Hey,
I am new to Perth and I live close to the River.
I would like to know where can I swim, is there any specific swimmimg spots? Or any spots where swimming isn't recommended?
Also is it sandy ?
Thank you.

Think I'd prefer swimming in a shark tank, at least it will be over quickly ;))

Swim in the water. Don't swim on the freeway.

I'll take the piss just in case you are too.

Any bit that isn't an old industrial dump, or hasn't had a sewerage spill, should be fairly safe.

Mind you, the only times I have been swimming in the Swan was when my raft [repeatedly] fell to bits during Swantiki, or when the hire-cat fell over [repeatedly], or I got the deep end of the net when prawning [every time]- or when my eldest son pushed me over the side of the boat after I told the youngest son that the dolphins following us were sharks

stephen

Jump in

we all learn to windsurf or kite in that muck and what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

It's a long river !

Are you talking about mucking around swimming or serious fitness type swimming ? If it's fun swimming then the following are my favourite spots.

If you're at the Fremantle end then you can swim pretty much anywhere - watch for boats though. Rocky Bay ( North Frem ), Bicton Baths or Point Walter are the most popular. As the weather warms up so does the jellfish activity though.

As a kid ( many years ago ) Point Walter was the school swimming class area and I reckon we were in danger of breaking our necks when we dived from the jetty - the jellyfish were a solid mass almost !! Jumping from Blackwall Reach is always fun and my teenage kids usually manage to get there a couple of times a summer for the fun/fear of the big leap off the limestone cliffs .

The river bottom is generally sandy but can be a bit sludgy in places depending on where you are....

Gotta luv those big brown jellyfish

Head down to the Crawley Baths near Nedlands. They are all the rage with the kids nowadays.




Catch the Tram from Perth. It travels down Mounts Bay Road and straight to the Baths. Too easy

You like jelly fish? Blow fish? Murky waters? If yes go and swim there! If not drive 10 minutes and swim in the ocean.

Nothing wrong with swimming in the swan, i've been diving for crabs, king prawns and scallops for years in there. Some of the tastiest seafood around comes from the swan river.

^^^^ +1.

During the end of last summer I pretty much lived in the river. Kite the easterly, then the sea breeze, then a dive on dusk for a few prawns and crabs; Awesome Day!

I use to do swimming lessons down by the Garrett rd bridge back in the day.l wouldn't now .the swan is far to polluted the further you go down not to mention the river bull sharks .there breeding spot not to far away .

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esoom said..
Gotta luv those big brown jellyfish

Just a thought. Do you have commercial fishing down in the lower Swan?
Quite a few years ago now, commercial fishing in Botany Bay in Sydney got banned. Jellyfish population plummeted. They used to be thick enough to use as stepping stones by late summer, now you only see a few.

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Mr Milk said..

esoom said..
Gotta luv those big brown jellyfish

Just a thought. Do you have commercial fishing down in the lower Swan?
Quite a few years ago now, commercial fishing in Botany Bay in Sydney got banned. Jellyfish population plummeted. They used to be thick enough to use as stepping stones by late summer, now you only see a few.

What's the link? Is the recovering fish population eating jellyfish eggs? Or was it all the commercial boat propellers chopping the jellyfish into pieces that grew into multiple new jellyfish?

I grew up next to the river and have seen/smelt some of the stuff that has ended up in the waterway over the years. I know of a radiator repair business that used to be in Rivervale that would regularly flush waste into the river not far from the ski area . If I were you I wouldn't risk swimming in the Swan. Nowadays there are frequent algal blooms that are pretty toxic in parts. Despite what others have said to the contrary, I definitely wouldn't eat any fish nor prawns etc caught in the Swan.

If your keen to swim I would heat to an Aquatic centre and use the pools rather than risk getting sick from the Swan.

When I did my SCUBA, our first practicle session was at Bayswater pool.. I reckon you've got more chance getting sick swimming there then you ever would
swimming in the swan. It turned me of public pools.