Round the Rock 2.0

Round the Rock is a non-stop circumnavigation attempt of Mount Desert Island, Maine – undertaken by Puranjot Kaur, one of Open Table MDI’s founders. In August of 2020 and 2021, Round the Rock was a fundraiser focused on food security, as well as an opportunity to raise awareness about the mission of Open Table MDI. With your incredible love and support, both swims raised in excess of $65,000 and allowed us to greatly expand our programming to serve more individuals and families on Mount Desert Island and beyond.
Ultimately, weather and wind thwarted Puranjot’s non-stop attempt in 2020. She made it approximately 15-miles and then completed the entire island in stages during the months of September and October. During Round the Rock 2.0, Puranjot swam 21-miles in 11-hours before her crew called the swim due to hypothermia. You can read Puranjot’s account of the swim here.

Learn More!

Are you just learning about the sport of unassisted solo marathon swimming (ultra-swimming) or want to help support Puranjot’s journey? Read more below!

What is a Marathon Swim?

The Spirit of Marathon Swimming – Marathon swimmers embrace the challenge of crossing wild, open bodies of water with minimal assistance beyond their own physical strength and mental fortitude. There are ways to make the sport easier, but marathon swimmers consciously eschew them.
Marathon swimmers take pride that their achievements can be meaningfully compared to the achievements of previous generations because the standard equipment of the sport has not changed significantly since 1875.
A marathon swim is defined as a nonstop open-water swim, undertaken according to standardized rules, and requiring at least several hours of sustained effort to complete. Ten kilometers without significant assistance from currents is the minimum distance considered to be a marathon swim. The swimmer remains in the water for the entire duration of the swim from start to finish without intentional physical contact with escort vessels, support personnel, or other objects (fixed or floating).

What Route Will This Swim Take?

To check out the projected swim route, click here!

Can I Come Watch?

Absolutely! Puranjot will be in the water for a LONG time and unlike many swim crossings, because this is a circumnavigation, there will be plenty of opportunities to catch sight of the swim from the cliffs and beaches of Mount Desert Island.
If you are not in the Mount Desert Island, Maine area, online tracking is available RIGHT HERE.

Thank You To Our Sponsors!

Loving These Pictures from Round the Rock 2020

Big love to Captain Evil (Edna Martin) and Bob Bowman for capturing the majority of these pictures from attempt number one, as well as training swims and the stages of completing the island loop. So grateful for the documentation of an epic journey.