Lighthouse over clear turquoise water, surrounded by small boats.

Alligator Lighthouse Swim

SCHEDULE

Thursday, September 10, 2026 | Arrive | Check-In

3:00pm – 6:00pm: Early Check in and packet pickup at Amara Cay Resort Fish Bowl conference room for those in town.
6:00pm – 9:00pm: Informal Meet and Greet at the Florida Keys Brewing Co. Test the crafts beers before the awards party on Saturday.

Friday, September 11, 2026 | Check-In

8:00am – 10:00am: Open Pool Practice Shake-out Swim at the Ron Levy Aquatic Center Founders Park 87000 Overseas Highway. ($3.00 fee will be charge)
10:00am – 7:00pm: Check in and packet pickup. There is No packet pick up on Saturday.
- Follow the Flow…
  - 1. Gather teammates
  - 2. Sign Waiver/pick up packet/take survey
  - 3. Check in for kayak rental or assignment
  - 4. Safety Meeting
Kayak Check In or Kayak Drop off: South end of Amara Cay parking lot. You must first get your packet before kayak assignment.
1:00pm, 3:00pm, or 6:00pm: Mandatory Safety Meetings.

All Swimmers and Kayakers must sign a waiver and attend safety meeting. Rental Kayaks check in/staging on the beach. If you are bringing your own kayak, it must be approved by staff for staging.

Saturday, September 12, 2026 | Swim, the reason you’re here!

5:45am – 7:30am– Kayak Beach open – Swimmers and Kayakers can prepare and pack kayaks prior to the race start.
6:15am – 6:30AM– Pre-race Meeting – update course map to 2026 course map graphic.
7:45am – Race Start – Swimmers and kayakers will need to have event wristbands on prior to entering the water.
- Wave #1 – 7:45am – 7:50am Solo Swimmers-Neon Yellow Caps
- Wave #2 – 7:52am – 2 person teams – Neon Green Caps
- Wave #3 – 7:54am – 3 person teams – Neon Blue Caps
- Wave #4 – 8:00am – 4 person teams – Neon Orange Caps
11:30am – Cut Off #1 – all swimmers must be around the Alligator Lighthouse and turning to return. Swimmers have 3.5 hours from their start time to get to the Lighthouse, swimmers unable to make this cutoff will be pulled off course.
3:00pm – Cut Off #2 – all swimmers must be past the Mile 7 mark. Swimmers unable to make this cutoff will be pulled off course.
4:00pm – Finish Cut Off – all swimmers must be at the Finish Line prior to 4pm. Swimmers unable to make this cutoff will be pulled off course.
7:00pm – 9:00pm – Awards Dinner – Bud & Mary’s Marina (ticketed event)

Sunday, September 13, 2026 | Farewell

Informal Breakfast – a long standing tradition, we encourage swimmers and kayakers to grab breakfast at the Amara Cay to swap and share stories.

Race Format and Requirements

Solo competitors must swim alongside a personal support kayaker and show proof of completing a prior 1,650-meter or 1-mile swim in under 45 minutes.
Relay teams of two, three, or four alternate between swimming and kayaking.
All participants must complete the course in under eight hours.

The field is capped at 490 swimmers, with fees ranging from $230–$260 per participant depending on team size.

Safety Information

Safety is a top priority for the Swim for Alligator Lighthouse, and all swimmers and kayakers are required to attend one mandatory safety meeting on Friday before the event. Safety meetings will be held at the Nepa Hut at Amara Cay Resort, the large tiki pavilion located near the kayak check-in area. Meeting times are scheduled for 1:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., and 6:00 p.m. Participants only need to attend one of these sessions.
During the swim, water safety support will be provided throughout the course by event management. Support will include designated safety boats, jet skis, and U.S. Coast Guard vessels positioned along the route. Each official support boat will display a Swim for Alligator Lighthouse Safety Boat flag so participants can easily identify it. Swimmers and kayakers will also receive instructions during the Friday safety meetings on how to request assistance if needed while on the course.
Every swimmer, including solo participants and relay teams, must have an approved event support kayak accompanying them throughout the swim. Personal powerboats are not permitted as support vessels. If a support kayaker is unable to continue, the swimmer must also retire from the race, and water safety personnel will assist both the swimmer and kayaker in returning safely to shore.

Key Safety Requirements

All swimmers and kayakers must attend one mandatory Friday safety meeting at 1:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., or 6:00 p.m.
Every swimmer must remain accompanied by an approved support kayak throughout the course.
Swimmers may not continue if their support kayaker is unable to continue.
Personal powerboats are not permitted as swimmer support vessels.
Support kayakers should avoid traveling through groups of swimmers unless absolutely necessary.
Swimmers and kayakers have until the second triangle buoy, approximately the ½-mile mark, to connect after the race begins.
If a swimmer cannot locate their kayaker by the second buoy, they must stop and wait for assistance from water safety personnel.
If a swimmer becomes separated from their kayak during the race, they should proceed to the nearest safety boat and report the situation.
Swimmers found more than approximately 50 feet from their support kayak may be stopped until they are reunited.
Every support kayak must carry a working cell phone. Kayaks without a cell phone will not be permitted on the swim course.
The event emergency contact number will be provided during the mandatory safety meetings. Participants are encouraged to save the number or take a photo of it before race day.