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The Boston Light Swim Marathon: Annual 8-mile swim
"Granddaddy of American open-water marathons"

Introduction | | Race Date and Time | | Entry Form
Course| | High-resolution map (PDF, 0.9MB | | Water Conditions
Events | | Pre-race Dinner | | Race-Day Events | | Directions
Awards | | Swimmers
Escort Boats | | Boater Information Soon | | List of Yacht Clubs
Communication and Addresses | | Swimmer's Survival Kit (suggestions)
References

The Boston Light Swim, a local tradition since 1908, and the oldest marathon swim race in America, starts at the Harbor Lighthouse on Little Brewster Island, continues on past Georges Island and Rainsford Island, passes under the Long Island Bridge, winds around Thompson Island, and finishes at the L Street Bathhouse in South Boston.

Race-day check-in for swimmers and media is 90 minutes before the start at the Columbia Yacht Club, 1825 Columbia Road, South Boston (between Castle Island and L Street Bath House).  Boats will depart from CYC 1 hour before the start and proceed to a position abeam of Little Brewster for the start.  Reporters and photographers wishing to accompany the race armada to cover the event need to contact John Werner, race coordinator. Swimmers and race officials are also available for interviews with the media at the pre-race dinner at 7:00 p.m., Friday at the L Street Bath House, which is just down the street from the Columbia Yacht Club.

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Based on last year's performance, starting about 5.5 hours before high tide gives swimmers sufficient time to reach the inner harbor well before high tide, so they still have a slight current assist at the end.  The potential difficulty with this start time was insufficient current in the outer harbor (Boston Light to Long Island Bridge).  However, the current was fine last year, and times were much better than the previous two years when we started 3 hours before high tide.  

The other desire is to start early in the morning to minimize the waves generated by boat traffic.  According to the chart below, the best date is Saturday, 16 August, which has been the approximate date we've used in the past few years.  The 09:30 start is a bit late.  Pushing earlier runs the risk of not catching good current in the outer harbor, especially at the start.  The conclusion is a start at 09:30 on 16 August 2003.

WWW Tide Predictor

Web interface by Dean Pentcheff. Calculations and graphics by David Flater's XTide Program. (Pick a different site  |  Frequently Asked Questions) (http://tbone.biol.sc.edu/tide/sites_useastupper.html)

Boston Light, Boston Harbor, Massachusetts

		Low	High	Start Time	Comments
Date	Day	Time/Height	Time/Height	High-5.5 hrs
Aug 2	Sat	09:00 / -0.49 ft	15:12 / 9.60 ft	09:45	2nd choice
Aug 3	Sun	09:46 / -0.35 ft	15:59 / 9.79 ft	10:30	Too late
Aug 9	Sat	03:16 / -0.20 ft	09:30 / 8.59 ft	04:00	Too early
Aug 10	Sun	04:15 / -0.39 ft	10:29 / 8.77 ft	05:00	Too early
Aug 16	Sat	08:53 / 0.25 ft	15:07 / 9.15 ft	09:30	1st choice
Aug 17	Sun	09:36 / 0.67 ft	15:49 / 8.99 ft	10:15	Too late
Aug 23	Sat	02:30 / 1.44 ft	08:45 / 7.51 ft	03:15	Too early
Aug 24	Sun	03:23 / 1.14 ft	09:37 / 7.75 ft	04:00	Too early
Aug 30	Sat	07:47 / -0.79 ft	13:58 / 10.19 ft	08:30	No good, Labor Day

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The Boston Light Swim is an annual 8-mile swim in Boston harbor.  The swim starts at the Boston Harbor Light on Little Brewster Island and finishes at the L Street Bathhouse in South Boston.  The swim takes 3 to 8 hours, depending on the swimmer's speed and race conditions.  The water temperature will be between 58^o and 65^o F at the start and will rise closer to shore.  This year's start will be 5.5 hours before high tide at 9:30 am, so the current will be with the swimmers, especially in the outer part of harbor up to the Long Island Bridge.  Each swimmer or relay team needs an escort boat.  Boats and swimmers meet at the Columbia Yacht Club and travel to the starting area.  Following a 5-minute warning horn, the race will start with 2 horn blasts at 9:30 am.  The course is south of Georges Island, north of Rainsford Island, south of Long Island under the bridge, north of Thompson Island, and finish at L Street Bathhouse.

Information on weather conditions can be found at the following sites.
 

Temperature and wind	http://www.wunderground.com/MAR/AN/230.html
Currents	http://www.stripersurf.com/currents.html You select New England States under Current Predictor Graphs. Then choose a site like "Rainsford I. and Long I., between". You'll get a current chart that can be used adequately for any day by shifting time.
Water temperature	Boston buoy id#B44013 on weather.com
Tides	http://tbone.biol.sc.edu/tide/sites_useastupper.html Detailed predictions for currents at specified locations. You need to choose a location, like Rainsford Island or Little Brewster Island.

 

Day	Time	Event	Comments
Friday, 15 Aug 03	7:00 pm	Dinner at L Street Bath House	Meet swimmers.  Review course details.
Saturday, 16 Aug 03	8:00 am	Arrive Columbia Yacht Club, 1825 Columbia Road, South Boston (between Castle Island and L Street Bath House)	Park on street.  Consider parking closer to L Street Bathhouse. See high-resolution map (0.9MB).
	8:30 am	Leave Columbia Yacht Club	Leave at least 1 hour before the start, earlier if there's an on-shore wind.
	9:00 - 9:15 am	Boats arrive at Little Brewster Island	Trip takes 30-45 minutes by boat.
	9:25 am	Five-minute warning horn, 1 blast
	9:30 am	Race start, 2 horn blasts
	~10:30 am	Swimmers pass Rainsford Is
	~11:00-12:30 am	Swimmers pass under Long Is bridge	Last year's lead swimmer was at bridge ~1:30 hrs after start.
	~12:30 to 2:30 pm	Swimmers finish at L Street Beach (west of Columbia Yacht Club)	Head toward bright handball courts.  Watch for finish-line banner.

The pre-race dinner is held at the L Street Bathhouse (east entrance, parking available on the street) starting at 7 pm.  Following dinner there are introductions of all the swimmers.  Then the race events are discussed.  Dinner is provided as part of the entry fee.

Getting to South Boston is straightforward from Route 93, and there's usually parking available in the morning on the street (Columbia Road) near the Columbia Yacht Club (1825 Columbia Road, near P Street intersection) and the L Street Bathhouse (4 blocks west of Columbia Yacht Club).  Use www.mapquest.com or www.mapsonus.com to get directions.  Coming south on Interstate 93, take Exit for JFK Library/South Boston, then take a left at the end of ramp, go halfway around the traffic circle, pass the police barracks, and follow William J. Day Blvd. (which becomes Columbia Rd.) to either the light at L Street or at the Columbia Yacht Club.  You can park on the parallel street or side streets.

Saturday's Events(back to TOC)

The race starts at 9:30 am on 16 Aug 03 at the Boston Light House.  Since it takes at least 30-45 minutes to reach the Light by boat from the Columbia Yacht Club, escort boats should leave the Yacht Club by 8:30 am.  Park on Columbia Road or side streets, preferably toward the finish line, which is about 4 blocks west at L Street.  The race will start with two blasts on an air horn.  There is a single blast 5 minutes before the start.  Escort boats should know the course.  Please make sure you have the course in mind on the way out as you pass landmarks.  The waves in the outer harbor can be significant depending on the wind.  Easing into a swimming rhythm gradually at the start may be necessary.  In 2001, some swimmers were forced to start with breaststroke.  In 2002, waves were slightly smaller.  The current will be strong (~1 mph) in the first half of the race---and in the right direction!  Pass south of Georges Island (2 miles), then north of Rainsford Island (3.3 miles) heading for the southern tip of Long Island at the bridge (4.6 miles).  Because of the current, the time to the bridge can be as fast as 2 hours, but water conditions may alter this time.  Beyond the bridge, currents will be across the swimming direction to Thompson Island (6 miles).  The last couple miles to L Street can be choppy, but starting early in the day may limit the effects of boat traffic.  Starting more than 5 hours before high tide will give a slight current assist at the end of the race.

During the race, heading for the proper side of the next island is the best navigation method.  Finding the finish line can be difficult.  The bright handball courts are often visible.  There's a large FINISH banner on the beach.  Aligning to the right of the Hancock building is also possible.

The first-place male and female swimmers will receive really nice glass awards - 14 inches tall - diamond shaped.  The next 5 finishers will receive glass awards.  The top 25 swimmers will receive medals.  Each competitor will receive a Boston Light Swim T-shirt.

The swim consistently attracts a diverse talent pool.  Last year's competitor list is one of the strongest in years.  More information on swimmers will be available later.

 

2002 Swimmers Dave Kramer Marcia  Cleveland Scott Lautman Orin McCluskey Fred  Knight Fred  Schlicher Cecelia Buchanan Susan Yeomans Kate Matwychuk Jennifer Dutton Nicholas  Sidelnik John  Langton Tom Dugan Ajae   Clearway Joe  Carson Carl  Wittig Rob  Simms Victor Maldonado John  Werner Tim Kulka

Relay Solo Solo Solo Solo Solo Solo Solo Solo Relay Solo Finish Judge Relay Solo Relay Relay Solo Relay Solo

Escort Boats(back to TOC)

Race safety is a major concern, and John Werner, race coordinator, and the rest of the competitors are still looking for boats and boat captains to provide support and help guide each individual swimmer into South Boston.  Here is a list of yacht clubs in the Boston area.

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Boston Light Swim 2003 Needs Your Help

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Dear Commodore / Boat Captain:

The Boston Light Swim needs your yacht club’s help!  This is the oldest open water swim in the country (since 1908), and is a great Boston tradition.  This year, it will take place on the morning of Saturday, August 16th, 2003. Many of the swimmers are flying in from all over the country to participate.

What we need: 20 Boats and boat captains- will pay between $150-$250 each.
Boston Light T-shirt for each Captain!

What is involved:
1) Connect with John Werner, the race coordinator as soon as possible. I can be reached at cell 617-835-1242, or 617-474-2400, mail: BLS, 63 Van Winkle Street, Dorchester MA 02124, or email at johnwerner@citizenschools.org
2) I will help you connect with a swimmmer who is looking for a boat and boat driver
3) Optional- Attend the pre-race dinner at 7:00 pm (free dinner!) on Friday August 15th at the L Street Bath House to go over the race logistics and meet the swimmers.
4) On August 16th, arrive at Columbia Yacht Club in South Boston between 7:30-8:00 am.
5) Take your swimmer and their spotter to the light house (Little Brewster Island), 8 miles out.
6) Follow swimmer for the 3 to 5 hours that it will take him/her to reach the L street bath house, where the race ends.
7) Get paid between $150 and $250 for your services (negotiate with your swimmer).

Thank you in advance for supporting the Boston Light Swim and helping to keep the tradition alive.

John Werner
Boston Light Swim
Race Coordinator

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Contact: John Werner, Race Coordinator
Cell: 617-835-1242, 617 695 2300 x 103
Email: johnwerner@citizenschools.org

During the race, contact information will be available later.

Swimmer's Survival Kit (suggestions) (back to TOC)

 

Start time	Based on experience in 2002, the start will be about 5.5 hours before high tide to keep the current with the swimmers throughout the race.  In 2001, the race started 3 hours before high tide, and swimmers got caught swimming against the outgoing tide.
Start	The start is marked by 2 blasts on an air horn.  At five minutes before the start, there will be 1 horn blast.  Swimmers usually enter the water at the start, not before.  Boats congregate near each other off Little Brewster Island, but there's no particular starting line.
Race Attire	Swimmers are allowed to wear swimsuit, goggles, and cap only.  Wearing a wet suit disqualifies you from placing.  Vaseline is allowed, but not many swimmers use a large amount.  As chaffing can be a problem, some swimmers put Vaseline under their armpits.
Sunblock	Sunburn is a potential problem.  Starting early in the day will help this.  Using sunblock may help.
Eating and drinking	There are different strategies for eating before and during the race.  Stopping frequently can waste time, but eating and/or drinking, say every 1-2 hours, is important to give energy to your muscles.  The sugar you ingest starts working in 30-45 minutes, so eating an hour before the race might help.  High-energy fruit drinks are popular.  Some people recommend warm drinks to alleviate the cold.  Ask your fellow swimmers.
Choppy water	Boat traffic and wind can produce significant waves.  The best strategy is not to fight them.  At the 2001 start, waves were a problem; conditions for 2002 were milder.  Before the bridge, the waves are likely to be with you.  After the bridge, waves can be diagonal to your path.  Coping with the waves is part of the race (fun).
Chafing	Irritation of armpits, shoulders, or neck can be significant.  Strategies include don't worry, use Vaseline, or place bandaids at irritation points.
Navigation	Don't underestimate the need to choose a straight path.  Before the bridge, heading for the proper side of the next island works well.  Larger boats have to be careful of shoals.  Passing under the bridge closest to Long Island is best.  Depending the current, heading toward or east of Thompson Island might be ok.  After Thompson Island, you need to find a landmark, like the bright handball courts, to point to.  Skirting the anchored boats off shore before L Street is necessary.  Look for the large Finish banner.
Relieving yourself	It may be necessary.  Swimming and peeing at the same time is close to impossible (for guys at least).  We may need to gather more information here.
Escort boat position	Your boat has to stay with you, either to the side or in front.  You should work out a strategy with your boat captain.
Dropping out	If you quit, make sure you get word via cell phone to the race coordinator or by coming to the finish line to tell somebody.
The Mayor	In 2001, Mayor Tom Menino was at the L Street beach for the annual fete, and John Werner coaxed him into a photo with us.  No guarantees! In 2000 the fete was located down the beach---no mayor.  In 2002, the finish included a group photo---be there!
The Finish	Get to shore. A little butterfly at the end wows the crowd.  In 2002 best butterfly finish was Susan Yoemans.  Find the finish judge.  Get some food.  Bask in the glory of completing 8 miles in Boston Harbor.  Tell your friends.  Cheer on other finishers.

2000 Boston Light Swim (Fred Knight's account)
2001 Boston Light Swim (Fred Knight's account)
2002 Boston Light Swim (Fred Knight's account)