What Happened
Spencer Korwin, 38, a Team USA triathlete, drowned Wednesday during a morning swim at the Pridwin Hotel on Shelter Island, according to a SwimSwam report published September 7, 2026. Korwin was on a family vacation with his wife, Carly, and their two daughters when he went into the water and did not return.
Carly Korwin alerted hotel staff after her husband had been gone for several hours with no contact. A search was launched that afternoon involving two ambulances, EMS volunteers, and marine and air units. His body was recovered under the Pridwin Hotel dock.
Shelter Island Police Department Sergeant Jack Thilberg told People magazine the drowning is believed to be accidental. The investigation remains open. John Kirincic, a master mariner with the Southold Police Department, said weather conditions at the time were nothing out of the ordinary, but noted the current through the narrow tidal passage in that area runs strong.
Korwin represented the United States at the 2012 Barfoot and Thompson Age-Group Triathlon World Championships in Auckland, New Zealand. He finished 36th overall with a total time of 1:20:43. His swim split of 13:27 ranked 32nd-fastest among the field, per SwimSwam.
His wife Carly described her husband to the New York Post as someone who left handwritten notes around the apartment for her and their daughters and had automated texts set up to send twice daily. “He was filled with surprises and hugs just because,” she told the Post. “He had automated texts set up twice a day just to remind me that he loves me, I’m a wonderful mom and wife.”
A GoFundMe campaign created for Korwin’s family carries a $500,000 goal. As of the SwimSwam report’s publication on September 7, 2026, contributions had reached $361,000.
Location & Road Context
The Pridwin Hotel sits on Shelter Island, accessible from the North Fork via the South Ferry from Greenport and from the South Fork via the North Ferry from Sag Harbor. Shelter Island sits between the two forks of eastern Suffolk County. The hotel’s dock extends into the waters of Shelter Island Sound, where tidal flow through the narrow passages between the island and the mainland generates strong currents at peak tide, according to Southold Police Department master mariner John Kirincic.
Shelter Island is a small year-round community that draws summer visitors; the Pridwin is one of its largest waterfront properties. Water incidents in the Sound are handled jointly by Shelter Island Police, Suffolk County marine units, and volunteer EMS agencies from the surrounding townships.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
Shelter Island Police Department Sergeant Jack Thilberg characterized the drowning as accidental in statements reported by People magazine. No charges have been filed. The department has not publicly announced a timeline for closing the investigation.