This might be a dumb question, but what is the open water swimming situation in Key West. I’ll be there for a week in April. Never been there before.
What are the best places to get in the water? Is boat traffic an issue? Any recommended routes? Should I bring a wetsuit?
Thanks
Bob
No wetsuit will be needed, but be careful for large hammerheads. They frequent the shallows quite often, seen them first hand on a number of occasions. I would drive up to Bahia Honda (state park), and swim on the south side of the island. Hardly any boat traffic out there off the beach.
My wife and I go to KW every year in late April…Your best bet for OWS is on the South side off of 1A, Smathers Beach. We usually stay just over the causeway at the Hyatt Beach House, so we do our runs along 1A too and then weave down toward the Southernmost Point and then back up Flagler.
There is also an outdoor 25 m pool just over the causeway on College Road at Florida Keys Comm. College. We swam there just about every day that we were there. For $5, it was clean and not too many peeps in the water between 8 and 9 am…
Have a great time! Key West is always an experience!!
JM
If the two of you are there at the same time you might get together for OWS. More bodies look less like food & less like “boatkill”. Just an idea. New friends are always welcome.
And maybe I’m just really jealous of your vacations.
Bob,
What JM wrote is spot on. Talk to Lori at the pool and she might be able to give you additional advice. She is very involved in the June Race around Key West.
I lived in KW for 3 years and did surprisingly little open water swimming. Spent a lot of time at the pool though. They have great hours and are not crowded.
One of the best places to “OW” swim there is actually at Shark Key (look on google map) but it’s inside a private housing area. They have a huge saltwater lagoon that is a couple hundred meters long. There is also an artificial beach and outdoor shower. Prior to about 1 1/2 years ago the gate was permanently open at the housing entrance but then I think they started closing it. Not sure if there’s actually a gate guard now. Most of the houses seem to be vacation homes so usually it was pretty quiet. I highly doubt you would have any problem swimming there as long as you were respectful and quiet.
PM me with questions
Zach