For my 5.44 mile swim, they require kayak escorts, and I've felt SO much better having someone nearby. It's partly the feed (some races I know have feed stations, but I've never done one of those and am not sure how that would work--I like that I have someone exclusively for me). The swim goes across the Great South Bay, and so there's boat traffic including ferries. It's hugely reassuring that (1) the boat operators know of our swim and the Coast Guard keeps an eye out but (2) having someone right at your side makes for even more safety. Never once in the three times I did that swim did I ever feel unsafe. Nauseated from seasickness, exhausted, wanting to be on land ASAP... but not unsafe!
For my 5.44 mile swim, they require kayak escorts, and I've felt SO much better having someone nearby. It's partly the feed (some races I know have feed stations, but I've never done one of those and am not sure how that would work--I like that I have someone exclusively for me). The swim goes across the Great South Bay, and so there's boat traffic including ferries. It's hugely reassuring that (1) the boat operators know of our swim and the Coast Guard keeps an eye out but (2) having someone right at your side makes for even more safety. Never once in the three times I did that swim did I ever feel unsafe. Nauseated from seasickness, exhausted, wanting to be on land ASAP... but not unsafe!
