Hi folks, I was wondering where most people were doing there open water swimming in Massachusetts?
I had a sad experience today - I went to Lake Cochituate, with an escort (we rented a kayak), and about 100 meters into the swim, we had a lifeguard from a nearby beach telling me I couldn't swim in the lake, outside of the buoy area (which was no more than 2ft deep and absolutely tiny. So I swam back and forth a couple times, while my friend kayaked around the beautiful lake for a little while. That's quite a waste a very nice lake I think.
Are other lakes in Massachusetts similar to this? Are there lakes with Kayak rental available that actually let swimmers in the lake?
Lake Cochituate is a great place for OW swims (I do most of my training there). You just have to swim before the beaches open, before 9-10am.
The northern lake in Wayland is the best. You can start at Saxonville beach in Framingham at the northern most point of the lake. Research beach hours and do your swims before they open. Techniquely you are not supposed to swim in Lake Cochituate, but if you are quiet about it and stay out of the way of boaters, you will be left alone.
As for ocean swimming in the Boston/northshore area, South Boston is a great area. You can swim from L St. beach to Carson beach and back (about a 2 mile loop). Nahant beach is a good spot. There are small islands in Salem Sound that you can swim out to as long as you have some sort of boat escort.
Lake Cochituate is a great place for OW swims (I do most of my training there). You just have to swim before the beaches open, before 9-10am.
The northern lake in Wayland is the best. You can start at Saxonville beach in Framingham at the northern most point of the lake. Research beach hours and do your swims before they open. Techniquely you are not supposed to swim in Lake Cochituate, but if you are quiet about it and stay out of the way of boaters, you will be left alone.
As for ocean swimming in the Boston/northshore area, South Boston is a great area. You can swim from L St. beach to Carson beach and back (about a 2 mile loop). Nahant beach is a good spot. There are small islands in Salem Sound that you can swim out to as long as you have some sort of boat escort.
