Participants board the Sternwheeler in Cascade Locks for the 82nd annual Columbia River Cross Channel Swim on Sept. 5. After being ferried to the Washington side, the more than 500 swimmers jumped into the Columbia River in groups of five to make the approximately 1.1 mile journey back to Cascade Locks. A special lane lined with volunteers in sailboats, kayaks, and paddle boards are there to protect and encourage participants. The event began in 1942, when local orchardist Roy Webster challenged himself to swim across the Columbia River between Bingen and Hood River. Though it has been canceled a number of times over the years because of wind, wildfire, and weather and moved from Hood River to Cascade Locks, it remains a longstanding tradition, organized by Visit Hood River.Â