Actually I’m creating the mystery, but I uncreate it after the fourth foto.  You might try to guess what’s happening.  I put in some lovely distractors.  What was happening on Coney Island this morning between 7 and 930 am?  Man with red shorts, a swimmer, and tug Edith Thornton (1951, ex-Signet Defender, J. K. McLean).

SUNY Maritime’s Empire State–-all flags flying– returns from its three-month summer training cruise to the Mediterranean.

Man with red kite in the air;  black spot in between.

Man with green bathing cap wades in as a brace of jetskis bobs nearby.  So far, it’s all men with head gear, but

then Bowsprite approaches with camera;   yellow kayaks and NYPD as background.  She didn’t say, “We have you surrounded.”  This could mean only one thing:  click here and find out.  Here’s the site for CIBBOWS.

Swimmers in green caps (warming and limbering up)  did the 5 km race.

Long Island City Community Boathouse spotted, as did the jetskiers.

Cristian read the rules.

And the first wave went in, heading for the first

turn around the buoy.

The second wave (white caps) began their one-mile race to the Coney fishing pier and

back.

Bowsprite served as beach-spotter at the finish line, where here arrive the first finishers in green caps.  After

five kilometers in one hour and 18 minutes it was this close.

Now the man with the kite . . . that speck was a camera.  Click here and here to see Scott Dunn’s amazing photography with kite-suspended camera.

Empire State and Edith Thornton . . . their role was to bless the race with their beauty.

This was my first swim race;  I plan to attend the one in November.  About the Aquarium, it served as venue for registration and celebration;  as we prepared there for the race in the wee hours before sunrise, I overheard some flush pinnipeds wagering their fishy breakfast on race outcomes.

All fotos by Will Van Dorp.

And here’s another swimming organization to learn about:  Swim Across America.  Recall the 2009 swim post by tugster . .  . uh,  me?  And someone’s unconventional techniques?