Swim

Here’s a quick checklist for improving the safety of your open-water swims:

1. Plan ahead and prepare. Learn about OWS-specific considerations like tides and currents, cold water shock, and hypothermia. Always check the tides, currents, and weather in advance.

2. Go with a buddy! That other person can notice when you’re in need of assistance, may be able to aid you directly, and are another way to get help.

3. Stick close to shore. In San Francisco, Aquatic Park Cove (“the Cove”) is the safest place to swim in open-water. Practice sighting (looking where you’re going while swimming) in the pool first. Then stay in water shallow enough to stand until you can swim, breathe, and sight without having to think about it.

4. Bring a swim buoy. It makes you visible to boats and other swimmers to prevent collisions. If you get tired, you can rest on it. If your swim buddy gets tired, you can use it to tow them back to shore.

5. When swimming with a group: determine everyone’s prior training and experience, designate swim buddies, discuss current readiness (recently injured/ill/etc.), brief a safety plan, and count people going in and out.

6. Have ways to signal for help. Attach a whistle to your swim buoy and consider wearing a watch with a cellular connection. If swimming at night, attach lights to your goggles strap and to your swim buoy. When in doubt, put an arm, wave, and blow your whistle until another swimmer or rower spots you and can assist.

7. Set a timer on your watch for how long you plan to be in the water and then get out once it goes off. Cold water acclimatization takes time.

8. Do not swim outside the Cove without boat support. That boat should have at least two marine radios that can reliably access VHF Channel 16 (156.800 MHz). Attach a signal mirror to your swim buoy in case you are separated from your boat or will be going on vacation somewhere and plan to swim at a beach.