This is one in a series of stories introducing you to some of our Buzzards Bay Swimmers and why they do it.

Every June, a colorful crowd of swimmers gathers at the edge of Buzzards Bay. Some are seasoned athletes. Others are just hoping not to lose a flip-flop. But for one special group—Team For Emma—this isn’t just a swim. It’s a love letter. A tribute. A way to keep Emma Whittaker’s spirit alive, one salty splash at a time.

Emma: The Girl Who Was Happiest in the Water

Emma Whittaker didn’t just love the water—she practically lived in it. My wife Jess and I swear she had gills. “She was happiest in the water,” we say, a phrase that’s become both a family motto and a rallying cry.

From her first swim lessons at the New Bedford YMCA to swimming with the New Bedford Hurricanes, and Cape Cod Swim Club, Emma was a natural. She joined the Buzzards Bay Swim at just 10 years old. She was the tiniest person with the biggest grin. We were so nervous, and she was like, ‘This is the best day ever!’”

A Family Anchored in the Bay

Emma’s love for the Bay wasn’t random—it was inherited. Jess, a lifelong South Coast resident, has spent her career protecting land and water. I am a sailor and early organizer of the Buzzards Bay Watershed Ride. Our kids grew up with sunscreen in their hair and sand in their shoes.

I remember Emma coaching me through swim drills. “She’d say, ‘Dad, you’re not a dolphin. Stop flailing.’” He laughs. “She was always my swim coach,” he says.

Team For Emma: From Grief to Goggles

When Emma passed away in 2022, her family and friends were heartbroken. But we knew one thing: We had to keep swimming. That summer, Team For Emma was born. Abbie captained the team. I swam. Jess, still grieving, waited until 2023 to join. “I cried the whole way,” she says. “And then I cried some more at the finish line.”

The team started small—just a few friends and family. But word spread. Emma’s story touched people. Some swimmers joined without ever having met her. One guy said, “I don’t know Emma, but I know love when I see it.”

Now, the team is more than 30 strong. We wear matching caps, share snacks, and tell Emma stories. There was never a dull moment with Emma. She always had surprises from throwing flips off our boat to swimming a 500 warm-up in socks.

The Emma Whittaker Fund: Her Legacy in Motion

To honor Emma’s passions, our family created the Emma Whittaker Fund. It supports access to Buzzards Bay for kids who might not otherwise get to experience it, STEAM education for girls, and mental health support for children.

For Team For Emma, the Buzzards Bay Swim is more than a race. It’s a reunion. A celebration. A way to laugh, cry, and remember.

I swim with Emma’s voice in my head. “She’d say, ‘You’ve got this, Dad. Just don’t embarrass me.’”

And so, we swim. Through tears and laughter. Through grief and joy. Through the waters Emma loved so much.

Because love, like the tide, always finds its way back.