Swim Travel Tip: What You Need To Know Before Jumping In!
Recently I was on a trip to Australia and Fiji. While I was there I had a few opportunities to go for open water swims. This made me think of a pretty important travel tip when it comes to travel and open water swimming other than always bringing your suit and goggles. That is a no brainer!
As we all know, open water can be dangerous and each swim spot has different hazards. For example, when I got to Australia and told the immigration agent my plans, he told me not to go swimming in Cairns without a stinger suit because the jelly fish will actually kill you. Oh ya and there are also crocodiles lurking in the water too. It was a good thing he told me these things because I would have run into the water like an idiot if he hadn't. I would have run in really excited to swim and then I would have been carried out dead from the jellies and missing a leg from the crocs.
Here comes the tip you came here for! When you are traveling and planning to do an open water swim, make sure you learn about all the hazards of the swim spot. How do you do that you ask. Well it is very simple. Below are a few ways you can learn all about the hazards of the swim spot you are traveling to. You can use this information to then make a decision as to whether it is safe to swim there for your ability or not. Even if you decide not to swim, you can still have a great time looking good chillin’ on the beach getting some sun!
Use The Interwebs!
Do some internet research on the place you are traveling to. There are a lot of great resources out there to help you can learn all about a potential swim spot. This can be a simple google search about the location you are going to. I am not going to sit here and explain how the internet or search engines work. But a simple search would tell you, for example that you shouldn’t swim in Cairns in the summer without a stinger suit or that you need to shuffle your feet when you enter the water in some parts of Florida so you don’t get a stingray stabbing you through the leg. This is a great place to start your little research project.
Find A Local Open Water Swim Group Or Swim Buddy
After a quick google search you might find the perfect spot you know it isn’t safe to swim or you aren’t comfortable swimming without a buddy. Well do a little bit more searching and look for open water swim groups, triathlon groups or even open water swim forums to find a swim buddy. There are open water swim groups all over and they always love visitors to join. If you are ever in the Boston area and want to go for a swim you can shoot us a message. Another great group found all over the USA and is starting to pick up locations in a few other countries is the One With The Ocean Swim Group. If you are part of the triathlon scene, then look for local clubs and see where they do their swims and shoot them a message with details of your visit. If those options aren’t available, then hit Facebook or some open water swimming forums to find a potential swim buddy or at least someone who may be able to connect you with other like minded people at your destination. Open water swimmers are a small community and most of them are friendly…most but not all. Don’t be afraid to reach out because more often than not you may come away with a new swim friend!
Talk to The Lifeguards
Some times the opportunity for an open water swim just pops up and you had no time to do any research. When this happens, if there are lifeguards on duty then go talk to them. They know all about the beach you are on. They can tell you all about the safest spots to swim, where to enter, the currents, tip tides, hazardous marine life and anything else you need to know about the spot. If you plan to swim, it doesn’t hurt to let them know you plan to be swimming and then they may be a little more attentive to you. Don’t think you are bothering the lifeguards by asking them if there are any hazards or concerns about swimming there. If anything you are making their job easier, because you drowning or getting stung by a lethal stinger is far more of an inconvenience.
Talk To The Locals
Finally, if the options listed above don’t work for you then you can talk to the locals. The locals may not be as knowledgeable as a lifeguard would but it is better to learn about some of the hazards than none of them. They also may know some better spots for you to swim in that may be in very close proximity. You can also learn about some great places to eat afterward as well.
It is always fun swimming in new locations while on vacation and more often than not it is safe to do so. Educating yourself on local swim spots is very easy and can make your swim that much more enjoyable. It could even save your vacation from you, you know…being killed by some venomous sea slug that you didn’t know about because you did no research before jumping in the water. Talk about a sad end to your vacation…you dead and your family having to explain your untimely demise due to a sea slug or some stray plastic in the ocean that you choked on.
Hopefully you found this tip helpful. It will definitely make your next trip a little bit safer if you decide to go for an open water swim. If you have resources you use for research before taking a trip with swimming involved, then please leave them in the comments. If you have other swim related travel hacks, then definitely leave those in the comments as well! Thanks for reading….now go get in the water and swim!