Wednesday night turned into Thursday morning on June 12th as Matthew Moseley continued swimming toward the Mandeville bank of Lake Pontchartrain. In between, on either side of sunset, upon the support boat, a band led by Papa Mali churned out a blues soundtrack for the 47-year-old Moseley, who would soon join a short list of swimmers to ever cross all of the lake’s 25 miles.

Moseley grew up in Lafayette, a member of his high school swimming team. After college he worked at Commander’s Palace restaurant for a number of years. He currently lives in Boulder, Colorado, where he helms the communications and media firm that served as family spokesperson at gonzo writer Hunter Thompson’s funeral. Moseley still regularly visits New Orleans to see family and friends. And to swim Lake Pontchartrain.

“When I was here for Jazz Fest in 2006, we heard that the lake had been cleaned up by the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation (LPBF),” remembers Moseley, “and we said ‘Let’s go swim.’ We swam ten miles, with my good friend Coco Robicheaux in the support boat.” Robicheaux though, did not play music, says Moseley: “He was making Bloody Marys out of Pontchartrain water.” CLICK HERE to read the rest of the piece at NewOrleans.me…

Or check out this trailer for the documentary “Dancing In the Water.”: