Unofficial Free Best of the Bay & Fun Swim

Name: Unofficial Free Best of the Bay & Fun Swim
Start: 2024-11-02T07:15:00-04:00
Location: Café Dufrain (Tampa, FL)

Schedule

Sat Nov 02 2024 at 07:15 am

UTC-04:00

Location

Café Dufrain (Tampa, FL) | Tampa, FL

Show up at 7:00, in the water at 7:25. Gun goes off at 7:30am!
[UPDATE: because of the Bolts Run, please use the Beneficial Drive bridge to get onto Harbor Island]
Kayaks and paddle boards encouraged! Invite your friends, girlfriends, boyfriends, spouses to kayak and paddle board as we swim!
Best of the Bay Swim around Harbour Island + Fun Swim!
This is a FREE unsanctioned, unofficial, unsupported event. Every person assumes their own risk. There are no timing chips, race directors or food. There are 2 swims, 2.7 miles around the island and a "pick your own" out and back shorter distance (could be a couple hundred yards to the bridge and back or longer if you'd like). We did make some t-shirts, but we make no profit or benefit in any way. In the event we rope someone into getting times, please write your number from this list on your arm. If you're not on the list and want a number, let us know. If you don't care about your time, don't worry about it. Champions will be crowned for the fastest swimmers in each gender not wearing a wetsuit. You're welcome to swim with a wetsuit, like Ted will do, who gets cold easily and knows he will have no shot keeping up otherwise.
DIRECTIONS & PARKING
Plug 707 Harbour Post Dr, Tampa, FL 33602 into your GPS. There are a few free spots on the roads near Cafe Dufraine, Harbour Place Dr and Harbour Post Dr. If you don't see any available, there is a public garage just up the street, a block away.
SCHEDULE
0700-0715 Put your name on the list on the table if it's not already there
0715-0720 Course briefing
0725 In the water
0730 Start around HI
0731 Start Fun Swim out and back
COURSE
The race will start at the Harbour Island docks in front of Cafe Dufraine going counterclockwise aroung the island. We recommend staying relatively near the shore. But give yourselft a little space so you don't run into any boats or docks (which have barnacles)! Going west is usually a slight current in one way or the other based on the tide; going south is usually a favorable current. At the south tip of the island, where you will see a small lighthouse, you'll take a sharp left turn to come back up the ship channel. We usually are swimming against the current, but still nothing like the gulf forces. There usually is very little boat traffic, but the boats you are likely to see are rowers on this side. Although they tend to stay in the middle of the channel, it's best to keep an eye out for them. As you reach the top end of this channel, you take a gradual left turn. You may notice that it becomes relatively shallow (3-5 ft). At that point, it's a straight shot under the bridge and to the finish line. We have 2 ladders to get out, which we'll point out at the start.
T-Shirts and Beer Glasses
You can pay Andy Stephan or Ted Westerheide for your t-shirt with PayPal, Venmo or cash. There will be a QR code for PayPal and Venmo on the table. T-shirts are $25, beer glasses are $13. We will order a few extra t-shirts, but please let us know your size by Oct 12th.