31.6-Mile Lake Ontario Crossing Takes 23 1/2 Hours : Canadian Swimmer Conquers Fifth Great Lake

Marathon swimmer Vicki Keith of Kingston, Ontario, completed her quest today to become the first person to swim all five Great Lakes, wading out of Lake Ontario just as dawn was breaking.

“I feel good. I’m glad it’s over, though,” said Keith, visibly tired after her 23 hours and 22 minutes in the water.

Keith made the 31.6-mile crossing from Niagara-on-the-Lake 12 hours faster than she had planned, even though she was using the butterfly stroke for most of the swim.

The 27-year-old swim instructor waded ashore at the Leslie Street Spit in the eastern part of Toronto Harbor. She had planned to swim to the Canadian National Exhibition grounds west of downtown, but strong currents pushed her off course.

“It was really tough because of the butterfly,” said Keith as she was taken to a waiting van.

The swims were organized as part of a fund-raising drive to help pay for a swimming pool for the disabled in Toronto.

Keith began her five-lake marathon on July 1, swimming 12 miles across Lake Erie.

She followed that two weeks later by making a 48-mile crossing of Lake Huron that took 47 hours. Late last month, she took 53 hours to swim 45 miles across Lake Michigan and completed a 21-mile arm of giant Lake Superior about two weeks ago.