Florida Keys Open Water Swim

04.20.24

General Fundraising Requirement: $500 for ages 18 & over, $200 for under 18

All swimmers pledge to raise a minimum based on your age. Participants 18 & over are asked to raise a minimum of $500 and participants under 18 are asked to raise a minimum of $200. If you do not achieve the minimum by event day, you will be asked to close the money gap at the event with a credit card or check.

WaveMaker Status: $1,000 minimum:

WaveMakers go above and beyond the call of duty by raising at least $1,000 regardless of your age. Anyone can achieve WaveMaker status - swimmers, volunteers or SAA My Way participants. WaveMakers get special recognition and an exclusive WM gift on event day. You can learn more about WaveMaker Status here.

Swim as an Individual, or on a Team

A person may elect to swim alone, or be part of a team. Many colleagues and college alumni will form teams, or teams may be formed in honor or memory of a loved one. All teams are inspirational and rewarding for all of us involved with Swim Across America. All team members are still required to meet their individual fundraising minimums based on their age, distance or WaveMaker status as noted in the prior sections.

Angel Swimmers

For those who are hesitant about swimming in open water, we are happy to provide an “angel swimmer” to swim the course alongside you. Angel swimmers are experienced open water swimmers who encourage you, keep an eye on you and support you during your swim. If you think you may benefit from having an angel swimmer, please respond yes to the question presented in online registration. You may also reach out to Glenn Latham to answer any questions.

Distance Options:

• 1/2 Mile
• 1 Mile
• 2 Mile

Registration Self-Donation:

Swimmers will be asked to kickstart your fundraising and let your supporters know you are personally committed to the mission of SAA. The registration self-donation is a 100% tax deductible donation that will be will be credited towards each swimmer's fundraising minimum. The minimum self-donation amount will change as follows:

• Register before April 1 with a registration fee of $50
• Register between April 1 and event day with a registration fee of $100

Online registration will close 48 hours prior to the swim.

Course Map

Waiver:

All swimmers and volunteers must complete the waiver found here.

Swim Time Limit:

We have a 1 hour cut off for the swim. What does this mean for you? It will be at the discretion of the Safety Director as to whether to "advance" you via a boat to a point closer to the finish or to have the lifeguards remove you from the water after that time limit passes. Please keep in mind that all of these procedures are designed in the interest of safety.

2024 Swimmer Packet:

Please review the 2024 SWIMMER AND VOLUNTEER INFO PACKET before the event. It contains important information about the schedule, what to expect and what to bring.

Proceeds from SAA - Florida Keys will support early stage cancer research at Miami Cancer Institute. Read more in our 2024 SAA-Florida Keys Impact Report.

What is SAA MY WAY?

SAA My Way is our virtual offering where you decide your activity and timeline. Register with a $50 self-donation and we’ll send you an SAA Swag Bag to show off your spirit. All donations raised for your My Way will support our SAA-Florida Keys event. Click here to learn about all the ways you can have fun your way!

To sign up as an SAA My Way participant for our event, click the register button above and select 'SAA My Way' as your participation type.

Volunteers are the backbone of the Swim Across America Family ensuring our event run smoothly from beginning to end. Even if you aren’t a swimmer, you can still help us in the fight against cancer. Don’t forget, volunteers can fundraise too if they want! Ready to volunteer with us? Click on the Register button and select the Volunteer participation type.

Land Volunteers

Land Volunteers staff all aspects of our event on land. You can anticipate helping with set up, swimmer check-in, finish line support, hospitality and post-swim events/clean up.

Water Volunteers

Water volunteers consist of kayakers, stand-up paddleboarders and power boaters that provide crucial logistical and safety support to our event officials and for our swimmers. They will monitor the swim lane, keep an active eye on all our swimmers and communicate any swimmer issues to our event officials.

Angel Swimmers

Angel Swimmers are experienced open water swimmers who are willing to accompany a nervous swimmer throughout the course. Angel swimmers must be able to swim all distances and help out if the swimmer needs. To register as an angel swimmer, choose “volunteer” and then select Angel Swimmer. The local planning team will have final approval of angel swimmers.

Questions about volunteering? Check out our SAA Volunteer Page or contact our Volunteer Coordinator Susan Latham.

If this is your first time participating or if you just need some tips to be a better fundraiser, click here. It will walk you through the participant center and teach you how to email donors, share on social media sites and download the fundraising app. You can find more helpful resources on our fundraising resources page.

NEW! Watch these instructional videos to learn how to register, update your participant center, connect to Facebook and more!

Be a WaveMaker by taking your fundraising to the next level and raising $1000! Anyone can achieve WaveMaker status - swimmers, volunteers or SAA My Way participants. WaveMakers get special recognition and an exclusive WM gift on event day. You can learn more about WaveMaker Status here.

You may support the swimmer of your choice by making an online donation. Or you may send a check, payable to Swim Across America, to the address below:

Swim Across America
8508 Park Road #389
Charlotte, NC 28210

Make sure to include a note with the name of the swimmer you are donating to.

SAA Safety & Policies:

Participant safety is the most important component of all our events. All swimmers will be asked to follow specific safety procedures and policies to participate, as well as comply with SAA safety personnel, including local and government entities, Lifeguards, and water safety volunteers. Participants are responsible for adequately preparing for their registered event. We ask that all participants review the information packet provided in advance of event day, as well as attend the day-of safety briefing for important safety information.

Waiver:

All swimmers and volunteers must complete the waiver found here.

If you have questions about our policies regarding inclement weather, swim equipment or wetsuits, please consult our Policies page.

Wetsuits: Orca is an SAA wetsuit partner offering a 20% discount on all Orca purchases with code SAA20.

Event Schedule is subject to change and updates will be emailed to participants

7:15 Volunteers Arrive

8:00 - 8:45 Registration Begins

8:50 Mandatory Safety Speech

9:00 Welcome Program & Guest Speaker

9:20 National Anthem/Prayer

9:30 Kids Splash and Mermaid Swim

9:45 2 Mile Start

10:00 1 mile start

10:15 ½ mile start

** Course Cutoff is 11:15

11:20 Post Celebration Begins

12:00 Event concludes

12:00 - 1:00 Event teardown

Venue:

The Swim Across America - Florida Keys open water swim will be located at Founders Park in Islamorada, FL.

Address:
87000 Overseas Highway
Islamorada, FL 33036

Directions:

Mile Marker 87 on the Overseas Highway

Places to Stay:

- Here's a list of local lodging options in and around Islamorada.

Things to Do:

Here are some resources for your trip to Islamorada:

- Florida Keys Visitor Guide

- A profile on a Road Trip through the Keys

INTERESTED IN PARTNERING WITH SAA - FLORIDA KEYS?

If you'd like to learn more about partnership opportunities, please review this 2024 Partnership Guide or email us.

INTERESTED IN OPEN WATER SWIM TRAINING FOR SAA-FLORIDA KEYS?

Coach Jen Dutton has developed a two-part swim clinic to help you prepare for the SAA-Florida Keys Open Water Swim on April 15, 2023. Coach Jen is certified through USMS, USAS, ASCA, WOWSA, and Red Cross. Please register by contacting Coach Jen at keys2swimming@gmail.com by Feb. 15th. Cost is $50 per swimmer ($50 registration fee for participating in the SAA Florida Keys swim will be waived upon completion of the clinic). Learn more here.

Here are some recent stories that display the impact all the members of the Swim Across America family have had in the Florida Keys community.