ALGARVE: DISCOVER IT SWIMMING
In the Algarve we can find some of the most impressive beaches in the world, many of them recognized with Lifeguard training near me the “Blue Flag”, which attests to the quality of the approximately 200 kilometers of its coastline.
Coves, cliffs, caves, rocky beaches and wide sands are natural attractions, bathed by clear, warm and calm waters during most of the year.
Here, all types of swimmers will find different options for swimming, from the most adventurous, who can live authentic experiences, passing through caves, natural arches and cliffs; to the most beginners , who find in the southern region of Portugal, quiet beaches to take their first laps.
I’M A BEGINNER, WHERE SHOULD I START?
Swimmers who are just starting out in open water will find in the large bays and supervised beaches suitable places for a debut.
There are several weekends where they can find a typically calm sea with no waves, which constitutes favorable conditions for the practice of swimming.
Manta Rota , Barrel , Rocha Biaxin , Praia da Rocha or Maia Praia are some of the places we recommend for swimming in open water.
WHAT ABOUT THE REAL ADVENTURES?
Anyone who has tried swimming outside a pool knows that the real adventure begins beyond the beach!
With our partner Swim Together you can make swimming experiences impossible to forget, exploring some of the most beautiful places on the Algarve coast.
Visiting the Alger de Bengali , passing under the Arco de AL Bandeira , swimming along the Cliffs of the Seven Suspended Valleys , the Ponta da Piedade Caves are just some of the experiences you can have.
Swim Together guides, experienced and knowledgeable of the region, will accompany you along the entire route.
WHAT PRECAUTIONS SHOULD I TAKE?
Despite being open water in apparently calm places, this sport should be considered as a risky and unpredictable activity.
That’s why we have 8 recommendations for safe swimming in the sea :
- Understand the effect of time and tides , as the climate affects the sea differently depending on your location. The ideal is to try to swim in the hours of “dead tides”, where their influence is non-existent or minimal. In case of weather warnings, such as strong sea waves or medium to strong wind, do not enter the sea.
- Watch out for waterspouts! Most of the beaches we recommend do not often have ripples (currents generated perpendicular to the coast, which tend to drag the swimmer, often unprepared, to areas farther and deeper from the beach). However, you should always seek information from local swimmers or fishermen about the existence of these events. If you are caught in a waterhole, you should try to calm down and swim parallel to the beach until the current loses its strength. Probably, at an early stage, the tendency will be to move away, but after leaving the current, it can return to the coastline.
- Always swim together. This is the most important rule of open water swimming. If you don’t have anyone to swim with you, you should try to have someone on land who can keep an eye on you and intervene if necessary. During the bathing season, we advise you to always swim on supervised beaches and to alert the lifeguard about the training and route you will be doing.
- Be visible. Visibility is an extremely important safety point. For this, we advise you to bring a colored cap (pink, orange, yellow, or fluorescent green are the most visible colors in the water), a signal buoy (typically orange, yellow or pink). The signal buoy, in addition to being an accessory that grants you visibility, also allows you to hold on to it to rest, or to store some training material, some personal goals, or training food and drink.
- Swim parallel to the shore . Regardless of your experience, this is the safest option, as it makes you more visible, reduces the likelihood of finding vessels, makes navigation easier, and is always close to water outlets.
- Respect wildlife. When swimming in the sea, you should be aware that the encounter with marine species, such as jellyfish, schools, or even dolphins, is frequent. These are animals that are found in their natural habitat, so you should not disturb their space, but enjoy them. Interact naturally if they come to you. Believe that you will not regret it.
- Do not leave any traces or rubbish. Never interfere with the ecosystem. Return home with all the material you arrived with. If you can, always come with any garbage that you can collect, either at sea, collecting it for your float, or on the beach. Do not leave food scraps.
- Respect the sea, know your own limits and listen to the advice of those who know the place better than you.