Ultramarathon swimmer Katie Pumphrey aborted her 24-mile swim from Sandy Point State Park to the Baltimore harbor because of high winds Tuesday.

“Katie was swimming strong, but the safety of everyone involved was the top priority,” a spokesperson for her wrote in an email.

Pumphrey had already postponed the swim the previous day due to the inclement weather. However, Pumphrey still swam Tuesday as part of a shorter route and finished just before 2 p.m., welcomed by supporters and Professor Trash Wheel.

“This swim was never just about the 24 miles — it’s always been about something bigger,” Pumphrey said in a statement. “Open-water swimming demands flexibility, and nature doesn’t always go according to plan. I’m still excited to swim in our Harbor and highlight the progress we’ve made toward a cleaner, healthier waterfront. I’m incredibly proud of everything we’ve accomplished so far.”

Pumphrey arrived in a custom swimsuit in a city-inspired black and yellow design. Baltimore-based illustrator Sarah Bolton was at the swim Tuesday after helping design the swimmer’s bathing suit, which features several local images, such as the Maryland blue crab, Professor Trash Wheel and duckpin bowling.

“I made Katie Pumphrey’s bathing suit last year and the inspiration behind it, we kind of worked together to choose a couple Baltimore icons,” Bolton said.

It’s unclear whether Pumphrey will reschedule the original swim route(cq comment=” will be rescheduled” ).

“As for rescheduling, this swim requires an extremely narrow window based on tides, water and air temperature, and a wide range of coordinated support from safety teams, vessels, and partner organizations, so it will depend on that,” the spokesperson said.

Pumphrey made her initial 24-mile “Bay to Baltimore” swim last year and last month completed an English Channel qualifier, which is part of open-water swimming’s triple crown, along with the 28.5-mile swim around Manhattan in New York and the 20 miles between Santa Catalina Island and the California mainland.

Pumphrey has been trying to raise awareness of efforts to make Baltimore’s harbor safe for recreation.

A 2025 report card from Blue Water Baltimore, a nonprofit environmental organization, released earlier this month found that water quality in the Baltimore region is generally in decline.

But Pumphrey, an advocate for the Baltimore harbor, is hopeful about some of the improvements that have made the water more swimmable.

“There is certainly still more work to do,” Pumphrey said in an email to The Baltimore Sun last week. “I hope my Bay to Baltimore swim continues to inspire others to support and celebrate the progress of Baltimore’s harbor, and together, let’s embrace the possibilities for cleaner, more accessible waterfront for everyone.”

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