group of campers decide they want to attempt swimming the 20 miles of triangles required to swim the Length. Setting this goal takes courage and dedication as campers carefully schedule how they are going to achieve their 20 miles. Some wake up early for Polar Bear while others opt to attend Free Swims. Throughout the summer, the Length swimmers support each other whether it's to jump in the cold lake or swim an additional five triangles. Swimming the Length is open to all campers who are a Marlin (Red Cross Learn to Swim Level 4) and up, and are able to complete the 20 miles of triangles. Swimming the Length is unique to Onaway because of the Swim program we offer where each camper has daily swim lessons to learn strokes, skills, and build endurance. Over the course of a camper’s years at Onaway they have the opportunity to grow and be part of a community that supports them as they push themselves to accomplish goals, such as swimming the Length. Completing the 20 miles is celebrated by the entire camp with a song as the swimmers skip around the dining hall together. After six weeks of preparation, the Length swimmers set off on the roughly six-mile swim from Campfire Rock to the Big Catch on the Monday of week seven. They are woken up early by counselors, eat breakfast in the dining hall, and head to Campfire Rock where they wait for counselors in rowboats to guard them. Each camper has their own lifeguard and boat which allows them to swim at their own pace and take breaks for water and rest. After spending the summer swimming endless triangles, it is liberating to swim beyond the Onaway cove. This swim takes upwards of five hours and the campers celebrate the completion with ice cream at the Big Catch! This summer we had six campers swim the Length, and as amazing as it was to see them swim that long distance, it was equally wonderful to see how diligently they swam their mileage and cheered each other on throughout the summer.