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Newtown Resident Attempts To Swim The Sound

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

James M. Bayles is at it again.

A year ago, the Newtown resident swam from Alcatraz to Fisherman's Wharf in

San Francisco. Thursday morning he was expected to attempt a feat far more

treacherous - swim from the Tappan Zee Bridge to Manhattan.

Jim, 45, was attempting the 27-mile charity swim down the Hudson River as The

Newtown Bee went to press. The results of his grueling trip (he's the only one

swimming) will be included in next week's edition.

"I don't know if anyone has ever done this before," said his wife, Tina,

Wednesday afternoon. "But he's been training for five months, so he's ready.

He's psyched."

Jim has no plans to get out of the water during the trip. Jim, reported to be

in tip-top shape, was slated to hit the water at the Tarrytown Yacht Club

around 8 am and, at a speed of about 3 knots, make his way to Manhattan's

Chelsea Pier, arriving at around 5 pm. His family will ride alongside him.

While swimming is his pleasure (he nearly made the 1972 US Olympic team),

these iron-man events are for charity. Over the last four years, the

Butterfield Road resident has been raising money for the Juvenile Diabetes

Foundation International by either swimming or biking. To date, he has raised

more than $30,000. He's hoping to raise more than $10,000 for this particular

swim.

The diabetes foundation was founded in 1970 by parents of diabetic children

who were convinced that through research, diabetes could be cured.

As for the long swims, Jim said he does them because he loves to swim and "I

love the challenge."

Jim's father suffered from juvenile diabetes from age 19 until the day he died

at age 75. Like Jim, his father managed to keep himself in shape and, at his

death, was believed to be the healthiest diabetic in the United States in

terms of complications caused by the disease.

Inspired by his father's determination to be healthy, Jim wakes up each

morning at 3:30 and makes his way to New Canaan's YMCA to train. From there,

he heads to New York City where he works for Chase Manhattan Bank's corporate

real estate division.

Two years ago, the 5'-11", 190-pound athlete swam, kicked and pulled a full

marathon (26.2 miles or 42,000 meters) in a pool. It took him 13 hours and he

raised over $10,000. Last year, he raised the same amount by swimming a half

marathon in a pool and bicycling 110 miles, all in a day.

Swimming has been a lifelong passion for Jim, who began swimming competitively

at the age of five, went to the nationals at Dartmouth College

where he excelled in the 400 individual medley, and barely missed the Olympic

trials in 1972. In recent years, however, he has decided to use the sport he

loves so much to give something back to society.

Trina said she's heard that the Hudson isn't as dirty as people might think.

In fact, a shorter race was held on the river earlier this summer simply to

prove that point. Jim's doctor said he wouldn't need any shots.

Jim and Trina moved to Newtown from New Canaan a little over a year ago, along

with their three daughters Jen, Brooke and Katie.

As he swam the Hudson River Thursday morning, Jim was probably already

thinking about next year's possible fundraiser - a swim around Manhattan. He

hasn't ruled out the possibility of swimming the English Channel, either.