Favorite WARM Water Long Distance Swim Locations?

I've searched but can't find a thread about this. I've I'm repeating an old topic, apologies.

First, I am fully and openly admitting that I am a cold water wimp. And I'm totally cool with it. No interest in ice miles, cold water amazingness, or any of that stuff. (Y'all are incredible, those of you who do that. Yowza!)

I'd love a list of favorite WARM water swim locations. Doesn't need to be an organized event but I'd love distances of 10 miles or more.

I'd like to do a 20+ miler next Summer, or Spring, and now is the time I need to get thinking about it since it will mean coordinating the family, etc.

I looked at Greece for this past summer, but then had the opportunity to spend a week on a sailboat in Turkey (poor me!), and it derailed my Greece aspirations.

Where do you warm water folks love to swim? Warm water dreams of a longer distance?

Dave Barra and I have talked about Eleuthera so that's a consideration. Others?? (And no, I don't care about being the first to have done it, etc. Just want a beautiful LONG swim in a beautiful place!)

Anyone?

Comments

  • dc_in_sfdc_in_sf San FranciscoCharter Member

    Rottnest Channel Swim (12 miles) 70F+ typically. Registration opens soon for 2016. You can walk straight to the bar in your swimsuit after finishing :)

    Bob_Singer

    http://notdrowningswimming.com - open water adventures of a very ordinary swimmer

  • SydneDSydneD Senior Member

    I like this idea! My family has talked about Australia and this sounds like fun.

    Ideally, I'm hoping for something a little longer? Got anything?

  • bluemermaid9bluemermaid9 Boca Raton, FL, United StatesSenior Member
    edited October 2015

    I've done the Alligator Lighthouse Swim (in a 4-person team) 2 years in a row and they were fantastic experiences. It's a 9-mile out into the ocean and back course in the Florida Keys. There are 2-person team and solo options. Water is very warm indeed. Moon jellies are plentiful. Last year the water was so clear, you could see the sea grass and the occasional fish. The reef at the lighthouse is beautiful. This year the water was cloudy most of the course, but clear at the lighthouse. Choppy, too.

  • SydneDSydneD Senior Member

    Did Alligator Lighthouse solo last year, and it was fun. A bit short for my taste although I loved the chop. I love a choppy swim!

    Hope the jellies weren't as bad for you this year! :)

    In case you're interested, here's a race report I wrote about it.
    http://swimcrest.com/2014/09/26/annual-swim-for-alligator-light-race-report/

    bluemermaid9
  • SF Bay this past summer, got up to 67.. juuuuust right! :-*

    SydneD
  • dc_in_sfdc_in_sf San FranciscoCharter Member

    SydneD said:
    I like this idea! My family has talked about Australia and this sounds like fun.

    Ideally, I'm hoping for something a little longer? Got anything?

    You could do a double (or even a triple) crossing if you feel so inclined, though not as part of the race day. Organizationally may in fact be a bit easier (getting a boat for the race day is almost as hard as the swim).

    That said, the race is an amazing experience, 300+ folk swimming solo 12 mile (plus all the teams and doubles) is a pretty impressive participation and worth doing at least once.

    There is a great 10km race in Sydney in May (South Head rough water swim) that goes from Bondi beach, up the coast and into Sydney harbor (most of the coast line there is sheer cliffs so it is quite spectacular) which could be an option on the way (or way back) if you did a non race day Rottnest swim. You can also roll your own swim by picking two different Sydney beaches and just swimming between them (Some south head swimmers have been known to swim to the start from one of the northern beaches for the extra "fun")

    SydneD

    http://notdrowningswimming.com - open water adventures of a very ordinary swimmer

  • SydneDSydneD Senior Member

    suziedods said:
    SF Bay this past summer, got up to 67.. juuuuust right! :-*

    You are insane.
    And I like that about a woman. ;)

  • SydneDSydneD Senior Member
    edited October 2015

    dc_in_sf said:

    You could do a double (or even a triple) crossing if you feel so inclined, though not as part of the race day. Organizationally may in fact be a bit easier (getting a boat for the race day is almost as hard as the swim).

    That said, the race is an amazing experience, 300+ folk swimming solo 12 mile (plus all the teams and doubles) is a pretty impressive participation and worth doing at least once.

    There is a great 10km race in Sydney in May (South Head rough water swim) that goes from Bondi beach, up the coast and into Sydney harbor (most of the coast line there is sheer cliffs so it is quite spectacular) which could be an option on the way (or way back) if you did a non race day Rottnest swim. You can also roll your own swim by picking two different Sydney beaches and just swimming between them (Some south head swimmers have been known to swim to the start from one of the northern beaches for the extra "fun")

    My family could be on board with this kind of thing. They are getting their dive certification next month so it would be a great reason to head to the Barrier Reef too. Hmmmmmm. I like this idea. :)

  • bluemermaid9bluemermaid9 Boca Raton, FL, United StatesSenior Member

    @SydneD, thanks for pointing me to your race report. Truly enjoyed it. It reminded me of how beautiful the water was last year.

    SydneD
  • French Polynesia!!! It is warm all year and incredibly beautiful. There are a ton of swims that are waiting to be explored

    PiaSydneD
  • Kate_AlexanderKate_Alexander Spring Lake, MichiganSenior Member

    If 80F and above counts as warm water rather than hot water, then the Cayman Islands are a great location, especially the Seven Mile Beach area of Grand Cayman. The main swimming length of Seven Mile Beach is 4.8mi, from Poinsettia to West Bay dock. So 2 loops would get you over 19mi. See also the open water swim map on the Cayman Islands Amateur Swim Association website - http://www.ciasa.ky/SubTabGeneric.jsp?team=reczzciasa&;stabid=85693. And Grand Cayman is a popular family vacation destination.

    The water temp has been 85-87 since July. But it cools to around 80 in the winter months. It’s really lovely then – water is clear, beach is wide, fish, turtles, rays are common.

    SydneD
  • swimmer25kswimmer25k Charter Member

    Fort Lauderdale Beach is where I've done most of my OW training. Very safe. Guard towers everywhere. 25 yards off the beach you're completely alone, so no need to be out in the middle of the ocean. Watercraft are kept off the beach by buoys about 50-75 yards out. Lots of sea life: barracuda, schools of jack, occasionally a manta ray, lots of stingrays down below. Great rough water training when there's an onshore breeze (brings in the Manowar during winter, Cassiopeia, Box jellies, and sea lice in the winter/spring), so beware. Offshore breeze makes for a great day. Lots of landmarks along the beach, so you can ditch your stupid GPS.

    IronMikeSydneDCaseyrodd
  • Tampa, Florida Tampa has a lot of events for the entire family, great place to visit.
    A 24 mile swim of the entire length of Tampa Bay. One of the world's longest marathon swim races, open to solo swimmers and relays. This year it's on April 16, 2016. Contact www.distancematters.com

  • JimBoucherJimBoucher Senior Member

    These guys have just completed their 2015 event and whilst this year's longest event was 5km, they are (via facebook) inviting interest in a 10K for 2016. http://www.swimbarbadosvacations.com/

    SydneDJaimie
  • miklcctmiklcct London, United KingdomMem​ber
    edited February 2019

    Warm water... now we're talking....

    Kapas - Marang 6.5kms & 10kms, Malaysia (Easter)

    Bali 5km and 10km (Early July)

    Hong Kong the Clean Half 15km. (mid October)

    All great races, all like swimming in teapot.

    And also a bunch in Philippines

  • flystormsflystorms Memphis, TNSenior Member

    Oohhh Bali! may have to put that on the bucket list.

    JaimieMLamby
  • MLambyMLamby Senior Member

    Key West was a great swim with a great atmosphere. 12.5 miles. 87 degree water temp.

    JaimieCaseyroddflystorms
  • BogdanZBogdanZ Bucharest, RomaniaSenior Member

    Torroneos, Greece.
    Orta you already know it :)

    kiparizMLambySydneD
  • flystormsflystorms Memphis, TNSenior Member

    St Croix, St John

  • KatieBunKatieBun CornwallSenior Member
    edited February 2019

    Loved the water at Colonia de St Jordi in Mallorca, where Best Fest is located.

    FlowSwimmers
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