Pridwin drowning victim was ex-Team USA triathlete: Tragedy sparks Labor Day water-safety warning
The apparent drowning of a married father of two young girls near The Pridwin is prompting a warning for Labor Day weekend visitors not to underestimate the strong tides and currents that sweep the East End’s open waters.
Spencer M. Korwin, a former Team USA triathlet, entered the water from the hotel’s private dock Wednesday morning and was found underwater near the dock about seven hours later, according to the Shelter Island Police Department.
The Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the cause and manner of death. Police have said the drowning appears accidental, with no indication of criminality, though the investigation remains open.
Mr. Korwin, a 38-year-old New York City resident, graduated from Syracuse University and joined SportsLab NYC as a trainer in 2013 before launching Korwin Health & Wellness in Manhattan. He qualified for Team USA in 2012 and competed at the Triathlon World Championships in Auckland, New Zealand, according to SportsLab’s website.
That athletic background underscores what local officials and experienced swimmers say is an important Labor Day warning: Even top-notch swimmers can underestimate the tides and currents around Shelter Island and the East End.
“People are not familiar with the waters around here,” said Laurie Eckardt, a lifelong Shelter Island resident who lives on Stearns Point Road near The Pridwin and spends summers swimming at Crescent Beach with her children and grandchildren.
Another nearby resident, Tom Junod, has spent many of his summers enjoying The Pridwin’s restaurant and dock. “I’ve probably swum off that dock 50 times,” he said on Thursday.
A little past 10 in the morning on Wednesday, Mr. Junod was walking past the Pridwin dock with his dog. “It was an ordinary morning,” he explained, noting that he had no idea anything was going wrong. He added that the tragedy was terrible.
Jimmy Lang, the current owner of the 1901 Grill, who also resides near the hotel, was driving home from the restaurant Wednesday when he saw a swarm of emergency response activity at the beach. Mr. Lang grew up summering on the Island, noting that he worked at The Pridwin Hotel as a teenager. “It’s a sad day for Shelter Island. It’s a really horrible thing,” he said on Thursday.
Officials said preliminary information placed low tide near the time Mr. Korwin entered the water, but they have not determined whether tides, currents or any other water conditions contributed to his death.
John Kirincic, a master for the Southold Town Police Department’s Marine One, which was involved in the search for the missing swimmer, said the current in the area is typically strong because of the narrow passage where the tide flows.
He said Wednesday morning’s conditions were seemingly calm. “There wasn’t anything unusual,” Mr. Kirincic said. “There was no fog or anything bad.”
The Pridwin/Crescent Beach area is not generally considered a hazardous area for swimmers, added Shelter Island Police Chief Jim Read. “However, these are open waters where tides, currents and boat traffic are always considerations,” Chief Read said.
Mr. Korwin’s death was the second apparent drowning off Shelter Island this summer. In May,18-year-old SUNY Albany student Timothy Magambo drowned off Wades Beach while visiting the Island with friends. Police said he became separated from a group attempting to swim toward Shell Beach and was later found floating several hundred yards from where he had last been seen, according to previous reporting by Shelter Island Reporter.
The danger has not been limited to Shelter Island. Six-year-old Kiara Paolasin of Brooklyn drowned near Sebonac Inlet in Southampton on July 4 after police said a strong current swept her into Great Peconic Bay. And during one stretch in early August, East Hampton Town lifeguards reported 137 rescues or preventive saves amid dangerous rip currents, most of them along the busy downtown Montauk beachfront.
The latest warnings come as Shelter Island and the North Fork and head into what is expected to be an inviting Labor Day weekend. The National Weather Service is forecasting partly sunny skies and a high near 82 Friday, mostly sunny conditions with only a slight chance of showers Saturday, mostly sunny skies Sunday and a sunny Labor Day with temperatures in the mid-70s.
Officials urged swimmers to use lifeguarded beaches whenever possible and remain alert to changing tides and currents.
Wades Beach and Crescent Beach will have lifeguards on duty from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Monday.
“Enjoy the water, but respect it,” Chief Read said. “Swim at a lifeguarded beach whenever possible, don’t swim alone, be aware of tides and currents, and use additional caution around docks and areas with boat traffic. Parents should closely supervise children around the water, and boaters should also be particularly attentive with the increased holiday weekend activity. Even strong and experienced swimmers should never underestimate open water or changing conditions.”
Additional reporting by Jackson Rohrer
