Similar to the ground-breaking legislation that will go in to effect on January 1st, 2011 in the State of New Hampshire in the USA [see articles on New Hampshire SB362] that give swimmers and kayakers the right of way in open bodies of water in New Hampshire], open water swimmers in Lake Wanaka in Otago on the South Island of New Zealand (see map) want to do something similar.

Claire O’Connell and Anna-Kate Hutter along with a group of 80 swimmers are conducting this campaign.

The group wants to extend the existing Lake Wanaka safe swim area by 1K in order to create a 1.2K safe zone where no motorized watercraft can encroach near the Edgewater Resort. “We are concerned about the threat to swimmers’ safety posed by boats, especially over the holidays when many visitors take to the water.”

The swimmers want to swim further than the 200-meter buoy line and are discussing with community leaders, politicians, the Wanaka Yacht and Power Boat Club and other local parties. “Boats are supposed to be 50 meters away from a person in the water. That should be good enough protection, but unfortunately you are sometimes dealing with people who don’t think.”

Copyright © 2010 by World Open Water Swimming Association