I have a long drive scheduled this weekend, and I thought about breaking it up with an open-water race. Does anyone have any experience with the Bradley Beach swim in NJ? Or know of any other mid-atlantic races this weekend?
rays-notebook.info/.../bradleybeach.html
Alternatively, does anyone have a place to swim OW in the DC area on Sunday?
Bradley Beach puts on a good race. The water was 62-64 this year, but wetsuits are allowed. it was held on July 7th at 9:30AM. It is held @ that date every year. Sorry I missed your post. Did you swim it?
No, I didn't swim it. We weren't too far away (Princeton) that morning, but were en route to DC. It was so scorching hot that morning that I didn't think my 10-year old would be too happy if I made him stand on the beach while I swam.
Damn! I don't check in here often enough!
If you come through here again, head to Mason Neck State Park. It's about 15 miles south of Old Town Alexandria. $4 on the weekend to get in. Drive to the visitor center. Grab you stuff, and head to the "car-top boat launch." There's a small beach there, plenty of trees to hang your stuff on.
You have to wade about 20-30 yards out to get past the foliage, but then it drops to about 7 feet depth and clear water to swim in. N.B., wear a bright swim cap as motor boats zoom up and down the lake. Not too often; I think about once every 15 minutes during the 90-120 minutes I'm in the lake, but still, better to be safe than sorry.
The rangers don't care if you swim in the lake, unless it looks like you're running a class. Then you have to get a permit. ;)
