SWIM THE RIP
Summer crossing - February 6, 2027
The 3.5km stretch from Point Nepean to Point Lonsdale front beach is the most thrilling open water swim in Australia and you can now swim or race it safely with us.
The crossing can be completed in a team of 4, 5 or 6 people of similar speed.
Things to know:
You must complete a qualifying swim to show you are capable of doing the crossing.
You swim in a group (ideally 4 - 6 swimmers).
If you do not have a group you can enter solo and we will introduce you to others. It will be up to you to get together and pracfice swimming with them to make sure your speeds match up.
You are allowed to wear a wetsuit but this will be denoted on the honour board. Water will be approximately 17/18 degrees Celsius.
You must be available for the back up dates as well.
COST per swimmer
$100 non-refundable deposit to get started
$800 - final fee due by September 1
Includes:
All boat transfers
Quality merchandise
An event certificate
A dedicated kayaker for your team
A very high level of experienced water safety personnel
Your name on the honour role
HOW TO ENTER
Begin the process by paying your deposit
LOGISTICS
On the day of your crossing, you will be taken from the Queenscliff Harbour to the start (deep water near Point Nepean) by boat. From there you will swim to Point Lonsdale, aiming for the front beach near the shops. All other details will be sent to you closer to the time of your swim.
HOW TO PREPARE
Swimming across “The Rip” is different to other swims as you need to do it with a group of swimmers at the same speed. You also need to be able to handle some choppy conditions. You should train consistently leading up to your Rip Swim and be ready for about a 4km swim in rough seas to give yourself the best chance of success.
WETSUITS
You can wear a wetsuit during your crossing if you are worried about being cold. The temperature is likely to be about 17/18 degrees in summer.
You cannot wear a wetsuit if you are doing the race.
No wetsuits are allowed on our winter crossing, where the water will be about 11/12 degrees. This is to honour the original crossing by Douglas Mew in 1971 and to give swimmers an additional challenge.
TIDES EXPLAINED
The tide changes every 6 hours. Given the narrow entrance to Port Phillip, the movement of water both in and out can be very strong. Swimming The Rip is not possible on strong tides and is also very dangerous. The water can flow up to 15km per hour. We work with the tide to give you the greatest chance of success. We understand the tides well and have looked carefully at the data. As always, mother nature plays her part, but we can minimise the surprises she has for us!