Any recommendations on good places to swim in Ft Myers? I will be staying close to the beach and was hoping to get any help/recommendations from locals or folks that have stayed there before. "Places to swim" link did not have many suggestions. Thanks
Chris,
I know you come from a landlocked place, so you might be as unfamiliar with beach towns as I am, but I have usually found that, just at the edge of the beach, there is a huge swimming hole, like this picture of Fort Meyers ...
media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/.../fort-myers-beach.jpg
There are several places:
Ft. Myers Aquatic Center
www.cityftmyers.com/.../About-Fort-Myers-Aquatic-Center.aspx
FGCU is nice
http://www.fgcu.edu/aquatics/
San Carlos Park (I think they have a Master's team)
www.leeparks.org/.../facility-details.cfm
Greetings cclarke!
The FGCU Aquatic Center is currently closed as both pools are in the process of repair (It's a long story), with the unconfirmed possibility of re-opening late May or early June. Your best options at this time are with FMAC, or San Carlos Park. I have a membership at both facilities but swim at FMAC most often as it is close to my daughter's elementary school. Another possibility is Bonita Springs Community Pool, 30 minutes away with a fun group of masters swimmers there, and I plan to join that pool in the near future as well. Please feel free to contact me as needed, and I would love to have a swim session with you as possible.
Please feel free to contact me as needed, and I would love to have a swim session with you as possible.
Do it. Mr. Clarke is one of my all-time favorite teammates!
fdtotten,
Thanks for the response and pool closing information - good to know that! Is the FMAC option just an open swim or is there a group that swims there? When do you normally swim?
The FMAC option is a lap swim, where 99% of the time we have our own lane and the large digital clock on the scoreboard can be seen very clearly from any position in the pool. The local swim clubs do provide small (2-3 lanes) masters training sessions either very early am or after 7pm Mon-Fri at FMAC and San Carlos Community Pool. You would need to contact one of the local clubs (Swim Florida at DeLeon Pool, 1750 Matthew Drive, Ft Myers, Fl 33907, with Coach Ehrin, 239-887-0055) or (Gulf Coast Swim Team with Coach Gregg, gcst@comcast.net or 239-560-4820) if you wanted to participate in some their group sessions.
The FMAC opens at 10am, so that is the time when I usually try to swim, depending on my work schedule and kid's daily activities. Chuck Slaght, the coach I was training with several sessions weekly is based in Naples, and we normally would meet at FGCU, but since the facility closure last December, I have been on my own at FMAC. Sometimes I will do a set with another swimmer and adjust the interval or distance so that we can both be challenged. While recently I have been training more for upcoming OW events, I am very flexible and would be willing to do almost any kind of workout. Depending on the timeframe, I may also be able to arrange some OW swims either in the Gulf or at Miramar lakes.
Chris,
I know you come from a landlocked place, so you might be as unfamiliar with beach towns as I am, but I have usually found that, just at the edge of the beach, there is a huge swimming hole, like this picture of Fort Meyers ...
Pat yes living in the corn fields of Indiana does tend to narrow the mind a little. Funny I was just looking at an aerial view of Ft Myers yesterday and was thinking it would be cool to swim to Sanibel Island and back but I would probably get arrested for doing that. I will do an open water or two while in town I am sure.
fdtotten,
Thanks for the response and pool closing information - good to know that! Is the FMAC option just an open swim or is there a group that swims there? When do you normally swim?
