In the build-up to the Olympic Marathon Swimming 10km at the 2012 London Olympics, American television viewers will probably hear a bit about Walden Pond, one of the open water training locations for world champion Alex Meyer.
The Harvard graduate occasionally trains at the famous waterhole in Concord, Massachusetts where many other open water swimmers and triathletes of all ages and abilities also take to its tranquil waters.
If you also find your way to Boston, there are plenty of places to swim, events to take part in and people to swim with all year round.
Two safe ocean locations to swim that have lifeguards and public beach access include Plum Island and Nantasket Beach where Captain Matthew Webb swam in his visit to America. Walden Pond is a fresh water alternative with a weekly loosely organized swim called Walden Wednesdays.
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.