In 1559 Don Tristan de Luna led a Spanish expedition to establish a settlement on the shores of what is now Pensacola Bay. With eleven ships and over 1,500 settlers, the colony was meant to be Spain’s foothold in the New World.  This historic event lays claim to Pensacola’s founding as America’s First Settlement 1559, six years before the founding of St. Augustine, Florida.
Recently a secret scroll from De Luna was found washed up on the shores of Pensacola Beach.  The scroll outlined a competitive swim De Luna was planning to see who the fastest swimmer among his colony was.  However, before the event could proceed a hurricane came through and wiped out the colony and it would be 150 years before Pensacola would be occupied again. (Some of the events above are fictional, and some are true.)
Fast forward to today the Spanish Conquistador’s legend lives on every year with De Luna’s Open Swim. A competitive open water swim through the same waters De Luna and his colony once sailed in over 500 years ago.
Swimmers of all age skill levels can participate in three different race events
- 0-6 mile sprint swim
- 1.2 mile swim
- 2.4 mile swim
Each race is timed allowing competitors to test their endurance in the protected waters of the Santa Rosa Sound.
The swim will take place Saturday morning (April 12) in the Santa Rosa Sound behind Flounder’s Chowder’s House on Pensacola Beach. The water will open for a warm up swim 7a.m. with the 2.4 mile swim beginning at 8a.m. and each other race staggered every 10 minutes. This will be the third year of the event hosted by Pensacola Sports.
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