Sunday Swim Practice at Barton Springs Pool

(Desplázate hacia abajo para leer en español)

Here's what you need to know:

UPDATE: Due to construction at Barton Springs Pool, the entrance may be different than in the picture above. The meet-up spot remains the same.

What to bring:

• Your goggles
• Bathing suit
• Having a swim cap will keep you a little warmer
• A swim buoy is excellent to have when you want to rest from swimming and for safety (remember there's no lifeguard on duty until 8 am).

Where to meet:

• At the bottom of the stairs, next to the water fountain, after turning right at the entrance to the pool.
• Look out for me. I'll have a huge water jug by my stuff. In the banner pictures, I'm the guy circled in red.

What time:

• Toes in the water at 6:30 am sharp. I'll be there by 6:00 am to get some extra swimming in, but I'll be by the water fountain at 6:15 am.

Who will be there:

• Whoever signs up. We're a new group, so sometimes there are a few, and sometimes there is just me. But we hope to grow into a larger community.
• If you have any questions, please ask! I love answering questions.

Read below for more details:

What we're about

The Seabird Swim Club, or The Seabirds, is an informal "non-membership" group of swimmers who share a love of swimming. We do not collect fees; we exist only to promote safe group swimming at Barton Springs Pool.

Caution

You can swim at your own risk. There are lifeguards at 8am. Although other swimmers are swimming at that time, it will be a dark and you may sometimes be swimming on your own if you haven't found a swim buddy yet. We (Seabird Swim Group) are not held responsible, and you are coming out of your own volition.

Please be sure to watch out for the spillway. It's marked off by two rectangular-shaped PVC pipes at the farther side of the pool. This is where the water overflows and pours into the creek. The current can be strong around there, so don't go near it.

Please be sure to watch out for the tethered duck decoy. It's located opposite the diving board.

Also, the water temperature rests consistently between 68-70 degrees Fahrenheit every year. Click here for additional info: Barton Springs Pool.

Now that we got that out of the way, come out and join us for a fun swim! When you finish swimming, you'll see the beautiful Austin sunrise.

Location

2131 William Barton Dr., Austin, TX 78746

Could you make an immediate right after the pool entrance? We are by the next stairs opposite the water fountain (see the attached picture to understand what I mean). You'll find me (David) with an orange swim cap and a giant water jug 15 minutes before we swim.

• Feet in the water at 6:30 am
• I recommend arriving 15 minutes earlier to get ready, ask me or any attendees questions, and meet our community.
• Remember, though, after 6 am, parking becomes progressively limited due to the many running and triathlete groups that also meet there.

Here is everything you need to know:

1. Joining is free. There's no cost to join.
2. Check out our swim schedule and click attend.
3. Safety is paramount. Along with being ready to swim, hydrate well the night before. For added safety, buy a swim buoy (here's one I like, no affiliation)
4. Swim with others. We will have people out there of various speeds, and by arriving early, you'll get a chance to find a swim buddy that matches your speed.
5. You are on your own. Generally speaking, you should be able to swim about 500 meters without much problem, which is 20 lengths of a 25-meter pool. We encourage newbies to come out, but you should have a base level of ability as this is an "informal" swimming club, not swimming lessons. As much as we all try to look out for and help each other, you are on your own and ultimately responsible for yourself!!! No one will tell you that you are too tired or cold… you have to know your limits, your body, and the water conditions… be aware of yourself and your environment.
6. Equipment: a bathing suit, goggles, a cap (I'm currently designing one for this group), a wetsuit (optional if you are a true open water swimmer!), some Body Glide for chaffing from the wetsuit (another reason you don’t need a wetsuit!), warm clothes for after. And that’s about it.
7. Stay for a cup of coffee/tea after the swim! After the swim, we all meet up for a cup of coffee/ tea. It will help you warm up… and it will help you to get to know everyone… because you’ll want to get to know us. This is a BIG part of being a SEABIRD.
8. Cold water is your friend. It is often cold (68-70 degrees Fahrenheit every day of the year), but you can wear a wetsuit… if you need to… and, yes, there are little things in Barton Springs Pool that you won’t find at the bottom of the local pool (like lane lines and hairballs!)… but don’t let it freak you out… it is a very clean spring pool. Once you get used to it, you’ll find that open-water swimming is similar to pool swimming, and trail running is similar to treadmill running! It’s great.
9. Bring a friend. Barton Springs is one of Austin, Texas's best natural places to swim. It has a beautiful sunrise that rises above Downtown Austin's high-rise buildings. Tell people about how liberated you feel after a nice swim and the awesome weirdos like you who got up to swim while it's still nighttime.
10. Parking. Once you turn onto William Barton Dr. (a one-way street), go down until you see a small, narrow parking lot. If there's no parking, there's parking by the children's playground to the left hand side right before you arrive to the main parking lot.
11. As an added bonus, there has never been a shark bite at Barton Springs Pool.

Safety Plan

• This is an informal meet-up. It's your responsibility to practice safe swimming with a buddy.
• This is a public space, so taking precautions with your belongings is advisable.
• By signing up, you assume all responsibility.

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Aquí está lo que básicamente necesitas saber:

Qué más llevar: Tus gafas. Llevar un gorro de natación también te mantendrá un poco más abrigado.

Dónde encontrarnos: En la parte inferior de las escaleras junto a la fuente de agua después de girar a la derecha en la entrada de la piscina.

Hora: Los pies en el agua a las 6:30 am en punto. Estaré allí a las 6:00 am para nadar un poco más, pero estaré junto a la fuente de agua a las 6:15 am.

Quiénes estarán allí: Quienes se inscriban. Somos un grupo nuevo, así que a veces hay unos pocos y a veces solo yo. Pero esperamos crecer en una comunidad más grande.

Aquí hay más detalles:

Lo que hacemos

El Club de Natación Seabird o los Seabirds es un grupo informal "sin membresía" de nadadores que comparten el amor por nadar. No cobramos tarifas y existimos solo para promover la natación en grupo segura en la Piscina Barton Springs.

Precaución

Nada bajo tu propio riesgo. No hay socorristas hasta las 8 am. Aunque habrá otros nadadores en ese momento, estará oscuro y a veces podrías estar nadando por tu cuenta si aún no has encontrado un compañero de natación. Nosotros (Grupo de Natación Seabird) no somos responsables y estás viniendo por tu propia voluntad.

Cuidado con la desembocadura. Está marcada por dos tubos de PVC en forma rectangular en el lado más lejano de la piscina. Aquí es donde el agua desborda y se vierte en el arroyo. La corriente puede ser fuerte allí, así que no te acerques.

Cuidado con el pato señuelo atado. Está ubicado frente al trampolín.

Además, la temperatura del agua se mantiene constantemente entre 68-70 grados Fahrenheit todos los días del año. Haz clic aquí para obtener información adicional: Piscina Barton Springs.

Ahora que hemos aclarado eso, ¡ven y únete a nosotros para un divertido baño! Cuando termines de nadar, verás el hermoso amanecer de Austin.

Ubicación

2131 William Barton Dr., Austin, TX 78746

Gira a la derecha inmediatamente después de la entrada de la piscina. Estamos junto a la próxima serie de escaleras frente a la fuente de agua (consulta la imagen adjunta para tener una idea de lo que quiero decir). Me encontrarás (David) con un gorro de natación naranja y una gran botella de agua 15 minutos antes de nadar.

Pies en el agua a las 6:30 am

Recomiendo llegar 15 minutos antes para prepararte, hacerme preguntas o a cualquiera de los asistentes y conocer a nuestra comunidad.

Ten en cuenta que después de las 6 am, el estacionamiento se vuelve progresivamente limitado debido a los numerosos grupos de corredores y triatletas que se reúnen allí también.

Aquí tienes todo lo que necesitas saber:

Unirse es gratuito. No hay costo para unirse.

La seguridad es primordial. Además de estar listo para nadar, asegúrate de hidratarte bien la noche anterior. Para mayor seguridad, compra una boya de natación (aquí tienes una que me gusta, sin afiliación).

Nada con otros. Habrá personas de diversas velocidades y, al llegar temprano, tendrás la oportunidad de encontrar un compañero de natación que se adapte a tu velocidad.

Estás por tu cuenta. En general, deberías poder nadar unos 500 metros sin mucho problema, que son 20 largos de una piscina de 25 metros. Animamos a los principiantes a unirse, pero debes tener un nivel básico de habilidad, ya que esto es un club de natación "informal" y no son lecciones de natación. Aunque todos intentamos cuidarnos y ayudarnos mutuamente, estás por tu cuenta y eres responsable de ti mismo. Nadie te dirá si estás demasiado cansado o demasiado frío... debes conocer tus límites, tu cuerpo y las condiciones del agua... sé consciente de ti mismo y de tu entorno.

Equipo: un traje de baño, gafas, un gorro (actualmente estoy diseñando uno para este grupo)

¡Quédate a tomar un café/té después de nadar! Nos reunimos todos después para tomar un café/té después de nadar. Te ayudará a calentarte... y te ayudará a conocer a todos... porque querrás conocernos, esto es una GRAN parte de ser un SEABIRD.

El agua fría es tu amiga. A menudo está fría (68-70 grados Fahrenheit todos los días del año), pero puedes usar un traje de neopreno... si es necesario... y sí, hay pequeñas cosas en la Piscina Barton

These weekly meet-ups are free, and we are looking forward to having you join our swimming community!

Info: Hey everyone I'm David, and I host these swim meet-ups. For the first 5 minutes, we will share our swimming goal for the day. Then we'll all get in and go! It's that easy. Feel free to ask me any questions along the way.

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