Scott Tapley’s Marathon Swim Story

Today’s guest started swimming in the sea to support his surfing interests, then took up prone paddling to further his fitness. It wasn’t until he happened across a couple swimmers who happened to need a paddler that he discovered the wonders of marathon swimming.

Inspired by their feats of endurance, it didn’t take long for them to take Scott Tapley under their wings and help him realize what he was capable of.

I hope you enjoy Scott’s story.

In his own words:

Scott Tapley is a lifelong surfer turned late-in-life swimmer from Santa Cruz, California. His love for the ocean and desire to live outside the box, has led him to discover and eventually fall in love with the sport and people of Marathon Swimming. With Monterey Bay in his backyard, he spends most days in, on or under the water in some form or another. His romance with open water swimming has led Scott to complete swims of the Santa Barbara, Catalina, and English Channels and a 4.9c Ice Mile. He is co-founder and President of the Monterey Bay Swimming Association which is dedicated to promoting safe traditional marathon swimming across the 25 mile span of the Monterey Bay. As much as he loves swimming, his favorite part of the sport is supporting other swimmers, either as crew or observer, and has put this passion to work in Lake Tahoe, San Francisco Bay, Gulf of the Farallons, Santa Barbara Channel, Catalina Channel, English Channel, and beyond. 

His desire (obsession) to swim the English Channel became a four-year Odyssey, including three near misses and finally a 2020 success. At the age of 56, Scott became a Grandfather and a Channel Swimmer in the same year.