Brian Pollari started doing the swim in 1970. He’s come back every year and plans to keep the annual date on his calendar until he dies. Adam Brule teamed up with Luke Cloutier and Tanya Headrick.

Veracruz, the Mexican state along the Gulf of Mexico (newly christened the Gulf of America by the Trump White House), is one of the most historically significant regions in the country. Its port has ...