Open water swimming – A thin spit of sandy land juts out into the calm clear blue waters of Poole Harbour. Despite forming one of the largest areas of sheltered sea on the British coastline, the water remains entirely untouched by industry or shipping.
The water quality is second to none. Boasting the best quality waters in the UK, and earning the European Blue Flag for water quality for a record 20 years in a row would seem like enough to justify describing Sandbanks beach as one of the best locations for open water swimming on its own. If not enough, the geography of the natural pier forms an incredibly shallow decent down into the sea. With water at chest level for over 250 meters, the beach creates long manageable waves while retaining one of the best safety records for any open water swimming location in the UK.
The Poole Sea Swim, an event created by John Lunt formerly of HumanRace, and the 2012 Olympic games Triathlon organiser, provides a perfect opportunity for those unused to open water swimming to enjoy the location without the usual anxieties.