To NYOW swimmers, families & crew,

Coney Island Brighton Beach Open Water Swimmers (CIBBOWS) is a Brooklyn based swim group. We welcome swimmers visiting NYC, often here for their 20 Bridges glory….

One can Uber or drive (parking is generally awful) but it’s best is to take the subway out to Brighton Beach.  If using mapping software, type in “3162 Brighton 4th St”. That is the address of the nearby parking lot. Stillwell Ave, the last stop for D,F,N, and Q train in Coney Island is an option with a half mile walk east  (try to resist Nathan’s before swimming). The station closest is “Brighton Beach” on the Q (and B on weekdays) line.  The next closest would be the F train’s W8-Aquarium stop.

Our group meets up directly out from Brighton 4th St, past a municipal parking lot & covered (& smelly) pavilion.  There is a public restroom just West (to your right when facing the ocean).  Our member, Jeremy, has set up a webcam (www.shallweswim.today/nyc) to give you a sense of conditions, as well as water temperature, tides, weather & subway status, which on weekends can become tricky.

People show up consistently from early on, singly, or in groups & all day long on weekends during the season.  If you join “Swim Chat” on Facebook & announce yourself, it’s helpful in securing a swim buddy or just beach security for your stuff.

Formally there are members in orange hats to assist, but anyone will help. 

It’s an ideal open water swimming location. Spit of land across (the Western termination of “Far Rockaway”) minimizes surf, there are no riptides & the current is tidal, moving parallel to shore, East (incoming) or West (outgoing).  You can consult www.shallweswim.today/nyc or note a small which will be downstream of its larger & stationary buoy (orange flag) directly out from our group.  Generally, its suggested that one swim into the current, if any, at the beginning of one’s swim & return on the push.  Take a moment to look at the land sites (the pavilion & apartment building) so you’ve got a visual reference to swim back to.  If you’d like company, we’ll try to match you up with a swimmer of a similar pace.  The two factors to give attention to are not to get too far off shore or too close to the jetties.  We recommend having a swim buoy & bright cap for visibility.  The marker buoys are located at 500’ from shore, which is the minimum distance for motor craft. Don’t count on them to be attentive, however.  On the shore side, give the rock jetties some clearance, as they vary in their below-surface profiles.

Brighton Beach is full of Eastern European & Turkish food options. The establishments change, But for a sit down, Oceanview, Brighton 2nd & BB Ave, Beyti Turkish 414 Brighton Beach Ave.  If the weather is nice, take-out is the way to go. A Georgian option is Berikoni – brick oven bread, 199 Brighton Beach Ave (Khaachaturi the cheese bread is amazing after a swim).  For coffee, a Turkish café, Gulluoglu at 239 Brighton Beach Ave….  Tashkent (Uzbeki) has lamb/beef/chicken sandwiches, made to order & their buffet at has an amazing selection, 713 Brighton Beach Ave.

If you’ve never been (& don’t mind the density) walk west to Coney Island for the sights (& selfies).  The two watering holes are “Ruby’s” on the Boardwalk & on Surf Ave, the “Freak Bar” housed in the Coney Island Museum, a really fun place….. Nathan’s is the famous hot dog destination…..

I hope that this is helpful & that you have a great visit before, or after, your big event!

Joe K