Raystown Lake, PA

Leonard_JansenLeonard_Jansen Charter Member
edited May 2015 in Locations & Networking

Lake swimming in PA is basically illegal "outside the lines" except for Blue Marsh Lake nearing Reading. Raystown Lake is the Holy Grail of PA lakes for swimming, because it's the biggest lake and is clean, but to this point people have reported that they won't let you swim it. That may not be true. A while back, in an email exchange with a friend, she mentioned that she trained in Raystown Lake last summer. I asked her if she got arrested or fined because it's illegal. She said that she had checked with the Army Corps of Engineers, who has jurisdiction over the lake, and was told that it was fine as long as she had a boat or kayak escorting her while she swam. So she went and had her husband kayak. She also said that she had gone past several rangers and there was no hassle. Has anyone else had a similar experience there?
This sounds like something that must be checked this summer.
Also, there should be a special award for the first person brave enough to swim through this at one of the marinas there:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=bZCalYvpcjI

-LBJ

“Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” - Oscar Wilde

Comments

  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member

    Was this the swim you were thinking of organizing a year or so ago?

    Also, btw, if you swim in Blue Marsh, I might have a kayaker for you. My uncle lives in Reading. He kayaked for me at StS 2012.

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • Leonard_JansenLeonard_Jansen Charter Member

    No. That was going to be at Blue Marsh. Darren Miller wanted to do the whole of Raystown, but I think ran into some sort of resistance.

    Thanks for the Blue Marsh offer. I will keep it in mind if I decide to do something there that is more stupid than usual.

    -LBJ

    IronMike

    “Moderation is a fatal thing. Nothing succeeds like excess.” - Oscar Wilde

  • what about LAKE ERIE, that is the biggest Lake that PA has!!! lol

    Plenty of room to swim and you just need a kayaker or boat with you.

  • mczeemczee Member

    jheynes said:
    what about LAKE ERIE, that is the biggest Lake that PA has!!! lol

    Plenty of room to swim and you just need a kayaker or boat with you.

    Heavy pollution, keep an eye on water quality reports during the summer

  • jheynesjheynes Member

    No it doesnt, Maybe in shallower water on Western Basin near Michigan. But middle basin Near Erie Pa. just had cleanest water tests for past 10 yrs. no toxic algae blooms either. Closest was in a Marina in Cleveland

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