In 1997 Mike took up masters swimming, and began regularly swimming in the pool with the South County Y masters group, and in the ocean at Sachuest Beach. From that point on he learned to swim more efficiently and faster, and eventually began to shed the wetsuit in the ocean and take on longer challenges, as well as leading others to enjoy the ocean with him. He did four relay swims in the Boston Light swim series with swimming friends between 2012 and 2017, and in 2017 he and two friends conceived and performed the first Around Beavertail Swim, on October 1. Since then Mike has organized or helped organize the swim each year, eventually bringing it to the point it is at currently.

His hope has always been to make the ABS something others can enjoy as a supreme challenge, even as he did. Mike gets great joy from swimming regularly in the open waters of Narragansett Bay and the ocean off Rhode Island, and uses swimming as a lifelong challenge and healthy activity for body, mind, and spirit. In retirement he helps run a masters swim program at the Navy Base in Newport, is a parttime lifeguard, and enjoys his hobbies of Art, sailing, skiing, clarinet, golf, and freemasonry. Mike and his wife both swim as masters swimmers in the pool and also enjoy traveling as much as their budget and time will allow, so far visiting Galapagos, Scotland, and France.