Hudson River swim event season in full swing

Swimmers taking part in the 2 Bridges Under the Walkway open water swim event on June 3, 2017. (Photo by Capri Djatiasmoro)
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Swimmers taking part in the 2 Bridges Under the Walkway open water swim event on June 3, 2017. (Photo by Capri Djatiasmoro)

The Hudson River open water swim season kicked off June 3 with the 2 Bridges Under the Walkway Swim in Poughkeepsie. June 14 is a seasonal milestone, with the first day of the 8 Bridges Hudson River Swim, the longest open water swim event in the world, covering 120 miles from the Rip Van Winkle Bridge to the Verrazano Narrows Bridge in seven days. Both events are organized by New York Open Water.

In all, there are at least 29 days when open water swim events will take place in the Hudson River or New York Harbor in 2017. These events remind us that the Hudson is our beach, and we want clean water along the length of the river, and in its tributaries. Most swimmers who use the water aren’t participants in these events – they dive off of boats, wade in from the shore, or visit one of the Hudson’s four official beaches at Croton Point, Beacon River Pool, Kingston Point or Ulster Landing.

Check out Riverkeeper’s water quality data to help you make an informed decision about when and where to enter the water.

Here’s a look at the open water swim events on the calendar: