Ep198: Vanessa Bonebrake Swimming the English Channel

November 27, 2025
Vanessa Bonebrake was born in France and started swimming on a team when she was six years old. When she was ten, her family moved to Costa Rica, where she joined one of the country’s top swim teams and competed at the national level until she was 18. After taking a short break to focus on school, she rediscovered her love for swimming while earning a master’s degree. That’s when her lifelong connection to the water truly came back to life.

Vanessa began coaching at the International Swimming Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale Florida, where she led and developed competitive swimmers, trained new coaches, and grew a swim program from just a few students to dozens in under a year. Later, she helped establish the Boca Raton Swim Team. It was not long before Vanessa found open water swimming and it completely changed her path. She’s completed several endurance swim races, including the True Width of Lake Tahoe, Swim Around Key West, and Escape from Alcatraz, among many  others.

Vanessa is also a proud Sea Dreamers Ambassador, where she helps inspire more women to dive into open water swimming and raise awareness for ocean conservation.

Follow Vanessa on Instagram
Sea Dreamers: Discover a vibrant community of ocean enthusiasts, adventurers, and dreamers. Sea Dreamers connects women to ocean-based activities, sports, and communities , fostering a network of empowered individuals. We protect what we love so let's fall in love with the ocean and all that she is.
Escape from Alcatraz
Vanessa’s favorite potato bread
Swim bungie cord thingy
Some of Vanessa’s sponsors: Olive + Comet, Prosperity Brewers, Boca Roaton Swim Team, Little Wings Studios