Swim Safety Buoys & Red Caps: 2 New Safety Policies Now Live!

If you know one thing about Odyssey Open Water Swimming in addition to the fact that we host swimming adventures in the East Bay, it’s that we care about your safety! From purchasing a new safety boat to staffing expert guides, paddlers, and coaches to help assist swimmers, there’s nothing we won’t do for the safety of our swimmers.

To continue our safety efforts, we have implemented two new Odyssey Open Water Swimming safety policies, and both are effective immediately.

#1. Swim Safety Buoys

Swim Safety Buoys ("floaties," "buddy bags," etc..) are now required at all Odyssey Open Water Swimming events, from Berkeley swims to Odyssey Alcatraz swims. Personal swim buoys assist with safety and provide additional visibility to help both our paddlers and other people and vessels in the East Bay navigate safely around swimmers.

The only swims where swimmers will not be required to use a personal swim buoy include the Odyssey Bridge to Bridge swim, in which each swimmer has their own paddler, and the Odyssey Rat Race.

Swimmers are able to bring their own buoy or purchase an Odyssey BlueSeventy buoy onsite or online. Purchase online here. Odyssey buoys are offered for $40 in-person and $50 online to cover taxes and shipping.

#2. Red “First Time” Caps

For your first Berkeley swim with Odyssey, you will wear the red Odyssey “First Time” cap. This cap will be loaned to you for the swim and returned after the swim.

The first time caps bring additional awareness to new Odyssey swimmers. This helps our entire community welcome the swimmer to the community, answer questions, and provide additional support if needed.

 If you have any questions about the two new safety policies, please don’t hesitate to contact our team here!