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World Open Water Swimming Heritage Sites

Open Water Source plans to work with a variety of entities and interested individuals to
designate well-known open water swimming locations as World Open Water Swimming
Heritage Sites.

Similar to the United Nations Educational, Scientific or Cultural Organization (UNESCO) list of
World Heritage Sites (e.g., Great Barrier Reef or Shark Bay in Australia), a similar surfing
reserve program in Australia and the World Surfing Reserves, the designation is ceremonial
at this time, but hopefully, will lead for more concrete protection and public recognition over
time.

UNESCO’s list includes while the World Surfing Reserves designated Malibu, California’s
Surfrider Beach as its first designated site, a distinction that celebrates the surf break for its
size, shape and cultural significance in the world of surfing.

Similarly, Open Water Source proposes the following open water swimming sites for their
consideration to the World Open Water Swimming Heritage Sites list.

Opinions and alternatives to this initial list are encouraged from the open water swimming
community.

1. Absecon Island in New Jersey, U.S.A.

Significance: Over 100 years of open water swimming history including four decades of
professional marathon swimming history.

2. Acapulco Bay in Mexico

Significance: Site of popular open water swims for over 50 years.

3. Aquatic Park in San Francisco Bay, California, U.S.A.

Significance: Popular cold-water swimming location in the heart of a major metropolitan
area.

4. Bonaire in the Netherland Antilles

Significance: Site of beautiful tropical swims over pristine coral reefs.

5. Canal Canal Hoeke - Sluis in Belgium

Significance: Site of over 100 years of open water swimming competitions.

6. Capri to Napoli in Italy

Significance: Site of decades of popular marathon swims between the island of Capri and
Napoli.

7. Cook Strait between the North and South Islands in New Zealand
Significance: Site of one of the world’s most challenging marathon swims.

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8. English Channel between England and France

Significance: Site of the world’s most famous channel swim.

9. Harrington Sound in Bermuda

Significance: Site of beautiful tropical swims in Palmetto Bay.

10. Ijsselmeer in the Netherlands

Significance: Site of popular marathon swims for over four decades.

11. Island of Jersey in the English Channel

Significance: Challenging circumnavigation swim first completed in 1969.

12. Istanbul Strait between the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara in Turkey
Significance: Site of the Boğazıçi Kitalararasi Yarislari (Bosphorus Cross-Continental
Swim) where swimmers are able to swim between Asia and Europe.

13. Key West in Florida, U.S.A.

Significance: Site of popular marathon swims.

14. Lac St-Jean in Quebec, Canada

Significance: Five decades of successful professional marathon swimming history with a
growing popularity among younger athletes and amateurs.

15. Lac Memphremagog in Quebec, Canada

Significance: Site of popular lake swims including decades of professional marathon
swims.

16. La Jolla Cove in La Jolla, California, U.S.A.

Significance: Site of competitive open water swimming since 1916.

17. Lake Baikal in Russia

Significance: Largest natural lake in the world.

18. Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture, Japan

Significance: Site of centuries of open water swimming in Japan’s largest natural lake
north of Kyoto.

19. Lake Ontario in Canada

Significance: Site of nearly 50 years of marathon swimming.

20. Lake Pingvellir, Lake National Park in Iceland

Significance: Site of cold-water swims in Iceland’s largest natural lake.

21. Lake Tahoe in Nevada and California, U.S.A.

Significance: Site of popular marathon swims and relays in a pristine high-altitude lake.

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22. Lake Willoughby in Vermont, U.S.A.

Significance: A geological aquatic marvel that is site to a growing number of open water
swims.

23. Lake Windermere in the Lake District of England

Significance: Over 100 years of open water swimming history with decades of competitive
marathon swimming.

24. Lake Zirahuen in Michoacán, Mexico

Significance: Popular training site for cold-water and channel swims.

25. Lake Zürich in Switzerland

Significance: Site of popular competitive marathon swims.

26. Liffey River in Ireland

Significance: Site of popular community-based open water swims.

27. Maracas Bay in Trinidad & Tobago

Significance: Site of over 50 years of popular open water swimming competitions.

28. Midmar dame in Kwazulu Natal in South Africa

Significance: Site of the world’s largest competitive open water swim.

29. Nelson Mandela Bay in Port Elisabeth, South Africa

Significance: Site of marine sports including open water swimming competitions.

30. North Channel between Scotland and Ireland

Significance: Considered to be the most challenging channel swim in the world.

31. Pennock Island in Alaska, U.S.A.

Significance: Led the growth of open water swimming in the State of Alaska.

32. Ria de Navia in Spain

Significance: Site of over 50 years of open water swimming competitions for swimmers of
all ages and abilities.

33. Robben Island Channel in Cape Town, South Africa

Significance: Site of popular cold-water swimming competitions and solo marathon swims.

34. Rottnest Channel between Rottnest Island and the coast of Western Australia
Significance: Site of a challenging and popular channel swim.

35. Sandycove Island in Kinsale, County Cork, Ireland

Significance: Training ground for open water swimmers and triathletes of all ages, abilities
and goals.

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36. San Pedro Channel in California, U.S.A.

Significance: Popularly known as Catalina Channel, the 21-mile channel between Santa
Catalina Island and Southern California has been a challenge to marathon swimmers
since 1927.

37. Serpentine Lake in London, England

Significance: Site of open water swims since the 19th century and site of the 2012 London
Olympics 10K Marathon Swim.

38. Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman Island on the Cayman Islands
Significance: Site of popular open water swims.

39. Stari Grad Bay in Croatia

Significance: Site of popular marathon swims.

40. St. Croix in U.S. Virgin Islands

Significance: Site of popular open water swims near the largest island barrier coral reef in
the Caribbean Sea.

41. Strait of Gibraltar

Significance: Site of a challenging channel swim across strong tidal flows between Spain
and Morocco.

42. Strait of Messina in Sicily, Italy

Significance: Site of popular open water swimming competitions and solo marathon
swims.

43. Waikiki Beach on Oahu, Hawaii, U.S.A.

Significance: Site of open water swims for centuries and birthplace of the swim leg of
Ironman triathlons.

44. Maui (Auau) Channel between ikiki Beach on Oahu, Hawaii, U.S.A.
Significance: Site of open water swims for centuries and birthplace of the swim leg of
Ironman triathlons.

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