Hong Kong is surrounded by sea. Most of the time we explore the coastline coasteering. Another option is open water swim.
In this post you can find information about: Gear – How to Start – Planning your own outings – Routes
First of all, a long disclaimer (you might want to pass all this paragraph). I am a fish for my “regular” friends, slow and with a bad technique for my good swimming friends. I was not part of the swimming team when I was a kid and therefore good technique and swimming muscle memory is not part of me, as it is for the latter. When I was 18 years old I trained for the first time to be able to swim 200m under 4 minutes and dive 50m pool, to become a lifeguard. It is funny to remember that that was a challenge then. By strange circumstances, I ended up working on several of the most dangerous beaches in the Basque Country. Surrounded by colleagues who were either competing in the national swimming championship or avid surfers and open water swimmers. They taught me a bit and I became a viable buddy for them. I even got the basic swim coach certification and later teach kids and elderly while studying in university. Years later, already in Hong Kong, I met an open water swimmers group. Due to a back injury that didn’t allow me to run for several months, swimming became my main cardio activity. The group leader mentioned a 15km swim race (The Clean Half) and, me being me, I wanted to try. A couple of pool sessions on weekdays and open water on weekends with the group or on my own. 3 months of training and mission accomplished. In approx 5 hours, including my security kayak sinking and other mishaps. I learned a lot about swimming and my body in the process. Nowadays I swim less than what I should. In the pool not even once a month, usually on recovery mode. A few times open water swimming while my girlfriend is enjoying the sun on the beach. Mostly within coasteering outings. Nevertheless, I have no problem swimming 3-5km and keep a 3kph pace that feels like easy hiking for me. Tyler, my main buddy for sea base activities, in contrast, is an extremely good swimmer. In his peak, among others, he swam 100m long course at 51 seconds. That is below the women world record time! So he is the real fish. Even if he claims that he lacks the endurance, he needs to wait for me.
That’s the full background so that you can understand from which position this post is written.
Gear
Swimming suit. Just before becoming a lifeguard, I used to make fun of speedos. I learned then how more efficient than my swimming trunks are. In the longer distances, a proper swimming suit that absorbs little water can make the swim a lot more comfortable.
Goggles. Just find a pair that feels really comfortable and seals perfectly.
I tend to prefer simple less bulky lower-profile ones, definitely with UV protection and anti-fogging. But you can find a lot of different options on the market. Saliva or specific liquids can help avoid your goggles fogging.
Buoy. A safety device that makes you way more visible in the water and you can hold to rest if tired. It is basically a waterproof bag that you can inflate and fasten to your waist, so that follows you while swimming, without much drag or discomfort. Something like this one.
Some years ago a few of us used them, but now are becoming way more common. You can find different styles (with or without an inner bag, with an external pocket for drinks, etc) and sizes. Sold in Decathlon, Escapade, and other shops. Find whichever meets your needs and budget.
Mine is sturdy and bigger size so that I can carry my stuff within. It is, somehow, my movable locker and allows me to swim routes with different entry and exit. Dry clothes, a towel, a pair of flip flops or running shoes, my valuables, etc fit with no problem. As with any dry bag, always double bag, at least, electronics. In my case, for longer routes, I used to bring even food and/or drinks inside and then carry another full waterproof bag within to create a separate dry compartment.
A bright swim cap to increase your visibility.
Wetsuits are only required for a few months a year in Hong Kong. Actually some, used to colder sea swimming in Europe and other regions, don’t use them ever. Apart from keeping you warm, they increase your buoyancy. If you want one just for swimming, avoid diving or surfing wetsuits and go for a triathlon one.
They are designed to improve your positioning in the water if your technique is not very good, by having different thickness neoprene layers. They have stretchy layers on the shoulder area so that you don’t tire them, as you would with a traditional wetsuit in a long swim. The outer layer is extremely smooth to be even more hydrodynamic. They are extremely fragile though, so be careful. Not good for coasteering 😅 You have cheaper options for that.
Body glide or other anti-chafing products (full article here) on your thighs and armpits are highly recommended as soon as you are swimming longer distances. Even more in the sea. If wearing a wetsuit putting some on your neck might be a good idea.
Sunscreen. Try to find something that will last long (water-specific) and that doesn’t harm the sea. This one, for example, that also provides a bit of protection against jellyfish (not much according to some swimmers).
Fins & paddles. They are commonly used for drills to improve technique and strength. I like to use them when I want to go faster or exploring new areas. Also within the bag, in case I need to help anyone by towing them.
For security, I bring a mesh cutter like the below one.
Fishing nets and lines left behind in the coastline can be (from nuisance to) a real danger and that little thing (10cm) or a small (scuba) knife will help you out of them. I prefer the former, cause you can operate it easier, with way less chance of injuring yourself in a stress scenario.
Personal locator beacon. This small gadget allows me to ask for help anywhere in the world meanwhile I have unobstructed visual access to the sky, i.e. connection with satellites. This is not necessary and quite expensive, but includes an extra layer of security. A gadget that I bought hoping to never need to use it, that I bring whenever heading to remote areas.
I usually bring my phone inside a waterproof case or the GoPro within the buoy if visiting any area where I would want to take pics.
How to start
If you are comfortable freestyle swimming for 500 meters or more in the pool but the open sea looks daunting, check OWSHK-Open Water Swimmers Hong Kong or their Facebook. The aforementioned super friendly group. They have meetups every weekend, with groups of very different levels. Here another group also swimming open water in HK Island and all around the territory. Some of its members have joined us on the boat and swam while we were coasteering Soko Islands or Bluff island or Sokos.
If you can’t join them, start swimming within the buoy area of beaches with lifeguards. Gradually increase the distance and try to practice under different conditions: more open beaches with waves and currents, speed intervals, and others so that you can have a bit of experience of what you could find out there.
Once you overcome your fears, you will realize that open water swimming has its own challenges. Swimming in a straight line can be tricky for some. Try to get reference points well above the waterline (a building, a distinctive hill, a big fixed buoy…) and raise your head every certain amount of strokes to confirm that you are in the good direction. Your own technique, current, and others might be pushing you out of target. Little by little you should be able to improve. In my case, I do it almost instinctively now. I set reference points not only in front, but I also check sides in each breathing.
Breathing can be also a bit more tricky when the water gets choppier. You might end up slightly changing your swim technique. Just research, ask experienced swimmers and find what works for you. Learn, for example, how drafting works.
Your own outings
Once you start to be really comfortable in the open water you might decide that you want to start exploring around. Highly recommended that you don’t do it alone. Find buddies to enjoy this with or, at least, friends that could be around kayaking or others.
Check the weather before departure. For wave and wind forecast I used to check magicseaweed and windguru websites. Also the tides. The higher the tide the more options you will have. Nowadays checking more windy.com too, that offers you a visual representation of the expected conditions per area. How big the waves can be and still be safe and fun? It will greatly depend on you. Some people love big wave swimming, even close to the rocky shoreline. Some hate everything that is not relatively flat, cause they drink too much water while breathing or others.
Consider also this map with the Tidal currents. It will give you an approximated idea of how much the currents could be helping or slowing you down depending on the time of each day. In general, the closer you get to the shoreline the less that you will feel it.
I have never had problems with currents in Hong Kong. But that might be so cause I used to work in one of the strongest tidal current beaches you can swim into and comparatively Hong Kong is calmer. Nevertheless, I know swimmers and even kayakers that got into trouble in Hong Kong. So do not underestimate how much the wind and currents can slow you down or even not allow you to move in a certain direction.
From a discussion in the Facebook group:
Wind changes quickly, current is usually more predictable on HK side and in some areas like the Nipples, Chung Hom Kok, Round Island it can be really strong at times. As I said, if you don’t feel you can swim 1.50 pace with ease for at least 400m, do not try anything exotic. I remember once I was not moving swimming at 1.25 pace around the nipples and the water was rather calm otherwise. I had to change direction 90 degrees to escape the current and find a different route.
Water quality varies greatly in different areas, but also day to day. In general, the further from the city and Pearl River delta the cleaner. Saikung tends to be the best. Early spring up to May usually has cleaner waters. Summer can get messy frequently. Partly due to more recreational sea activity and also more rain that moves earth down the streams to the sea. But it can differ with sudden pollution from big ships or others at any moment.
When planning your outing consider the traffic in the area. Even with all precautions (buoys, caps, several people together), you are not going to be very visible for boats, above all for those bigger or/and faster. Try to keep close to the shoreline to avoid being hit. If you need to cross a big completely open water section (going to Round island for example) be extra cautious and I would suggest doing so in wintertime when there are fewer boats around.
Recently there are more and more Jet Skis in Hong Kong, with riders who like to go really fast and sometimes (illegally) close to the shoreline. Be cautious.
Routes
I will add here routes that I have swam and like.
Hoi Ha in Saikung offers swim over corals. Nothing spectacular a la Philippines’ snorkeling places, mainly due to color fading and water quality. But still, it is fun to swim above tons of different structures and quite some sea life. Mini bus going there from Saikung, just next to the 7 Eleven. Marked on the map below. You can rent kayaks there too. A usual plan for me has been to bring friends kayaking while I was swimming, meeting in the coral areas. They are easy to spot, with buoys delimiting them (as in all Hong Kong).
Trio Beach to Saikung village or vice versa became my go-to “short” route for a while, with girlfriend enjoying the beach while I was enjoying the swim (+return short trail run). Nice water and rock formations around. Once you leave the ferries behind, on the very beginning, it is a pretty safe route keeping it close to the shoreline.
Bluff Island. I first swam it in a random junk boat day. Since I have been there several times swimming or coasteering. The cave is fun to swim through. 2+2 km return from the usual boat anchoring place. Or otherwise, you better swim all the perimeter, just under 5 km. Corals next to the boat anchoring point. Very impressive cliff on the East side of the cave, wavier also in this side.
Sharp Island. You can go for an easy and short route, like the coasteering route written about. In my case, I have swum once all the perimeter while friends were relaxing on the beach. The South part and the Tombolo area are the most interesting that I recall.
If hiking with friends to Tai Long Wan, you can try this short swim from Sai Wan to Ham Tin. A bit more than a kilometer where I have been swimming with quite some fishes including stingrays.
Shelter Island. We have done this one only coasteering, but it could be a nice long swim too. The only problem would be the approach to the island itself. Long open water swim with quite some leisure boat traffic.
Tung Ping Chau can be a really nice swim. There are different areas around with corals and quite frequently clear water. The only time that we swam there we did almost all the loop, ending at the restaurants on the NW side of the ferry pier. Few ferries servicing the island and lately quite crowded. So you might want to go early on a good weather Sunday or public holiday. Online booking also available.
If you join the aforementioned group Repulse Bay to Deep Water Bay might be the first out of the nets route you do. 3.5km return. In case of need, you have the promenade next to you. Just beware of the “ferry” servicing the Yacht club moving perpendicular to your direction.
Middle Island would be the next step. A bit less protected and without possible early exits.
With the group, I also joined my first 5km race, Stanley to Repulse Bay. I wouldn’t do it though nowadays but with a big group or some kind of support (kayak or whatever). I have seen too many jet skis speeding around. 2 to 3km area being the main concern.
Cape D’Aguilar is a very interesting route with a waterfall of which I have already written about, video included.
Big Wave Bay to Shek O was my very first official only swim race. For the views see the coasteering post.
Round Island. Same as mentioned with Shelter island, but with even longer approach swim. Coasteering post.
Wu Kai Sha. Trying to find non-crowded beaches we ended up last April in that tiny one next to the Whitehead golf driving range. The swim around was surprisingly nice. A possible route would be ending up at Kei Ling Ha Hoi pier. The nicest part would be on the very beginning with interesting rocks and tiny beaches
around Star Fish Bay up to Nai Chung Pier (with quite some people flying kites around).
Then a bit more boring for 1.5 km, grassland and village behind, till you turn South and get into Three Fathoms Cove area.
Cafeteria New Beach. I have swum very little on the Western side of New Territories. The water tends to be far from tempting. Last April I gave this one a try. Nothing special but for the big birds staying on the buoys and the long sand beach with a big net area.
I will add more routes later.
Appendix:
By no means this post was focused on those trying to learn the very basics of swimming. But recently I have talked with so many people that were not able to swim, and therefore enjoy a big part of the adventures of this web, that I have decided to compile here the usual tips I provided when teaching how to swim. I will add youtube videos so that you can have an idea of what I am talking about.
If you can, join a proper swimming course for adults. Having someone that checks your progress and gives you life feedback will make the learning process way faster. If you can’t continue reading.
First, buoyancy. If you relax, take a deep breath, and extend your legs and arms, you float on the water. You would need to be massive on muscular/bone level and with tiny fat % for you not to. A big part of your body is water & your lungs are a huge internal buoy. If you are a girl, you will float even easier. The average healthy female has a higher fat percentage and “better” distributed (more on hips and legs), which helps with buoyancy. In the sea Vs pool, you will float even more, as the salty water is denser.
Go to the swimming pool and practice your buoyancy. See how extending your arms above your head helps with sinking feet. Try to float on your back and your tummy. Check how much you sink or float in different positions and filling up your lungs or exhaling all air out. Try to create bubbles exhaling air out of your mouth and nose. The goal is just for you to get comfy on the water.
Once we have the buoyancy ready, we only need to move consistently. Here another video with a first lesson similar to what I used to teach. Although a bit long, he likes to explain thoroughly 😀
After you learn the basics is when you will find your own issues/problems. Some of the most common that I have encountered here. Legs sinking and not being able to keep a hydrodynamic position. Usually due to improper head positioning and moving it too much up to breath. Dismiss the triathlon related comments in these videos. Good for any beginner.
If you are swimming in the sea and you want an initial easy solution for your breathing, get yourself a mask and a snorkel. It is how Summer, someone who was scared to be in the sea till recently, discovered that she could swim non stop for long distances comfortably.
Just a temporary solution. Try to learn the proper technique as soon as possible.
You might get tired really fast and wonder “how all those crazy people can be swimming for kilometers”. Relaxing in the water, proper breathing, keeping a streamlined position that allows you to swim with way less effort. The goal is to make swimming feel like hiking not hard running.
Once you start to feel more comfortable, it would be time to improve your technique from big to smaller issues. For example, a common question that I get from newbies when they see me swim: what is your hand position? Surprisingly for most the fingers should not be completely close to each other.
What about your arms movement? How exactly to move them?
You could continue checking Youtube and find how to improve your technique with different drills and training sessions till you arrive at something as smooth as this.
But long before you should feel like a fish in the sea, enjoying the Hong Kong coastline at its max. Have fun!
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