BLS Swimmer Central 2025

Welcome 2025 Boston Light Swimmers!

This private page has info on the course, rules, safety, and pre-event requirements. Use the links above to navigate, and if you have any questions after checking out the public FAQs, BLS General Info, and the below, feel free to reach out via the contact info at the bottom of the page. Happy training! 🌊🏊‍♂️

Swimmer Task List

There are 6 tasks to complete before race day regarding your boat, your crew, sharing a bio, making dinner reservations, attending our safety briefing and setting up the tracker for race day. We appreciate you working to complete the tasks by the due dates provided so that we can organize appropriately with the information provided.

  1. Due May 15, 2025: Confirm Boat - complete form here 

  2. (Optional) June 30, 2025: Submit Bio - complete form and upload picture here 

  3. Due June 30, 2025: Provide Crew Info - complete form here 

  4. Due July 15, 2025: Provide Dietary Restrictions and RSVP for Dinner - complete form here 

  5. (Optional) Due July 31, 2025: Reserve Course Tour - form here

  6. Due August 1, 2025: Set up Track.rs tracker - information here

  7. Due August 9, 2025: Attend Safety Meeting (two dates in August) - schedule TBD

All of the tasks will be tracked on the spreadsheet below. Please note that this tracking is manual, so may be a day or two behind.

Swimmer-Boater Matches and other Info

The following table will be used by BLS race officials to aggregate information on swimmer and boater assignments, as well as tracking swimmer tasks such as providing crew information, bios, course tour reservations and more as we get closer to race day.

Swimmer and Boater Info Sheets & Map

Key information for race day, including timing, waypoints, and rules.

Safety Info

Safety Meeting

It is mandatory that all swimmers and swimmers’ crew attend one of two safety meetings in which our Safety Director, Kellie, will review the course, rules of the swim, safety and emergency protocol, and answer any questions you have. We also encourage all boaters to attend, or review the recording.

Both live safety meetings will be scheduled in August with dates provided in early July. Click below to be taken to the video recording of the 2024 safety meeting on Youtube. Please note that while much of the information will be the same each year, protocols may change and discussion of current Boston Harbor conditions and safety concerns will be addressed prior to the 2025 meeting.

SAFETY PROTOCOL

This document provides safety guidelines and procedures for the organizers, officials, boaters and others involved in the 2025 Boston Light Swim. 2024 Safety Protocol (to be revised for 2025)

SHARK PROTOCOL

MOWSA’s rules are largely the same as the widely accepted Rules of Marathon Swimming as detailed by the Marathon Swimmers Federation to govern unassisted open water marathon swims. A major exception is our Shark Protocol. This protocol will be in force during all cross Cape Cod Bay swims and will come into force if a shark is spotted during any other solo or group swim. Shark Protocol

Track.rs Instructions

Track.rs allows your friends and family on land or back home to follow along with your swim from their computers or smartphones, and also helps us track you during the event.

The system is easy to use. Follow the setup instructions below, turn on your tracker on your boat a few minutes prior to the start of your wave, and the magic of technology will update your position on the map every minute during the swim!

Here’s what you’ll need to do:

  • Register at the FORM TO BE PROVIDED HERE . Don’t go to the main website or pay; the fee for the system is covered by your race entry.

  • Setup your mobile phone with instructions here: track.rs/phones

  • Test the configuration at: track.rs/test

For relay teams, please note that only one person on your team should set up the tracker.

Please register your individual or team device by August 1st.

Remember to turn on your tracker after you make it to the Light and before the race begins. Spectators will be able to watch you and other participants with active trackers move along the course at track.rs/bostonlight from their computer or mobile device.

Swimmer Message Archive

  • MassOpenWater:

    Hello BLS Class of 2025! A ~7min welcome msg from BLS Race Director, Mina E. https://mcsms.io/ace8e6

  • MassOpenWater: Welcome 2025 Boston Light Swimmer! Do you have a boater? Yes - send name; No - MOWSA can help! Let us know here.

  • As messages are sent out to 2025 BLS swimmers, they will be archived here.

    Stay tuned!

Countdown to BLS

Countdown to Boston Light Swim 2025

Contact Info

Can’t find what you’re looking for in FAQs or swimmer emails? Contact us at one of the mailboxes below.