From a Small Group of Triathletes to Vero Beach’s Defining Fourth of July Tradition

Vero Minute
Jul 7
2 min read

Thousands gathered at Sexton Plaza to take part in the annual 4th of July swim to the SS Breconshire wreck—a tradition that has grown dramatically from its humble beginnings.

More than three decades ago, it was Dan Richey, local citrus grower, athlete, and founding member of the Sunrunners, who first swam out to the Breconshire on his birthday, which became an annual tradition.

The following year, fellow Sunrunner Barry Segal suggested moving the swim to the Fourth of July, recognizing that the holiday would allow more people to join in. That simple change opened the door for others to participate, and the swim quickly became a highlight for a small group of local athletes and their families. The destination, the SS Breconshire—a British steamship that ran aground off Vero’s coast in 1894.

In 2009, the tradition deepened further when the group began placing an American flag on the wreck’s bow each Flag Day in memory of Mike Blatus, beloved local conservationist and friend who dedicated his life to protecting the area’s reefs.

**From L to R: Flynn Figeon, Matt Monaco, Brett Faulknier, Jim Shafer, Rick Kaiser, Barry Segal (with Andrew Figeon), Bill Penney, and John Crowley | Photo Credit: Chris Cronin Media**

The event’s growth into this “Must attend” Fourth of July community tradition is in large part thanks to Sunrunner Lori Strazzulla, who initially created a Facebook page just to keep the group connected. What started as a simple communication tool quickly drew interest from far and wide.

The swim transformed from a small, athletic ritual into this major Vero Beach event, drawing thousands of swimmers, kayakers, paddleboarders, and spectators locally and from nearby Florida locales each year.

**Lori Strazzulla, Sunrunner and Accidental Ambassador for Fourth of July Swim to the Wreck**

While for the founding members the Swim to the Wreck remains a test of endurance and a way to honor their friend, it has definitely evolved into Vero Beach’s very own exuberant expression of Independence Day, echoing the vision John Adams described in 1776: a day to be celebrated “with pomp and parade, with shews, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other.”

On the beach and in the water, families and friends gather not just to swim, but to make a day of it with friends and family.

**Kristine O'Hagan and Chip Geis | Photo Credit: Chris Cronin Media**

For those who appreciate a good historical footnote: both Adams and Thomas Jefferson, authors of the Declaration of Independence, died on July 4, 1826—the 50th anniversary of the nation’s founding.

And for anyone curious about the ship itself, local historian Jim Wilson has shared an original image of the SS Breconshire, offering visual context to the ship that failed to reach its final destination and now anchors our uniquely Vero Beach Independence Day celebration.