West Michigan endurance swimmer Jim “The Shark” Dreyer is taking on another challenge this summer — towing 250 Revolutionary War-style cannonballs 22 miles from Lake Michigan through White Lake.
Scheduled for August 7, and in partnership with the city of Whitehall, Michigan, the feat commemorates America’s 250th anniversary while honoring the nation’s combat veterans. Dreyer will pull 249 6-pound cannonballs in two dinghies and carry one on his back in tribute to his late father, World War II veteran Cpl. Jack Dreyer. The swim is expected to conclude at Whitehall’s Goodrich Park during the White Lake Area Maritime Festival, held August 6 – 8, 2026.
The cannonballs, totaling 1,500 pounds, will become part of the U.S. 250th Combat Veterans Memorial in Whitehall, Michigan. The 22-mile distance symbolizes the often-cited statistic of 22 veterans lost to suicide each day. Proceeds from cannonball dedications will help fund the memorial and support local veterans’ organizations.
“I don’t see how we can celebrate 250 years of freedom without also honoring those who fought to win and preserve that freedom,” Dreyer says. “That is what this swim and memorial are all about.”
Learn more at jimthesharkdreyer.com/cannonball-memorial-swim.
David alen wolters photo; Inset photo: Event marketing enterprises
