ISLAMORADA, Florida Keys — The twelfth annual Swim for Alligator Lighthouse, acknowledged as one of many eight hardest swim challenges on the earth, takes place Saturday, Sept. 13, off the shores of Islamorada within the Florida Keys

Over 400 solo and relay-team swimmers are anticipated to tackle the grueling 8-mile open-ocean course from Islamorada’s Amara Cay Resort out to the 152-year-old Alligator Reef Lighthouse and again. Sanctioned by the World Open Water Swimming Affiliation, the occasion has turn into each an endurance milestone and a celebration of group spirit.

“It’s not for the faint of coronary heart,” organizers word. “That is tropical open-water swimming in its purest kind.”

Many contributors return 12 months after 12 months and produce their very own cheering part of household and buddies for the epic Atlantic Ocean problem and the camaraderie that comes with it.

Kayakers escort swimmers through the annual Swim for Alligator Lighthouse in Islamorada. The 8-mile roundtrip open-water swim to the lighthouse off the Florida Keys attracts greater than 300 rivals annually, swimming in numerous divisions. The annual occasion is staged to create consciousness of the necessity to protect the 152-year-old beacon. (Bob Care/Florida Keys Information Bureau)

Race Format and Necessities

  • Solo rivals should swim alongside a private help kayaker and present proof of finishing a previous 1,650-meter or 1-mile swim in beneath 45 minutes.
  • Relay groups of two, three, or 4 alternate between swimming and kayaking.
  • All contributors should full the course in beneath eight hours.

The sphere is capped at 490 swimmers, with charges starting from $230–$260 per participant relying on crew dimension.

Past the Swim: Supporting a Historic Icon

The annual occasion is as a fundraiser for the restoration of the Alligator Reef Lighthouse. Named after the USS Alligator, a U.S. Navy schooner that ran aground in 1822, the lighthouse stays a robust image of the Florida Keys’ maritime historical past. The beacon is sometimes called Islamorada’s Statue of Liberty.

Weekend Schedule

  • Thursday, Sept. 11: Early check-in, 4–7 p.m., at Amara Cay Resort, adopted by an off-the-cuff meet-up social at Florida Keys Brewing Co., 6–9 p.m.
  • Friday, Sept. 12: Further check-in, 10 a.m.–7 p.m., at Amara Cay.
  • Saturday, Sept. 13: Wave begins start at 7:45 a.m., with all swimmers exiting the water by 3:30 p.m. An awards ceremony and dinner observe at 7 p.m. at Bud & Mary’s Marina.

Registration and Information