In the parking lot at Pine Point Beach in Scarborough, Kirsten Read tucks her hair into a swim cap, straps a buoy to her hip and starts walking to shore.

Dozens of people are sitting on the beach but very few are in the water today. At the time, Hurricane Erin lingered several hundred miles offshore, which prompted beach advisories across the state.

As a professional open water swimmer, Read is familiar with these conditions.

"They were calling for 4- to 6-foot waves on the surf line," she says. "I mean, it's rough, but it looks totally swimmable to me."

Read has been swimming competitively since she was 8 years old and participated in events all over the world. Now, she lives in Arundel and has her own coaching business .

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