"Aqua Padre" Returns to the Water: Father Simeon to Swim 5.25 Miles — Without a Wetsuit — to Fund Education for Orphaned Boys in Mexico
12th Annual Swim for Hope takes place September 5, 2026, in La Jolla, California
This September, a priest affectionately known to many as "Aqua Padre" will once again step into the cold waters of the Pacific and swim 5.25 miles along the La Jolla coastline, with nothing but his own resolve between him and the ocean. No wetsuit. No shortcuts. Just twelve years of proving that no distance is too far when it's swum for a child's future.
On Saturday, September 5, 2026, Father Simeon and the Swim for Hope team will take on their 12th annual open-water swim, starting and finishing at La Jolla Shores, looping north past Scripps Pier to the Round House before returning south along the coast. The event raises funds for Project Mexico's School Buddies Education Program, which provides tuition, school supplies, and academic support to the boys of St. Innocent Orphanage in Rosarito, Mexico.
A Swim Twelve Years in the Making
Father Simeon has led this swim every year since its founding, earning his nickname, Aqua Padre, one open-water mile at a time. What began as a small act of solidarity with the boys has grown into a community-wide movement, drawing swimmers, kayakers, and paddlers who join him on the water, and donors who show up for the boys long before race day.
But what sets Father Simeon apart isn't just the distance. It's the way he swims it.
Every year, Father Simeon takes on the swim without a wetsuit — choosing to feel the full cold of the open ocean rather than shield himself from it. It's a small, deliberate choice, but one that speaks to the spirit of the whole event: this swim was never meant to be comfortable. It was meant to matter.
Why the Swim Matters
St. Innocent Orphanage is home to boys who have lost their families or been left with no one able to care for them. For many, an education is the one thing that can change the direction of their lives, and the one thing they have no way to afford on their own.
The School Buddies Education Program exists to close that gap by covering the cost of tuition, uniforms, school supplies, and academic support, so that every boy in the orphanage's care has the chance to learn, grow, and build a future for himself.
Each year, the Swim for Hope event has directly funded that mission, one stroke, one mile, and one donation at a time.
How to Get Involved
Supporters don't need to swim to make a difference. The public is invited to:
Donate to help fund a boy's education at projectmexico.org/swim-for-hope, processed securely through DonorPerfect, Project Mexico's trusted donor platform
Attend the community beach barbecue following the swim, celebrating the day's journey and its impact
Mail a check payable to "Project Mexico" to: 4511 Riviera Shores St, Ste. 3, San Diego, CA 92154 or donate online.
Event Details
What: 12th Annual Swim for Hope
Where: La Jolla Shores Boat Launch, La Jolla, CA
When: Saturday, September 5, 2026
Distance: 5.25-mile open-water swim B
Benefiting: St. Innocent Orphanage, via Project Mexico's School Buddies Education Program
For more information, or to arrange an interview with Father Simeon, contact (619) 760-6373.
Project Mexico is dedicated to building hope for boys without families and families without homes.