Frequently Asked Questions

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If you are swimming the 3.1km distance you do not need a support person. You are, however, required to use a Swim Buddy. For the 7km swim, a support person is still mandatory as well as the use of a Swim Buddy.
Since we are not charging for their use, using your own will not get you a discount. You will have to demonstrate that your device is in good working order to be allowed for use in our event.
The swim buddy is simply a safety tool. It makes swimmers much more visible in the water. This is important in the Rattlesnake Island Swim, as swimmers can get quite spread apart and this allows our safety patrol and other boaters who are on the lake at the time a better chance to spot swimmers.
But I’m doing the 7km swim and have mandatory boat support, why do I need one?
With the potential for high wind and waves several support people may need to be rescued themselves (It has happened in previous years)! When a support person goes over, the swimmer is now left vulnerable or trying to help their support get back in their craft. Now 2 people are in the water and potentially not visible to our safety crew and other boats. Also, when a support person does goes over, naturally other support people go to help them (as they should) but that now leaves other swimmers alone and more vulnerable. So, we don’t feel comfortable relying on swimmers’ support crews to keep them safe.
Finally, should, god forbid, anything really serious happen out there, many support boaters don’t have the experience, or sometimes the upper body strength to hold onto their swimmers until a powerboat/lifeguard can arrive, especially as they will be trying to both signal the power boats while helping their swimmer. The swim buddy has enough floatation that it will keep a swimmer’s body up if they hold onto it (which is easier than trying to hold onto a kayak or canoe) .
The swim buddy does not add any extra drag, and you won’t even notice it very quickly after you have started using it (and your use of it during the race is included in your registration fee).
Ultimately, we want everyone to have a fun and successful swim, but swimmer safety is of utmost importance to us.
The 3.1km starts at Rattlesnake Island, Okanagan Lake across from Peachland. Transportation will be provided to get you to the island to start the swim. You will board the ferry over to Rattlesnake Island at the 8th street boat launch.
The 7km swim starts at Swim Bay in Peachland. Swim Bay is on Beach Avenue, in front of Community Center and Primary School (6th st).
The 3.1km swim starts approximately at 8:00am at Rattlesnake Island. The ferry will be leaving Peachland (from the 8th street boat launch) for Rattlesnake Island at 7am sharp! If you miss the ferry you’ve missed your chance to swim.
The 7km swim starts at 7:00am from Swim Bay (6th street) in Peachland.
Yes, we will have a gear check space inside the Peachland community center that will be manned while you are in the water. If you want to leave a bag, attach the included luggage tag (it will be in your race package) to the bag and hand it to one of the gear check volunteers. At the end of the swim, show the volunteer your cap with your swim # on it to claim your bag.
There is limited parking in the community center parking lot (on 6th st). Parking is also available along Beach Avenue and side streets off of Beach Ave. Be sure to park near Swim Bay!
Yes. Due to increased boat activity on the lake in the later morning and increased risk of hypothermia and dehydration the longer swimmers are in the water we are instituting cut-off times for both the 3.1km and 7km swim.
The 3.1 km swimmers will have 2 & 1/2 hours to complete their swim.
The 7km swimmers will have 3 & 1/2 hours to complete their swim.
