Open Water Swimming

Open water swimming in a land locked state

Whether you’re tired of black line monotony or want to try something new, open water swimming may be the answer. Although the closest coast is hundreds of miles away, there’s an active and inviting open water swim community in Arizona.

Places to Swim

Any decent body of water is worth a look for an open water swim, but here are the more popular places where swimmers congregate.

Phoenix
- Lake Pleasant (north)
  - Enter/exit just north of Helm’s Island
  - Enter/exit where Desert Tortoise meets the water
- Saguaro (east)
  - Butcher Jones (within buoys)
- Canyon (East)
  - Enter/exit buoy area just to the left of the marina
Southern AZ:
- Patagonia Lake
- Parker Canyon

What do you need?

Equipment for open water swimming is not unlike pool swimming, but there are a few differences. Below is a list of items that you will need, or should consider:

Swimsuit (yep – needed to be stated)
Brightly colored swim cap: Darker colors make you harder to see against the water. A silicone cap will help protect from cold water more than latex.
Goggles: Nearly every manufacturer carries “wider lens” goggles that are better suited for open water swimmer. These help you with peripheral vision both underwater and above.
Safety buoy: Bright colored safety buoys are another way to be visible to boaters and those on shore. Some buoys double as a dry bag which is helpful for key storage while swimming.
Wetsuit: A competition pool is required to be in the 78F to 82F. The water temperature in Arizona lakes varies from about 55F in the winter to upper 80’s in the summer. Be sure to use a wetsuit made for swimmers.
Ear plugs: Another tool to help with cold water, ear plugs help keep cold water out of sensitive ear canals.
Slippers/Flip flops: Lakes aren’t smooth concrete pool decks. You will often have to walk to the water edge with rocks, burrs, trash, fishing hooks (rarely), and glass.
Towel: Seems obvious, but toweling off and changing before leaving the lake is recommended.

For Beginners

If you’ve never swum in open water before, it can be scary. And that’s okay. Everyone has a different comfort level with a swim based on marine traffic, marine life, water temperature, air temperature, and weather conditions.

If you’re just getting started, you’ll probably want to join groups on Facebook like AZ Open Water Swimming or Southern Arizona Open Water Swimmers. These groups are great for finding places to swim, people to swim with, and advice.

When swimming in the lakes around Phoenix, be aware of your surroundings. Most area lakes allow boats with a motor as well as jet skis and not all boat operators are expecting to see swimmers in the water.

When swimming in a group, the group may decide to aim for a point in the distance for the next swim segment. Without a black line for guidance, how do you get there in a straight line? This is the time to practice sighting – lifting your head and looking ahead to make sure you are on a direct route to your destination. There are many articles and videos to help you learn how to do that. The best advice here is to pick an easy-to-spot object that lines up with your path, i.e. a valley between two mountain peaks, not a house on the shore.

For serious Open Water swimmers

If you regularly swim in open water, you may want to try a race or two. There are a couple of races or swims here in AZ, but if you want to test your ocean skills, it’s time to head to California or other out-of-state locations. There is an abundance of open water swims. Mesa Aquatics Club (MAC) has a great website of open water resources.

If you’re ready to step up your game, you may want to try a marathon swim. Technically defined as anything over 10K, marathon swims are usually set routes to be accomplished with your own crew, or as part of an organized swim. Some great resources to start with for anyone thinking about marathon swims is marathonswimmers.org and USMS Open Water Forum. One of the best swims with top reviews is right here our backyard. You can use one lake or all four lakes as a training swim or swim goal at S.C.A.R.