Where to OWS???

With the drunken redneck boaters around here, there's no way I would ever just venture out into open water. I practice OWS at a beach with a roped off swimming area that's about 150 yards wide by 50 yards out and swim along rope to make 300 yard laps. I've gone to other areas without ropes, but still in designated swimming areas marked by a buoy line.

I figure I already look enough like a manatee (and I swim slower than them), and I don't want a prop scar down my back to complete the resemblance.

With that said, telling us where you are would be very helpful in suggesting locations.

Edited by Meerkat Surprise 2009-08-10 11:41 AM

If you have a friend/spouse/teen that can follow you in a canoe/kayak, that may help

I live right next to a lake but even with that I had no clue where to swim.  I posted up in my regional forum here (georgia) and lots of people replied with an area that is safe and apparently lots of tri people swim at.

I've gone 5 times in the last 3 weekends and every weekend there are new people there swimming as well.

This part of the lake in particular has a roped off swim section but a few hundred feet out has buoys marking that boats cannot go past closer to shore. Everyone either swims out and along the buoys or just in and out. Some people swim halfway between parallel to shore so they can get to a place to stand easier if they get tired.


Post up in your state forum with the name of a lake or two in your area and see if anyone knows where you can swim.  People should know where its safe to swim. Some lakes don't allow swimming as well so better to find out before you go. The lake I lived right next to growing up had a bad undertoe so there was no swimming.

Without knowing where you live, it's hard to help too much.

In SC PA, many triathletes swim at Gifford Pinchot State Park at the roped off swim area.  Swimming parallel to the beach close to the buoys works really well.  The beach is about 350-400 yds wide, so we only need to turn that often.  The other bonus is that the water is only 5'-7' deep along the buoy line, so beginners are more comfortable.



I think most states have similar parks, so maybe you can find an area near you like this.

Sorry.  Live in NW Arkansas.  Plenty of lakes, but swim areas that i have found aren't that big...bigger than 25m pool but still swimming in circles.....