FRANKENLUST TOWNSHIP -- It was a treasure hunt with a twist, where dozens of little pirates set out alone with neither hooks nor spikes to catch their Easter loot.
"There were big kids, there were small kids, there were lifeguards they were all over the place,” described 8-year-old Allison Trudell.
It was a free-for-all and navigating the waters alongside the kicking feet of other eager hunters was no easy feat. But when the whistle blew, Alex Trudell knew he had to keep his head above water and his eye on the prize.
"Just get the eggs, just go down and get the eggs,” Alex recalled his first thoughts at the start of the hunt. He credited his lung capacity for being able to stay under water longer than the rest.
"My minimum is 3 minutes."
His was a calculated, steady hunt and his final yield might surprise you.
“I think I got fifty,” he shrugged. That’s 30 more than his kid sister’s, Alex didn’t hesitate to note the difference. But don't underestimate Allison's prowess. She might be small, but Allison is as good a swimmer with underwater vision like a shark.
"I was trying to get the ones at the bottom, because I knew there was something in it."
And just like that, the hunt was over, and Alex and Allison said their Tuesday night swims paid off big this Easter. They have a basket full of plastic eggs to prove it.
