Posted in: 12-2009

Thank You Very Much for 2009 - Enjoy the New Year

31.Dec.09   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: History   |  (38) comments

Thank you very much for visiting The Water is Open. We always attempt to bring a different angle, an objective perspective and a global view to the world of open water swimming. During 2009, we traveled 149,949 airmiles to cover open water swimming events from America to Japan, Mexico to Italy and Brazil to Greece and many places in between.

But we plan to bring even more stories, photographs, interviews and insights to the world of open water swimming in 2010 with your help and inspiration.

We were constantly fascinated, motivated, surprised and entertained by the open water swimmers we met, interviewed and had the very good fortune to observe. The challenges you faced, the victories you won and the dedication you show are truly treasures to behold.

Thank you for sharing your audacity, courage, vision and camaraderie with others - it remains a joy and privilege to be a part of this growing global phenomenon.

Swim on.

Xiamen to Kinmen - A Symbol of Peace and Harmony

31.Dec.09   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: History   |  (0) comments

The first China to Taiwan swim was held earlier this year from Xiamen in the Fujian Province in China to Shuangkou Village in Kinmen County in Taiwan.

As a symbol of cross-strait peace, the swimmers participated under the mutual goal that is translated to 'Unifying China with One Country, Two Systems.'

The occasionally tumultuous six-decade history between China and Taiwan came to light in the planning of the event where 48 swimmers from Taiwan and 49 swimmers from China swam 7.1K across a portion of the Taiwan Strait.

Event organizer Lee Chu-feng said of the first Xiamen-Kinmen Swim, "The fact that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are able to hold such an event after six decades of hostility signifies that Taiwan and the mainland are striding towards peace.

"This is an event to increase friendly exchanges and peaceful cooperation between the two sides." The harmony was epitomized when the swimmers finished at Shuangkou in Taiwan which was formerly a military zone between China and Taiwan. In 1958, the Chinese military dropped more than 470,000 shells on Kinmen in 44 days, killing 618 servicemen and civilians.

In a concrete outcome of the event planning, the Kinmen County Government removed the spear-like anti-landing barricades and cleared the landmines that had been left over from the militaristic past at Shuangkou Beach before the event started.

Any swim that included military barricade removal and landmine clearing as part of its safety planning is surely a remarkable event. The swim was co-organized by the Chinese Swimming Association, Xiamen Municipal Government and the Chinese Taipei Swimming Association and the Kinmen County Government

22-year-old Chinese swimmer Li Yenhan was the first to complete the 7.1K mass participation swim in 1:10. "It was not difficult. There were some rough currents somewhere near Binlan islet, but after that, it was smooth." Swimmers between the ages of 15 and 61 completed the swim.

The future looks bright as open water swimming continues to break down barriers, improve the goodwill between neighbors and showcase camaraderie among like-minded people. We look forward to the 2010 race.

Enjoying Open Water Swimming Camaraderie in Kenting

31.Dec.09   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Events   |  (0) comments

The world's largest open water mass participation swim is held in Taiwan - the 3.3K Sun Moon Lake International Swim Carnival - but Taiwan is also home to other large mass participation swims where communal enjoyment in tropical waters and post-swim fraternization with like-minded athletes - not competition - are the primary purposes of the event.

The 3K Kenting Sea Swim is held in April in the beautifully tropical Kenting National Park at the southernmost part of Taiwan. The swim is a 1.5K straight out to the Pacific Ocean and back.

The fun mass participation swim attracts up to 4,000 participants annually with water always above 20°C (68°F).

For travel and logistical information, foreign visitors to Taiwan can contact Mark Roche, an Irishman who has been living in Taiwan for 18 years and provided guided tours to endurance runs, swims, bike races and triathlons at Blue Skies Adventures.

Post-Swim Afterdrop Concerns

31.Dec.09   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Technique   |  (39) comments

arry Scroggins of the Dolphin Club of San Francisco informed us of an educational study conducted by Thomas J. Nuckton MD, David M. Claman MD, Daniel Goldreich PhD, Frederick C. Wendt MD and John G. Nuckton MD published in The American Journal of Emergency Medicine (Volume 18, Issue 6, October 2000, Pages 703-707) entitled Hypothermia and afterdrop following open water swimming: The Alcatraz/San Francisco Swim Study.

The medical researchers aimed to determine whether or not participants in cold-water open water swimming experience hypothermia and afterdrop.

Afterdrop is the continued fall of one's core body temperatures during rewarming after an experience with hypothermia. afterdrop is thought to endanger the heart by further cooling due to the cold blood returning from the periphery.

The researchers used a rectal temperature for up to 45 minutes in 11 subjects following the 2000 New Year's Day Alcatraz Swim where the water was 11.7°C (53°F) in the San Francisco Bay. The swimmers did not wear wetsuits. Biophysical parameters, including surface/volume ratio, body mass index, and percent body fat were measured before the swim. Statistical analysis was done to determine predictors of temperature decrease and afterdrop duration.

Applying the American Heart Association definition of hypothermia (lower than 36°C or 96.8°F), hypothermia was seen in 5 of the 11 subjects. Using a more rigorous and traditional definition (lower than 35°C or 95°F), hypothermia was seen in only one subject. However, afterdrop was observed in 10 of the 11 subjects.

The researcheres concluded that hypothermia and afterdrop can occur commonly after recreational open water swimming and that participants should be observed for signs of temperature decrease following removal from the cold.

Important advice for swimmers and race directors to understand as many individuals are now pushing the limits of extreme cold-water swimming.

Photo of Josh Davis in San Francisco Bay by Susanne Friedrich.

The World’s Greatest Open Water Swims of 2009

30.Dec.09   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Swimmers   |  (0) comments

The world of open water swimming celebrated an overwhelming number of great swims in 2009. There were fierce battles among pros and incredible feats of endurance by solo swimmers.

Each and every athlete in the World Greatest Open Water Swims of 2009 put forth heroic and Herculean efforts in lakes, bays, oceans, seas, dams, channels and rivers around the world.

In the final days of voting, Andrew Smilley of the Cayman Islands is in a neck-and-neck battle with the world record-setting relay of Camlough of Ireland. These worthy athletes are leading Kane Radford of New Zealand and Julian Crabtree of England (see above) and a slew of open water superstars from dozens of countries.

Vote here.

Join 25,888 Swimmers in Sun Moon Lake International Swimming Carnival

30.Dec.09   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Events   |  (0) comments

In the annual World's Top 100 Open Water Swim list, the Sun Moon Lake International Swim easily stands out for its size and popularity.

But its location - central Taiwan - is far away from the world's traditional centers of competitive open water swimming of England, Argentina, Italy, Australia, Brazil, Canada and South Africa.

The 3.3K Sun Moon Lake International Swimming Carnival crosses one side of Sun Moon Lake to the other side, where everyone must swim between the course markings. The event is held in September in Taiwan's largest lake (called Jih Yueh Tan in Taiwanese), located in the middle of the country. The venue is a beautifully tranquil lake at 760 meters (2,493 feet) altitude.

The Sun Moon Lake International Swimming Carnival is not a timed race, but rather a mass participation cross-lake swim with an incredible 25,888 registered swimmers in 2009. It is undoubtedly the world’s largest mass participation open water swimming event that safely gets everyone off by using different start groups for individuals of all ages and abilities.

Most swimmers come from all over Taiwan, but several thousand swimmers also visit from mainland China and an increasing adventurous handful come from Europe and the Americas.

The event is well-organized fun swim where many people travel and camp overnight, sleeping in their vehicles lakeside near the start. With so many thousands of participants, the race committee organizes some special features. For example, there is a ferry to transport the swimmers from the finish back to the start. With over 25,000 swimmers at the start, orderliness and timeliness are critical.

The organizers give each group of 100-200 swimmers a number on the morning of the event with an approximate start time. Each group of 100 - 200 swimmers enters the water at a time with the first group heading off at 7:00 am and last group starting around 11:00 am.

The participants are required to use a red float/buoy that can be rented for approximately US$3. Records are not kept on the names or times of the finishers, some of whom spend up to three hours floating across the course, enjoying the mountain scenery that surrounds the lake.

For foreign visitors to Taiwan, Blue Skies Adventures offers English-language guided tours to the Sun Moon Lake International Swimming Carnival as well as other endurance runs, swims, bike races and triathlons throughout Taiwan.

For more travel and logistical information, here.

The Danger and Beauty of Swimming Near Rocks

30.Dec.09   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: History   |  (0) comments

Swimmers know the dangers of swimming near the rocks while in the open water. Bruises, bumps and scraps are generally things for open water swimmers to avoid. But, swimming near these rocks is TOTALLY cool.

El Arco de Cabo San Lucas in Mexico is a distinctive rock formation at the tip of Cabo San Lucas at the southern end of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula.

The Giant's Causeway (Clochán na bhFómharach) is an area of 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic eruption, in County Antrim on the northeast coast of Northern Ireland. A World Heritage Site and a National Nature Reserve, the Giant's Causeway is one of the greatest natural wonders in the United Kingdom.

The Externsteine is a distinctive rock formation located in the Teutoburger Wald region of northwestern Germany.

The formation consists of several tall, narrow columns of rock which rise abruptly from the surrounding wooded hills. The name probably means "stones of the Egge".

Preikestolen or Prekestolen, is also known as Preacher's Pulpit or Pulpit Rock, and by the old local name Hyvlatonnå.

Preikestolen is a massive cliff 604 metres (1,982 feet) above Lysefjorden, opposite the Kjerag plateau, in Forsand, Norway.

The top of the cliff, approximately 25 by 25 metres square is a famous tourist attraction in Norway.

The Twelve Apostles are located in Port Campbell National Park, nestled among Victoria, Australia's most spectacular coastline scenery.

Nanya Rock are fantastic rock formations and sea-eroded coral shore in Taiwan. The coastline epitomizes the beauty of weathering and wave action on stone.

Nanya was created by the weathering of the sandstone that lines the shore. The oxidation of iron ore within the striations of the stone has given it a beautiful striped pattern.

Percé Rock is one of the largest natural arches in the world. It rises sheer from the Gulf of St. Lawrence in Quebec near the village of Percé, Canada.

It is a massive limestone stack 433 metres long, 90 metres wide and 88 metres at its highest point.

Known as James Bond Island, Koh Tapu is one of the most renowned islands in Thailand, located at Phang Nga Bay in Phuket.

Featured in the 1974 Bond film "The Man with the Golden Gun", it soon became a major tourist attraction.

Moeraki Boulders on Koekohe Beach on the Otago Coast on South Island in New Zealand have been eroded by wave action from the cliffs of soft, black mudstone.

They originally formed on the sea floor when the mudstone was accumulating during the early Tertiary period some 60 million years ago.

Pyramid Rock in Pyramid Lake, an artificial salt lake, in Nevada, USA.

It was formed by Pyramid Dam on Piru Creek, near Castaic, California.

Diddo Clark used to organize a swim starting at Point Bonita, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in San Francisco.

More photos by San Francisco Axis of the area here.

Goa, India's number one beach tourist destination, is on the western coast of India and the site of the India International Triathlon where the weather is especially pleasant and sunny from November to March.

Ponta da Piedade in Lagos is a jewel of the Portuguese southern coast.

Piokilothermal Pleasure in Prague

30.Dec.09   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Events   |  (0) comments

On December 26th, cold-water swimmers from the Czech Republic, Belgium, Britain, Germany and Slovakia took part in the Vltava River Swim (three separate races of 100, 300 and 750 meters) in Prague.

With the water hovering around 4°C (39°F), two-time English Channel swimmer David Cech (shown below) won the 750-meter course.

While the water could be considered cold by some, it was not as cold as the winter of 1946 when it was impossible to hold the annual race.

At minus 25°C, the water continued to freeze every time the organizers attempted to break the ice with axes.

Note: Piokilothermal means cold-blooded (or having a body temperature that varies with the temperature of its surroundings).

Swimming Against the Treacherous Williwaw in South America

29.Dec.09   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Solo Challenges   |  (0) comments

Rachel Golub (shown on left) announced an audacious plan to swim with fellow extreme adventurers Cristian Vergara, Scott Lautman and Patricia Sener, all experienced open water swimmers, in a joint attempt to cross the treacherous 3-mile Beagle Channel between Chile and Argentina sometime during the third week of January 2010.

A swim not lightly attempted with life-threatening danger possible with every arm stroke given the ever-changing conditions, the fearless group is trained well for a sequel to their 2009 swim across the Strait of Magellan.

With support provided by the Chilean Armada and Claudia Molkenbuhr of Chiledeportes, Cristian, Rachel, Scott and Patricia plan to be swimming against currents in 4°C waters for at least one hour during their crossing from Puerto Williams, Cabo de Hornos, Chile -the southernmost town in the world - to Ushuaia, Argentina, on the Big Island of Tierra del Fuego.

But, despite the obstacles, Cristian exudes confidence. "Having swum for nearly two hours in those conditions on our Strait of Magellan crossing (passage between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans), but it is considered a difficult route to navigate because of the unpredictable , we're confident that we'll be able to succeed in the Beagle Channel, though it certainly won't be any less physically or mentally challenging."

Sadly, the reach of man will be experienced even in this remote swim. Raquel observed, "We are really hoping to find clean waters there, but pollution taints even the most remote wilderness these days, and the Beagle Channel sees plenty of shipping traffic. I think I speak for all of us when I say that this swim is about re-asserting our connection with our environment, albeit in a rather extreme manner."


Frigid water, strong currents, unpredictable weather and complicated logistics are some of the extreme obstacles to overcome, but it is the uniquely ferocious Williwaw gusts (up to 200 knots) can truly make things dangerous for the intrepid group.

Patricia commented on the training - both physical and mental - that she has done in preparation for the challenge. "Cristian and I been training cold water for about ten years, gradually increasing cold exposure. So our bodies have had a long time to figure out how to acclimate. Rachel is very different. She is relatively new to our group, but has an innate ability to tolerate cold water extremely well."

"All this ties in with the mental. As A swim not lightly attempted with life-threatening danger possible with every arm stroke given the ever-changing conditions, the fearless group is trained well for a sequel to their 2009 swim across the Strait of Magellan (photo on left at start).  I become more comfortable with extreme cold, the easier it is to use visualization techniques. Every day, I tell myself I am a warrior. I can do this. I envision myself during the swim, but more importantly, I visualize myself FINISHING the swim."

"I will be the slowest swimmer, and therefore in the water the longest, so I have also taken extra precautions in terms of researching and bringing the proper warm-up gear in to prepare for extreme hypothermia scenario. Having trained in the Straits of Magellan last year, I have a sense of what the Beagle will be like, so I feel pretty confident that I know exactly what I'll be facing."

Photo of Rachel Golub by Leopoldo Espinoza Vera.

Martin Strel to Visit with the Coney Island Polar Bears

29.Dec.09   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Events   |  (0) comments

The Coney Island Polar Bear Club, founded in 1903, is the oldest winter bathing organization in America whose members swim in the Atlantic Ocean every Sunday through winter. The Coney Island Polar Bears organize arguably the most famous Polar Bear Swim in America.

This year, the Club is also promoting Planet Green's hosting of Martin Strel and the airing of Martin's documentary film, the Big River Man on January 9th at Planet Green.

A Full Nelson - Forrest Finishes with a Flourish

29.Dec.09   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Solo Challenges   |  (3) comments

Southern Californian Forrest Nelson completed an unprecedented December crossing of the Catalina Channel yesterday in 9 hours and 21 minutes under great conditions (low winds).

Despite a typically cool water temperature 59-61°F (15°C) for December, Forrest swam over an hour faster than his 2004 Catalina swim of 10 hours and 35 minutes.

Besides his two Catalina Channel swims, Forrest has completed the English Channel in 10:33 in 2005, the Catalina Channel in 10:35 in 2004, the Manhattan Island Marathon Swim in 9:41 in 2007, the Molokai Channel in 15:59 in 2006, the Cook Strait in 2008 in 11:56 and the 24-mile Tampa Bay Marathon Swim in 2005 in 10:21.

Gentleman Forrest created his quick time on some great conditions (low winds) and beneficial surface currents (see here), "I started at dawn with an experienced crew, which kept the re-fueling breaks short and sweet. Plus, you can't shower enough praise on an excellent support during a marathon event."

His legend grows.

Photo of Forrest by Cat Moore.

Santos Brazil Pro and Amateur Races

29.Dec.09   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Events   |  (0) comments

35 of the world's top professional marathon swimmers, including World Cup champions Thomas Lurz and Poliana Okimoto and swimmers from Russia, Croatia, Israel, Canada, the Netherlands, the USA, France, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Equador, Venezuela, Germany, Italy, England, Portugal, Switzerland, Bulgaria and Australia are expected to descend upon Santos, Brazil - with huge crowds to support them and cheer them on.

The pro athletes will participate in the rectangular 10K Atlantic Ocean venue (see course map on left) at the Maratona Aquática Internacional de Santos (Santos International Marathon Swimming Renata Agondi Trophy).

The first leg of the 2010 FINA 10KM Marathon Swimming World Cup circuit will be held on January 31st - and will be a great indicator who is in shape or not.

Hosted by the Brazilian Swimming Federation and organized by two-way English Channel swimmer Igor de Souza, a member of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame, the race should culminate in an exciting finish and great kick-off to the 2010 season.

But the pro race will also be held in conjunction with an opportunity for amateurs of all ages and abilities to participate in 1K, 2K and 4K races in the I Etapa - Santos event (Copa do Mundo da FINA). Like the pros, the amateurs can showcase their talents in the beaches of Brazil.

Open Water Swimming Clubs, Teams and Groups

28.Dec.09   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Training   |  (1) comments

Back in the 1970's, a quiet, hard-working open water swimming team in Southern California, coached by Siga Rose, had a number of young ocean swimmers who trained constantly along the coast of California. Those swimmers - Lynne Cox, Penny Dean, John York - eventually became world-famous as they went on to set numerous records in channels around the world.

Dial forward forty years and there are now hundreds of open water swimming teams, groups, clubs, societies and associations flourishing around the world.

Here are a select few in no particular order:

1. La Jolla Cove Swim Club that trains in La Jolla Cove just north of San Diego. The club is an informal organization of friendly people who like to swim in the ocean with training sessions and sponsored activities once a month. The club organizes a Polar Bear Swim on New Year's Day, the 1.5-mile CYA Across the Bay Swim in June, and the 1.5- and 5-mile Tour of Buoys Swim in early August.

Club members and non-members swim in the beautiful La Jolla Cove daily usually around 6:30 am, 8:00 am, 9:00 am, 11:00 am, 4:00 pm and other times throughout the day regardless of weather and water temperature throughout the year. Some swimmers swim less than 1K while others train for the English Channel, Catalina Channel, Cook Strait and other marathon swims.

2. Santa Barbara Channel Swimming Association has a number of informal and formal training sessions and events, all held north of Los Angeles in the Santa Barbara area, including the 26-mile Big Swim channel crossing. The members are extremely helpful and knowledgeable about swimming in the Santa Barbara Channel area and sanction a number of channel swims every year.

3. Tower 26 (see photo above) is an ocean swimming group of nearly 300 seriously competitive athletes of all ages and abilities who enjoy (free) hard-core ocean workouts in Southern California, headquartered appropriately at Tower 26 on Santa Monica Beach. The workouts are geared towards learning and practicing positioning, drafting, turns, starts and finishes.

The practices are preceded by a warm-up period and end with presentations from a number of new product vendors and service providers, but the 60-minute in-the-water practices quickly morph into a high-intensity, high-energy friendly competition where a mix of world championship swimmers, professional triathletes and beginner endurance athletes are each placed in their appropriate groups.

4. Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA), first founded in 1907, is an umbrella organization that currently incorporates 305 local surf lifesaving clubs throughout Australia. These clubs are undoubtedly the epitome of open water swimming clubs where competitive swims are organized as part of the famously competitive, extremely popular, highly social and entertaining surf carnivals.

The clubs hold training sessions and teach nippers how to handle themselves - and others - in the ocean. The club tirelessly and passionately promote all forms of open water athletic events in a social, enjoyable manner. Two examples - representative of what is available in Australia - include the Lorne Surf Life Saving Club and the Bondi Surf Bathers’ Life Saving Club.

5. The Lorne Surf Life Saving Club hosts the nib Lorne Pier to Pub Swim and, as every Australian surf life saving club does, provides voluntary patrols of its coastline in summer so that swimmers and surfers can enjoy the ocean and surf safely.

6. The Bondi Surf Bathers’ Life Saving Club is the oldest surf lifesaving club in the world and hosts the Bondi To Bronte Ocean Swim whose video can be seen here.

7. The Cabrillo Beach Polar Bears was started in 1953 by John Olguin and Jack Cheaney with the goals of health, physical fitness and community service.

The club has held formal and informal ocean training sessions, starting at 6:00 am and ending at dusk, near the Catalina Channel finish (on the California mainland) and a New Year's Day Swim for nearly 60 years.

The club annually selects a King and Queen of the Beach from its many daily ocean swimmers and has a convenient Cabrillo Beach Bathhouse as its official home only steps away from one of the coldest beaches in Southern California. The King and Queen represent the club at many community functions and are featured in the San Pedro Christmas Parade on the Polar Bear float.

8. The Shadowcliffs Orcas is an open water swimming club headquartered at the Shadow Cliffs Eastbay Regional Park near San Francisco. Members of the club must first pass an open water swimming test, but are then allowed to swim outside the designated swim area in the Shadow Cliffs Lake. As the club promotes, no lane lines, no chlorine, just sunshine and fresh air.

9. The Jersey Long Distance Swimming Club is a powerhouse in the world of open water swimming with numerous members who have completed channel swims and endurance swims all over the world. Its member includes those of all ages and abilities and it is affiliated with the Amateur Swimming Association Swim South East Region, British Long Distance Swimming Association, the Jersey Amateur Swimming Association and the Channel Swimming and Piloting Federation.

10. The Serpentine Swimming Club has own changing facilities and is allowed to swim in the Serpentine in Hyde Park in central London during certain morning hours. Its members swim year round and organizes the annual Peter Pan Cup Christmas Morning Swim.

The water temperature in the Serpentine ranges from 0°C (32°F) to 21°C (70°F). Even when the lake is frozen, the swimmers break a hole in the ice for some ice swimming.

11. The CIBBOWS (Coney Island Brighton Beach Open Water Swimmers) is a non-profit group dedicated to being a community resource for open water swimmers of all levels. Members conduct regular group swims at Brighton Beach and Coney Island in New York from April to November and host the Grimaldo's Mile, the Aquarium 5K and 1 Mile, and the Veteran's Day 5K, 1 Mile and 2 Mile Swims.

12. The Dolphin Swimming and Boating Club, established 1877, has rightly developed a proud tradition of safety, camaraderie and accomplishment over its long history. The iconic clubhouse is located near Fisherman's Wharf in full view of the majestic Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco Bay.

Like the other clubs on this list, it has many members who have conquered most of the most difficult channels around the world.

Members swim year-round in the waters of Aquatic Park where the water temperatures ranges between 10°C (50°F) to 15°C (61°F) year-round. A line of buoys parallel to the shore marks a quarter-mile course. After six months' membership in good standing, members may participate in the Club's organized swim program: approximately 20 swims inside and outside the cove throughout the year. Highlights of the Dolphin Club program include the Golden Gate and Alcatraz swims, twilight swims followed by potluck barbecues, and the Fort Point to Aquatic Park swim. If members swim at least 40 miles between December 21st and March 21st, they are honored as an official Dolphin Club Polar Bear.

Its members, photographed above by Susanne Friedrich, are welcoming and warm to everyone who takes a cool dip in San Francisco Bay.

13. The Ocean City Swim Club is an independent open water swim club based in Ocean City, New Jersey that holds a number of ocean training sessions, including popular weekend swims.

14. Member of the New England Marathon Swimming Association have been swimming in the waters of New England for 30 years from Booth Bay to Narragansett Bay and host a swim in Gloucester Harbor. The Association was formed to ensure open water swimming opportunities in New England's rivers, ponds, lakes, harbors, bays, sounds or ocean are available now and in the future.

15. The South End Rowing Club, founded in 1873, has a club adjacent to the Dolphin Club, located near Fisherman's Wharf in full view of the majestic Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco Bay. The club hosts the annual 1.25-mile Alcatraz Invitational Swim and a series of club swims, but its members train year-round in all conditions with only a swimsuit and a thermal cap. The camaraderie of the club is enticing and engaging. Like most clubs on this list, getting started is easy: just come down to the club and introduce yourself or help out at a club event.

16. The Cape Town association in South Africa has a number of cold-water training swims on Sunday mornings at Camps Bay beach as well as long-distance training sessions (5K or more) as well as a number of events and solo swims in and around the Cape Town area.

17. The L Street Brownies, officially organized as a club in 1902 with a history that has been traced to 1865, enjoys the L-Street Bathhouse as its headquarters. Members have been enjoying the cold waters of Boston Harbor for over 100 years and annually host the L Street New Year's Day Swim - a Boston tradition since 1904. Their club name comes from the beach where the club member meet and for the nut-brown skin color members develop from exposure to the sun.

Membership in the club costs US$1 and averages between 35-50 swimmers throughout the year.

18. The Cork Masters Swimming Club in Ireland hosts training sessions, the Lee River Swim and the The Edge Sports Sandycove Island Challenge jointly with the Cork Lions Club. Sandycove Island has become a popular training area for endurance athletes, channel swimmers and triathletes with an interest in open water swimming.

19. The Half Moon Swimming Club in Dublin, Ireland was founded in 1898 and has a history of success and enjoyment in the open water.

20. The Colorado Masters Swimming Association hosts open water swimming sessions at the Chatfield State Park in the Gravel Pond. There are also regular series swims in the middle of the Rocky Mountain at the Grant Ranch Swim Series and the Aquaman Series.

21. The Nadadores of South Florida host weekly Sunday ocean swims in Miami, aimed primarily at masters and adult open water swimmers.

22. In central Florida's Lake Cane, the tireless promoter of open water swimming Dr. Lucky Meisenheimer is the lightening rod behind the global band of merry open water swimmers who regularly gather at his famously hospitable residence - home to the world's largest yo-yo collection - to enjoy open water training sessions, events, get-togethers and relays.

Besides promoting wellness and the enjoyment of open water swimming, Lucky has organized world record distance lake swims (solos), relays (up to 100K), 1K races and hosted thousands of swimmers and hundreds of lake swims at his daily swims in a well-marked 1K course.

23. The Waikiki Swim Club has held weekly swims throughout Oahu including Saturday morning swims at Ala Moana Beach Park and Sunday morning swims at Kaimana Beach (on the Diamond Head side of Waikiki Beach) since 1971 as Hawaii's oldest organized club devoted to promoting safe and fun ocean swimming.

It hosts a number of ocean swims every year and sent teams to the Maui Channel Swim every year since its inception. The club sponsors the North Shore Swim Series, the Christmas Biathlon, and the Valentine's Day Biathlon. Members include swimmers of a wide range of age and ability.

24. The private Olympic Club, America's oldest athletic club, was established in 1860 in San Francisco. Its 5,000+ active members are dedicated to the pursuit of amateur athletic excellence and include many Olympic heroes, accomplished athletes and world open water swimming champions. The Olympic Club hosts the popular Trans Tahoe Relay that is a high-altitude masters swimming relay from the state of Nevada to the state of California across Lake Tahoe.

25. Open Water Chicago exists to deliver adventures in fitness to both the local and global communities of open water swimming enthusiasts that centers its training swims in Lake Michigan on the shores of Chicago.

26. The Capo Masters is located San Juan Capistrano, California and has been meeting in Laguna Beach and other beach locations throughout Orange County and Los Angeles County for over twenty years.

Its regular ocean swimming groups have as many as 30 swimmers at one time and are led by ocean aficionado and ultra-marathon swimmer Scott Zornig (photo on left).

27. The Coney Island Polar Bear Club, established in 1903, is the oldest American winter bathing organization whose members swim in the Atlantic Ocean at Coney Island every Sunday from November through April who have continued to organize one of the most publicized Polar Bear Swims in the US for decades.


28. The Avila Dolphins Swim Tea practices every Sunday year-round in Avila Beach, centrally located between Los Angeles and San Francisco on the Californian coast. In the water by 11 am, the team sometimes splits into 2-3 groups to accommodate the varying levels of skill, expertise, enthusiasm and level of tolerance for the ocean conditions over the 1-2 mile course. The team members also travel to numerous races from Maui to San Francisco.

There are hundreds of other open water swimming clubs around the world - these are just a select few. Enjoy their fellowship and camaraderie wherever you travel.

Surf Living Saving Australia Annual Report

28.Dec.09   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: Technique   |  (0) comments

The Surf Living Saving Australia recently published its annual National Coastal Safety Report. The report included a heavily researched and well-documented 2009 Life Saving Report with an abundance of startling information. Similar to life-saving research in America, the Surf Living Saving Australia found most drownings of individuals over the age of 15 occur in the open water rather than a pool.

But unlike the findings in America, Australian men are nearly NINE times more likely to drown at the beach than women. Men accounted for 83 of the 94 (88%) coastal drowning deaths in Australia with those between 30 and 39 recording the highest number of deaths.

"Men just never seem to learn when it comes to surf safety," observed Matt Thompson of Surf Life Saving Australia. "Arrogance, bravado and an inflated sense of their surf swimming ability are a lethal combination and the statistics speak for themselves. Men need to learn the limits of their ability. We hope these figures will shock them in to changing their behavior at the beach. Safely negotiating rips is a major area that we hope to educate the public in and you will see this throughout the summer."

But the world-famous and fantastically brave Australian life savers continue to do their best to help keep their coastlines safe. Over the 12-month period of the report, 23,075 rescues, 1,322,212 preventions occurred, first aid was administered 69,013 times with 87 resuscitations and 20 reported shark-related incidents.

Celebrating New Year’s Day in The Netherlands

28.Dec.09   |  posted by: steve munatones  |   filed under: |  (0) comments

Richard Broer, board member of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame and Open Water Swimming Europe, reminded us that the Dutch have a long, proud tradition of New Year's Day swims. The Dutch cold-water dips are sponsored by UNOX with Nieuwjaarsduik (New Year's Dive) in Scheveningen getting national television coverage.