Full Moon Swim at Sp’akw’us Feather Park (2024-08-19)

Celebrate the light of the full moon and come for an evening swim/dip and social gathering. Everyone is welcome, so please feel free to bring a friend or family member! Please also bring a headlamp and an extra light for your swim buoy if you have one.

Time and Place

This swim takes place at the new Sp’akw’us Feather Park in Downtown Squamish. We will meet at the swimmers beach (the right-hand beach if you’re facing the water) at 8:00pm. Sunset is 8:20pm but it usually sets behind the mountains a bit earlier.

Swim Format

Please join for a dip or a short swim. You can also just come for the socializing and not get in the water at all. Totally up to you! Feel free to bring a snack and beverage of your choice if you’d like so long as we are responsible with driving and leave-no-trace. Camp chairs can also be nice to have!

Safety

There are no lifeguards at this beach. There could be windsports activities, but they tend to not go out at night. Swimming wild is an amazing experience, but it’s not without risk. This is how we manage it:

– We swim within our own abilities, and need to be honest with ourselves about our abilities if we decide to venture out of our depth. We want to be out of the water long before we get too cold or exhausted
– We swim with a buddy, and check in regularly to see how each other is doing
– We each carry a whistle. If anything happens, you can signal for help
– We each wear a brightly-coloured swim cap (such as your SWS member cap!). This makes us easy to spot. A brightly-coloured tow float is also highly recommended, and can be great to hold on to when having a break out in the deep water

Swim Gear

Each swimmer is responsible for their own choice of gear, but here are some suggestions:

– A swimsuit or swim apparel of choice (no judgement)
– A wetsuit (optional)
– A brightly-coloured swim cap or hat (mandatory for daylight swims; optional for night swims)
– Some sort of light (mandatory for nights swims). This can be a waterproof headlamp, a glow-stick in your tow-float, or whatever create way you can think of to be at least a little bit visible
– A loud whistle (mandatory if you’re venturing beyond standing depth; available for $5 at our swims)
– Goggles and ear plugs (optional)
– A brightly-coloured tow-float (recommended)

Once you get out of the water, you might want:

– A large towel or two
– A mat or extra towel for standing on while getting changed
– A dry-robe, towel robe, or just a big towel for getting changed under
– Loose clothing that’s easy to pull on when you’re slightly damp. Buttons, zippers, or other fussy things that are difficult to use with numb fingers are not recommended
– Water shoes, crocs, or flip flops
– A warm drink
– A snack

Getting Here and Parking

This location can be accessed by car, bike, or on foot. Here is the location.

About the Location

The beach entry is somewhat gradual, and you can stay within waist-deep water very easily if you wish. The beach is a bit rocky so water shoes or waterproof flip flops are recommended. It can be windy during the day, but typically the wind dies down at night.

Washrooms

There are public toilets open during the day, but they may close at night so please plan accordingly 🙂