Some of my favorite swims
I started swimming almost 50 years ago and swimming has been my constant companion and escape since then. Here are some of my favorite swims from over the years:
- Lacul Cernica Bucuresti - I used to swim this one back in the 80s - it was a little harder to get to with a bus and then a 4-5 km walk over some fields so we would usually make a day of it. We would go and camp out on the dam between the lake proper and the Dimbovita river - it is one of the few where I remember my dad swimming it with me. We would also fish off the dam and catch small bass that you could fry up and eat whole
- Lacul IOR Titan Bucuresti - this was my go to swim on any summer afternoon or even evening - it was only 15 min from my apartment in Bucharest so I swam this one a lot when I was in high school - usually would just swim across and back on the left side as you come from the Titan subway station - the park and lake are much nicer and cleaner now but unfortunately swimming is not allowed anymore. PS: A friend of mine from back then reminds me that once or twice I crossed it doing butterfly - something I also cannot do anymore…
- Hawaii Big Island - Green Sand Beach - if you happen to visit the Big Island of Hawaii you can get to this beach via a 4-5 mi hike - that and the surreal olive color of the sand make this a special swim - something about swimming in the light blue ocean and looking back on that olive green beach that is memorable {{ $image = resource.Get(“images/IMG_7492.JPG”)}} {{ $image := $image.Resize “400x” }}
- Hawaii Green Turtle Cathedral Molokai - Maui - this is half-way between Lahaina and Molokai. If you take a Molokai tour boat they will stop here on the way back and let you out to swim - there is a coral formation similar to a cathedral dome at about 15 ft depth - the large hawaiian green turtles like to hang out in this formation and you can freedive down to be around them. You cant touch them or get too close. It is a beatiful spot with beatiful green-blueish water.
- Santorini Greece - Ahmoudi Bay - this is one of the few spots on the caldera side of this beautiful Greek island where you can get in to swim. The water is an incredible indigo color - surreal. Gets deep very fast as you swim out from the edge of the caldera. Beautiful views of the island as you swim.
- June Lake CA - June Lake is a beatiful alpine lake at almost 9000 ft in the Eastern Sierras in California - I’ve been coming here for the past 20 years and never miss an opportunity to get in for a swim - water is cold even in late summer but doable , the views of the 10000 ft peaks surrounding the lake are incredible - some covered by snow even into late summer.
- La Jolla Shores to La Jolla Cove - San Diego CA - I’ve done this swim a few times - you are crossing La Jolla Bay - takes about 1 hr one-way for a moderate swimmer - I have always tried to swim it with a friend - gets a little scary alone since you are pretty far off shore in deep water and know there are sharks around … Ends at the La Jolla Cove where lots of Garibaldi fish are hanging out and of course the seals… after a short rest you swim it back which is tougher and slower…
- Vila 23 Snagov Romania - this was a rare occasion to swim on Lake Snagov - back in the 80s you had to have permission to enter this Vila 23 and my best friends dad would get us in - usually on 2-3 weekends during the summer. We usually made a whole day of it with romanian mici for lunch etc.You could swim out from the dock to roughly 100 yrds out and back or explore the far shore - not sure if swimming is allowed here anymore as I havent been back in more than 30 yrs - one time we also biked here from Bucharest with a classmate from 12B - was about 20-30 km…
- Techirghiol Lake Eforie Nord Romania - I swam this one in my early teens when we used to go to Eforie Nord with my family on summer vacation - its a salt water lake with high salt content (probably similar to Mono Lake in the US) - you would float without having to swim because of the high density of the water - was cool to do as a kid - otherwise its famous for the mud made up of small organisms that die in the lake and which is supposed to help with arthritis etc.
- Rose Bowl Aquatics Center - Pasadena CA - I’ve swum in a lot of pools but this is one of the nicest - there’s a large olympic size pool with swim lanes but also a diving pool and a water polo one where you can watch the pros training - the California sunshine makes it a beatiful swim on most days… this was my go to pool when we lived near Pasadena - really nice to follow up with a bike ride around the Rosebowl too
- Costinesti Romania - la Epava - this was my favorite long distance swim on my high school summer vacations when we all used to go to Costinesti on the Black Sea coast - its probably a few hundred yards from the beach to the side of a tanker that ran aground here sometime in the 80s - you can swim through the huge hole in the side at about 20ft of depth and then climb up on deck and walk around - was all rusted too - havent been back here in more than 30 yrs so not sure if this is still possible to do
- Turpentine Creek - Daintree Rainforest Australia - I did not expect to be able to go for a swim on this trip but the guide knew this spot and it was perfect - it was so beautiful I could have spent the whole day here