Excursion Swims

The wildly popular boat-based excursion swims begin on Wednesday evening. Please be prepared to sign liability waivers and follow safety protocols as specified by each boat captain. More about boat-based excursion swims later. Right now we want to provide you with some local knowledge and tips for self-guided excursion swims you can access from city roads.

• 1. All ocean swimming is potentially hazardous—please thoughtfully assess personal risk and don’t enroll in the Darwin award lottery.
• 2. Know your capabilities and distance capacity in cold water. (Aren’t wet suits wonderful!)
• 3. Swim with buddies as much as possible.
• 4. Use a high visibility buoy and cap when in boat traffic areas. (which is most of Sitka)
• 5. Sitka has a 15′ tidal range and walking barefoot through the low tide barnacles is admirable but not an accepted religious ritual. And, the tide can change as much as 2.5′ in just one hour!
• 6. Use tidal app/book so you know if tide is rising or falling and if you have enough water to get through certain passages—more on that later.
• 7. Bring slip-on floating water shoes, a 7′ length of 1/8” line and a small weight. (additional high visibility float optional)
• 8. Route maps show the minimum tide needed to get through some very worthwhile single track “lanes”.
• 9. Set your float/line/weight and tied off water shoes at a depth in the water to ensure it won’t floataway if tide is rising, or be high and dry upon your return. (remember the barnacles?)
• 10. Generally best to target your swim as early as possible (plenty of light at 5:30 a.m.!) both to enjoy the rising sun over the mountains and revel in the morning glass before wind and waves disrupt your otherwise zen-like experience.

We have some fabulous land-launch swim options both north and south of town. See course maps land launched swims north. North swims have more exposure to ocean swells and current from northern bays and passages.

But when calm, it is awesome. So, heading north along Halibut point road is Magic Island, Far North Shelter and Shack Island put-ins. Room for a couple of vehicles along road at each location. See photos: parking at magic island, trail to magic island, trail to far north shelter, parking at pullout at shack island, stairway to shack island put in. Be aware that you need a 6′ tide and average size belly to swim between beach and Magic Island. But easy to swim around the island and head north along the shallows of Halibut Pt. “Rec” picnic park, or paddle south along the shoreline. About ¼ mile further along HP road is Far North Shelter put in—my new favorite. Fabulous round rock upper beach, then nice stretch of sand, then very thick eel grass at low water. Great put-in for kayak escorts and close to deep kelp forest around the point. Yet another ¼ mile or so north is Shack Island launch point at Old Sitka Rocks. Park on water side pull out and walk about 30 yards south along rail to gap in the brush with stairs going down to rocky shoreline. If you swim further west than the nearest island (old shack still standing) be extremely aware that you are crossing a regular-use fast-boat traffic channel. Tow a bright buoy, swim with buddies, bilateral breath and stay alert. Your reward is a super swim navigating round and over multiple wildlife-abundant rocks and islands then out to the last rock with a prominent nav-aid marker. A bald eagle critiqued my racing turn around the rock from his perch on top of the marker while a flock of long beakpipers danced around by water’s edge. Hard to stay focused on your training when there are so many marine-life distractions above and below. The water has been unusually clear and calm at this time of year.

South of town on Sawmill Creek Road, about 1.5 miles past Totem Park, is Jamestown Bay. Not quite the water clarity or marine life abundance as Northern routes, but oh, so convenient and wind/wave protected. Mark Gillory at 1612 SawmillCreek Road has generously offered access to his ramp and floating dock for hands down the best launch point in the bay. Park directly across from his house at Verstovia Trailhead. After your swim, maybe a rigorous hike up Arrowhead? Anyway, Gillory’s driveway and ramp toward watery way points is self-evident.See photos: Verstovia trailhead parking , Gillory’s driveway, Gillory’s gangway. You won’t need your shoe anchor at Gillory‘s. Too many passageways, islands and rocks to provide proper descriptions in limited space. Consult map (Guillory Jamestown Bay) Be aware that the big loop around and outside (3,600 M) requires about a 3′ tide minimum to make it through south passage. Center passage between Guertin and Ring Islands is shallow, but most of you will be able to slither through there at a 1′ tide or so. Yes, I suppose you could emerge from the primordial soup and walk, but why? Jamestown has some light boat traffic, but the locals have done a good job swimming the bay regularly and in so doing, training the captains to be especially vigilant for unusual waterborne creatures. Be smart—tow a bright buoy and you’ll be brilliant, and buff.

Planned excursion swims require a boat for transport, these swims will depart from Fisherman’s Quay 465 Katlian St. at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday,Thursday, and Friday evenings. A donation is requested to participate in these swims. The donations are a fundraiser for the Baranof Barracuda Swim Club. In general, the excursion swims are off shore in Sitka Sound around the nearby islands. the location of each excursion swim is determined by the weather at the time of the swim. See course maps: Excursion swim south islands, Excursion swim north & Chaichei island

Speaking of sea creatures, we do have sea lions, especially around the streams with spawning fish such as at the Science Center/CYL race course start and Indian River at the far buoy turn-around. Sea lions are really curious and don’t have a good sense of personal space, which can be discomforting. But having swum overly close with them countless times, they have never been aggressive or threatening. And, we’ve never heard of a swimmer being injured by a sea lion. Keep swimming along and they soon realize you are on a mission and don’t want to play.

Lot’s of moon jellies around Sitka Sound. Thank goodness moon jellies don’t sting as they will congregate in swarms so thick you think you are seeing bottom. Undoubtedly you will swim over and above white or reddish-orange jellyfish with long stinger stringers. Fortunately, these buggers rarely hang out at the surface.