Summer Begins in Paradise with Annual Swim Around Key West

June 23, 2010 - PRLog -- Swimmers from around the world swam this weekend in clean waters around Key West during the annual Swim Around Key West.  Sponsored by Florida Keys Community College every year since 1996, this annual event has grown each year of its existence to current level of over one hundred registered swimmers.  No signs of oil were seen, and a good race took place under sunny skies and warm waters around the Southernmost City.

The Annual Swim Around Key West is a twelve mile swim in open water around the entire island of Key West, which is approximately four by two miles.  Swimmer athletes are accompanied by small steward boats which not only serve to guide the swimmers around the course but also keep an eye out for swimmer safety as well.  Swimmers gather for the start of the race at Higgs Beach, which lies on the south side of Key West Florida.  You can find pictures of the beach at http://www.key-west-fl-florida.com.  They swim west, with their backs to the rising sun, towards Fort Taylor at the west end of the island.  They round the bend under heavy currents and swim through Key West harbor, then heading north.  They swim through Fleming Channel, and Sigsbee Park, heading east then south through Cow Key Channel.  Once back on the Atlantic side of Key West, swimmers are near the finish line, fourteen miles later.

"Needless to say, it's a grueling course!" says Melissa Hall, who swam the race in 2003 when there were fewer swimmers than this year.  "The currents are strong in certain parts of the ocean, so swimmers face tough challenges throughout the race".  Ms. Hall completed the swim that year, and considers this to be one of her highest lifetime achievements and the hilight of her Key West vacation that year.  "I can honestly say the Annual Swim Around Key West is the toughest and most fun race I've ever swam!"  she says triumphantly.  More on this at http://www.keywestvacationguide.com

Swimmers can swim the race solo or as part of a relay team.  Typical relay teams have each member swim about thirty minutes at a time, then switch off.  There is a fee to register, and the money goes to the Bone Island Athletic Club which uses the money for equipment and scholarships for swimming classes.  Swimmers love this particular course because of the constantly changing scenery.

What better way to show that Key West beaches and the water is oil free than to have over one hundred swimmers enjoy the clean warm waters that surround the Southernmost City.  Key West snorkeling is alive and well, too, as are all the favorite water sports enjoys by countless tourists each year.  There is no oil here and visitors are busy enjoying the beaches, the water, and Old Town Key West, where there's a festival or big event almost every week.  Find recent pictures of clear waters at http://www.key-west-snorkeling.com.

For information on the Annual Swim Around Key West and other Key West events, visit http://www.kwflausa.com and don't forget to check out the blog on that site as well.

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