Event Details

Mandatory Dinner Meeting for all swimmers is on the Thursday before Swim Day from approximately 5:30pm to 8pm at the Courtyard Marriott in Shelton.

1. SWIM DAY LOGISTICS:  (Please see the Timeline of Events for specific dates/times.)

  • Swimmers should arrive at Captain’s Cove Marina. Shuttle buses will be provided to transport each swimmer and crew member to the ferry.

  • Swimmers and their support crew will take the same ferry from Bridgeport, CT to Port Jefferson, NY. The cost of the Ferry is included . The swimmers and boat captains will meet up at Danford’s Marina and then proceed to the start at Whitehall Beach, just outside the Harbor entrance.

  • Each escort boat will drop off their swimmer at the designated location specified by the Swim Committee.

  • The finish is at Captain’s Cove Marina in Bridgeport. There will be a special temporary dock set up to act as a finish line.

  • You may park at the Ferry parking lot or at Captain’s Cove and take one of the shuttle buses provided to take you to the ferry.


2. SWIM COURSE TIME LIMITS:

Long Island Sound is a major destination for recreational boaters on the weekend, and your safety is the most important consideration. In order to keep the “Armada” of escort boats and perimeter safety boats within a reasonable distance of each other to provide the safest environment, cut-off times, at designated distances from the entrance to Black Rock Harbor are provided below. The Swim Committee may grant additional time under certain circumstances. If you do not meet these designated cut-off times, you will be disqualified from the Swim. The Swim Committee may permit a solo swimmer or team to continue to swim (unofficially) only upon advancing up to a distance with the time limits. Such permission can only be granted by the Swim Committee on that day and will be on a case-by-case basis.

All measurements are based upon distance from Buoy 4, which is located at the entrance to Black Rock Harbor. (ALL MEASUREMENTS ARE IN LAND MILES)

Time Cutoff | Distance to Buoy 2A (Land Miles) | Nautical Miles

2 hours | 11 miles | 9.56

4 hours | 8 miles | 6.95

6 hours | 5 miles | 4.34

8 hours | 2 miles | 1.74

9 hours | Reach Buoy 2A (1.3 miles to finish) | 1.13

9 hours 30 minutes | Finish at Bridgeport Harbor

  • Each hour, the Swim official assigned to each boat will record in a log book the following information: GPS coordinates, distance (Land miles) from buoy 2A, condition of the swimmer, stroke rate per minute, and any other information deemed necessary.

  • Every 2 hours a Swim official/observer will report on the condition of the swimmer/relay and the distance from Buoy 2A. If it is determined that the swimmer or relay is not within the distance from Buoy 2A guidelines, the swimmer or relay may be asked to abort the swim for safety reasons.


 3. SWIM COURSE MANAGEMENT:

  • The Swim course is determined by the course committee based on tides and other conditions and may be adjusted during the Swim Marathon.

  • All Escort Boats MUST FOLLOW the instructions of the Committee Boats. Failure to do so will result in disqualification.


4. WATER CONDITIONS:

  • The water temperature in Long Island Sound during this time ranges from approx 70°F to 74°F.

  • The Sound can be choppy with a strong wind, and there is a fair amount of recreational boat traffic during this time of year.

  • Jelly fish are not uncommon during this time of year, and the swimmer should prepare accordingly with appropriate treatments to treat such stings if they occur.


  5. OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

All solo and relay swimmers must attend a mandatory meeting/dinner on the Thursday before the Swim Day at a time and place to be determined.

  • The Swim Committee reserves the right to change the start time and/or distance of the event in order to provide the safest conditions as possible due to inclement weather.

  • Each swimmer will be assigned an escort boat provided by the Swim. You may not use your own escort without permission from the Swim Committee in advance.

  • Boat crews must stay in the escort boat and may not swim along side the swimmer to provide pacing.

  • Each boat will be equipped with GPS, radio and cell phone.

  • EMT's and Lifesaving professionals are positioned on the escort boats throughout the field.

  • Fully-staffed medical boats and Underwater Search and Rescue Teams will be strategically positioned throughout the field.

  • A Swim official/observer may be assigned to an escort boat to observe the swimmer and monitor his/her progress.