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Schedule – Safety – Rules

 

SCHEDULE

Thursday, September 11, 2025 | Arrive | Check-In

  • 3:00pm – 6:00pm: Early Check in and packet pickup at Amara Cay Resort Fish Bowl conference room for those in town.
  • 6:00pm – 9:00pm: Informal Meet and Greet at the Florida Keys Brewing Co. Test the crafts beers before the awards party on Saturday.

Friday, September 12, 2025 | Check-In

  • 7:00am – 10:00am: Swim with the Fighting Manatee & Olympic Gold Medalist Jon Olsen at the Ron Levy Aquatic Center Founders Park 87000 Overseas Highway.
  • 10:00am – 7:00pm: Check in and packet pickup. There is No packet pick up on Saturday.
    • Follow the Flow…
      • 1. Gather teammates
      • 2. Sign Waiver/pick up packet/take survey
      • 3. Check in for kayak rental or assignment
      • 4. Safety Meeting
  • Kayak Check In or Kayak Drop off: South end of Amara Cay parking lot. You must first get your packet before kayak assignment.
  • 1:00pm, 3:00pm, or 6:00pm: Mandatory Safety Meetings.

All Swimmers and Kayakers must sign a waiver and attend safety meeting. Rental Kayaks check in/staging on the beach. If you are bringing your own kayak, it must be approved by staff for staging.

Saturday, September 13, 2025 | Swim, the reason you’re here!

  • 5:45am – 7:30am– Kayak Beach open – Swimmers and Kayakers can prepare and pack kayaks prior to the race start.

 

  • 6:15am – 6:30AM– Pre-race Meeting – update course map to 2024 course map graphic.

 

  • 7:45am – Race Start – Swimmers and kayakers will need to have event wristbands on prior to entering the water.

 

  • Wave #1 – 7:45am – 7:50am Solo Swimmers-Neon Yellow Caps
  • Wave #2 – 7:52am – 2 person teams – Neon Green Caps
  • Wave #3 – 7:54am – 3 person teams – Neon Blue Caps
  • Wave #4 – 8:00am – 4 person teams – Neon Orange Caps

 

  •  11:30am – Cut Off #1 – all swimmers must be around the Alligator Lighthouse and turning to return. Swimmers have 3.5 hours from their start time to get to the Lighthouse, swimmers unable to make this cutoff will be pulled off course.

 

  • 3:00pm – Cut Off #2 – all swimmers must be past the Mile 7 mark. Swimmers unable to make this cutoff will be pulled off course.

 

  • 4:00pm – Finish Cut Off – all swimmers must be at the Finish Line prior to 4pm. Swimmers unable to make this cutoff will be pulled off course.

 

  • 7:00pm – 9:00pm – Awards Dinner – Bud & Mary’s Marina – Purchase Tickets here

 

Sunday, September 14, 2025 | Farewell

  • Informal Breakfast – a long standing tradition, we encourage swimmers and kayakers to grab breakfast at the Amara Cay to swap and share stories.

 

SAFETY

SAFETY MEETINGS ARE MANDATORY!
All swimmers and kayakers MUST be present for one safety meeting on Friday. Meetings will be held in Nepa Hut at the Amara Cay Resort. (This is the large tiki pavilion located by the Kayak Check in area).

Safety Meetings are at 1pm, 3pm and 6pm

SAFETY FIRST:

Water safety will be provided by course management to all swimmers. Water Safety support will include support boats, jet skis and Coast Guard vessels. These vessels will be scattered throughout the course.

  • Each support powerboat will be flying a Swim for Alligator Lighthouse Safety Boat flag
  • Swimmers and Support Kayaker will be instructed on how to seek assistance from safety support while on course, in the Safety Meetings held on Friday.

 

SWIMMER SUPPORT:  Only approved kayaks that are part of the event will be allowed as support craft for solo swimmers and teams.

NO POWERBOAT PERSONAL SUPPORT is allowed on course.

All swimmers MUST have a support kayak with them at all times while they swim.  If your support kayak can’t continue, neither can you. Swimmers whose kayakers can not continue must retire from the race.  Water safety support will assist kayakers and swimmers back to shore.

  • Important: If something happens and a swimmer gets separated from their kayak, they are required to swim to the nearest safety boat and let them know what happened. Swimmers found swimming without their kayaker within a 50 ft radius will be stopped until they are reconnected with their kayaker. Swimmers are not allowed on course without kayak support.
  • All escork kayaks shall refrain from navigating through a pack of swimmers at all times unless absolutely necessary.
  • We understand that it takes a few minutes for swimmers and kayakers to match up. Swimmers will have until the 2nd triangle buoy (the ½ mile mark) at the start of the event to match up with their kayakers.  If you can not find your kayaker, you must stop at Buoy #2 and wait. Water Safety Support will be at the 2nd buoy to assist swimmers who are separated from their kayakers.

SAFETY FIRST – KAYAKERS MUST HAVE CELLPHONES:  No swimmer’s kayak will be allowed on the swim course without a cell phone.

  • The Emergency number for safety support will be posted at the Safety Meetings. We encourage kayakers and swimmers to take a picture of the emergency number.

 

KAYAKER SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS:

  • Must have the stamina to complete the distance
  • Be proficient at open ocean paddling
  • Have experience with open water and getting in/out of kayak
  • Be able to do self-rescue if kayak capsizes
  • Must be at least 15 years old on the day of the event

 

 

RULES

SAFETY MEETINGS ARE MANDATORY!  (All Questions Will be Answered during the Safety Meetings.) Friday September 6th  1pm, 3pm, 6pm. Amara Cay Resort.

All swimmers and kayakers MUST be present for the safety announcements prior to the swim on Saturday. We suggest that you do your best to attend the meeting scheduled Friday (day before race) as it is more in depth. All swimmers and kayakers must pay attention to all final announcements on Saturday per swim in case of changes to weather conditions or course.

  • All Swimmers and Kayakers must sign a waiver!
  • All swimmers to be at least 15 years of age on day of race and signed up on a solo, 2 person/3 person/4 person team.
  • This event is closed to regular boat traffic during the hours of the competition 7:45am-3:45pm. Our open water permit is only good for the event date. Please we ask that you do not swim in the boat channel on Thursday or Friday without support Kayak.
  • We can only allow swimmers and escort kayaks on the course. Support craft for the event will be on site at all times during the event. The swim course is closed to regular boat traffic.
  • We do not allow undocumented kayaks or powerboats on the course during the event; it is for your safety!
  • Cut off Swim Times: You must be able to complete the swim in LESS THAN 8 HOURS 7:45am-3:45pm. This means that if there is ZERO current, then you should be able to swim 1 open water mile in about 45-50 minutes.
  • All swimmers must be to the Alligator Lighthouse within 3 hours and 30 minutes of their start time. If you’re not within the final 1-mile of the swim finish within 7 hours, you may be pulled by a safety boat and shuttled to the finish line
  • Swimmers must wear swim caps during entire swim.
  • Protective swimwear (including full-length swimsuits), are allowed.

Most likely wetsuits will not be allowed. Water Temperature (Projected)
84-89 F degrees

  • Swimmers must wear their assigned swim cap during the entire event and show assigned race numbers when asked for by race officials.
  • Swimmers will be chipped timed.
  • You will be given an ankle chip in order to be timed. Solos/You must wear it during the complete swim. Each person in the  2 per/3per/4 per will be given an ankle chip, the starting swimmer and final swimmers must have ankle chip in order to be timed for the event.
  • Swimmers will be also wear wrist band and be body marked with assigned numbers. This is for your safety.
  • Swimmers may use fins, snorkels, swim streamers, Shark Shields® or other shark repellent or protective equipment, safety rings, booties or any kind of Swimmer Safety Devices as they require or desire and which is allowed by the local governing body or race director. However, athletes using these types of equipment shall only be eligible for an overall award Male/Female in the Equipment category.
  • Swimmers may wear any type of sunscreen or skin lubrication including lanolin, Vaseline® or any other kind of commercial skin protection on any part of their body. Apply early and often for your protection.
  • Swimmers are encouraged to remove jewelry, necklaces, rings, and wristwatches during the event.
  • Swimmers may hold on to kayak while taking nutrition or resting. You will not be penalized.
  • The course is marked with a combination of Orange/Yellow Buoys and Guide Buoys of different colors, sizes and shapes. Weather permitting we will place 14 sighting buoys out to the Alligator Lighthouse.
  • The turnaround at Alligator Lighthouse will be easily seen as these buoys indicate a turn or change of direction and can be navigated on the left side of the swimmers.
  • The Guide Buoys should be smaller as these buoys are simply aids in helping swimmers understand the course layout.
  • The Guide Buoys can be navigated on the left side by the swimmers. (See Map)
  • Scoring will be done with timing chips and they will be issued to each swimmer, be they solo or a member of a two person, three persons or four person team.
  • All swimmers will cross the timing mat at the swim entry at the start and swim finish. You may finish with your team at the finish arch on the beach.
  • 2 person/3 person/4 person team only the one swimmer will need to cross the finish line for your team to be finished. Other swimmers please complete the kayak portion stow your gear and go to the finish for medal and finish photos.
  • There will be a separate gun start for solo swimmers, then a wave for 2 person teams followed by 3 person team and 4 person team waves.
  • We will use a video-recording device at the start of the event to record the swimmers getting into the water and there will also be video-recording at the swim finish.
  • There will be use of aerial photography and videography of the sanctioned event to provide to the media.

Power Boats, jet skis as swimmer(s) support craft will not be allowed. This was not an easy decision but it was done with consideration towards our many swimmers on the swim course.

  • The Alligator Lighthouse Swim is an alcohol free event during the hours of 7:45am-3:45pm. We prohibit alcohol on the swim course.

Solo Swimmers: You are allowed only (1) support person on a kayak during the swim. You may not bring other support kayakers as a solo swimmer.

Relay Teams

  • Team members are the only ones allowed on the water during the event. You are not allowed to bring additional support swimmers or kayakers as support.
  • The first swimmer of each 2 person, 3 person and 4 person teams must swim at least 20 minutes on the team’s first rotation. This will spread the swimmers out on the 8 mile course. You can swap swimmers at any time after the allotted 20 minutes window, as many times as you want during the race. First swimmer must have ankle chip and final swimmer must have ankle chip to be scored.
  • Relay members must swim at least one portion during the event. Relay teams: 2-person relay teams should use a single person sit-on-top type kayak that is at least 11-12 feet in length. 3-person relay teams should use a double sit-on-top type kayak that can accommodate the weight of two team members plus all of your other gear. 4-person relay teams can use a single and double sit-on-top kayak for this purpose.
  • Relay teams: The kayaker exiting the kayak to swim must maintain contact and control of the kayak until the swimmer makes the exchange by hand-to-hand touch. At this moment, the finishing swimmer becomes the kayaker.
  • All kayakers must have a whistle and wear an approved PFD while paddling. If you are renting a kayak will be provided.
  • Each kayaker must have a cell phone secured in a dry bag for use in case of an emergency
  • PLEASE NOTE: In case of inclement weather, unusually adverse surf conditions, or any other factors that may arise, an event committee composed of the event directors and safety personnel may modify the starting time or cancel the event. If you can’t participate in the race, there are no refunds, transfers, or deferrals for any reason. The cost of the event is fixed.

Pre-race Announcements (Day of Race)
Saturday morning, 6:15-6:30AM there will be mandatory announcements. The meeting will take place at the beach in the kayak staging area. All updates to weather and swim course will be announced.

GOOD TO KNOW

Prior to the Race

  • We recommend that you complete at least a 2 to 3 hour training swim and practice feeding every 30-minutes prior to attempting this race!
  • If you’re doing a relay and don’t have experience paddling a kayak, you must spend time learning how to paddle a kayak safely. Barrow or go out and rent a kayak for training.
  • If you’re a solo swimmer, make sure you communicate with your kayaker prior to race day so that you’re both on the same page about your race plans.
  • Don’t wait until race day to communicate!
  • It is up to the solo swimmer to provide their own kayak support. IF you do not have a support person you can Not swim. We do have a facebook page where swimmers and kayakers can meet up. Annual Swim for Alligator Light – Kayaker Swimmer Connection
  • It is up to you the swimmer to communicate with your kayaker prerace. Swimmers usually rent the kayak for the support person and pay for post -race dinner or race swag….craft beer is good too.
  • If you have any questions about your ability to swim this event, please contact the race directors.