Kessock Ferry Swim - Final Details

We can’t believe it’s already the third running of the swim! It feels so late this year after 2022 & 2023 being June events. We are really looking forward to welcoming you to the Kessock Ferry Swim on Saturday 31st August.

First of all some safety-related reminders. We pride ourselves on being a friendly community event but when it comes to the tides we have to be strict to keep you safe.

Here’s Your Reminders 

Please double check your travel timings including the walk from the car park – it’s 2km, so will take most people around 30 minutes. If you’re late for registration or late onto the pier you will be turned away. Note: The event centre, including registration is in a slightly different place this year. We will be at the Sea Cadet Centre, 44 Kessock Road, IV3 8AJ.

Key Timings:

• 0800 Car park & bike park open
• 0830 Registration open
• 1030 Registration closes, all swimmers are piped down to the pier by City of Inverness Youth Pipe Band
• 1100 Mandatory safety brief for all swimmers
• 1115 Estimated start (may vary slightly according to tidal conditions on the day)
• 1200 Light bite and drinks begin at the event centre...
• 1215 Outgoing tide running faster - last swimmers out of the water
• 1330 Raffle & Presentations

There is a short walk from the registration and changing area to the pier where you will enter the water. This is on tarmac so please bring suitable footwear and body cover to be warm. There will be a clothing & shoe drop clearly signed by the pier, which will be marshalled during the event. Please leave any valuables in your bag at the secure bag drop in the event centre.

SPORTident Timing

This year we are using the SPORTident Timing system. You will be given a numbered SI-Card (timing card) on an elasticated wrist band at registration which you must wear throughout the event. If you have selected the timed wave, you will be able to see your time at the end. All non-timed swimmers still require the numbered SI-Card for safety and participant ID, but times will not be displayed.

As you walk through the gate to the pier you will dip your SI-Card in a pre-start timing station that will record your intention to swim. Entry & exit to the pier is very strictly controlled. Once you dip your SI-Card you cannot exit except for medical / welfare reasons.  At the Finish of the swim you will also dip your SI-Card in a timing station handheld by marshals as you emerge from the water.  When you hand in your SI-Card you will receive a splits print showing your time for the swim, if timed. You must hand in your SI-Card so that we know you are safely out of the water. Failure to do so could result in a search and you may be excluded from future events.  There is a charge of £30 for any lost SI-Cards.  

The link to results for timed swimmers is: https://www.sportident.co.uk/results/Aban/2024/KessockFerrySwim/ 

Results will appear online very soon after you hand in your SI-Card.  There is a QR Code on the bottom of your splits print.  When this is scanned with  mobile phone, results will appear on the phone, mobile signal permitting.

Safety Procedures

If you’d like a reminder about our safety procedures please watch the video on the Safety section of the website (Safety - Àban (aban.scot))

Finally, there is an unsupervised dip area on a stony beach just next to the pier which you’re welcome to use for acclimatisation just before the swim.

A Few Other Things…

•         We will be posting pre-event updates on the Kessock Ferry Swim page of the website on the day so keep an eye on this for the latest info.

•         Please bring your own mug if you can for hot drinks and your own water bottle for refills. We’re trying to cut down on plastic waste.

•         Àban runs Scotland’s first outdoor equipment charity shop. If you have any pre-loved outdoor kit items you’d like to clear out from home, we will have a donation point open at the event centre all day. The charity shop will also be there if you’d like to shop.

•         There is now a small crew of 70 volunteers starting to work on the event. We’re so grateful to everyone! As ever, all proceeds from the event go to support our outdoor youth work programmes in Merkinch & South Kessock, so please consider generously supporting our raffle, donation points and Community Partners.

We can’t wait to welcome you on Saturday 31st August.

Kate, Johannes, Iain, Nele, Morag, Jeff & Sarah 

Your Kessock Ferry Swim organising team!