Baltimore Open Water Swimmers (BOWS) is a new community-based entity with the vision of fostering a community of swimmers around Baltimore, promoting the sport of open water swimming, and advocating for a swimmable Baltimore harbor. We seek to celebrate our waterways as a place of connection, enjoyment, and pride—not just something we look at, but something we safely use.

In June 2024, I completed an unprecedented 24-mile swim from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. My “Bay to Baltimore Swim” not only made history, but it served as a celebration of the decades long efforts to make Baltimore’s harbor a swimmable, recreational resource for the city. Becoming the first person to do a swim of this scale in these waterways, and championing my city, and girls and women in sport, was truly the honor of a lifetime. The swim was celebrated by city and state leaders, drew local, national and international media coverage and attention to how far the Patapsco River and Baltimore’s harbor has come after decades of environmental restoration and policy initiatives, and sparked public support and a growing excitement that BOWS was founded to build upon.

The mission of BOWS is to build an inclusive open water swimming community in Baltimore, promote safe and public access to the harbor, and celebrate Baltimore as a “swimmable city.” BOWS will host open water swims/races, community events, and build partnerships with other organizations focused on environmental progress and water safety. Through these events, partnerships, and community focused outreach, BOWS will help normalize and celebrate the idea that Baltimore’s water belongs to its people.

The opportunity is enormous: cities around the world are reclaiming waterways for public use, and Baltimore is ready to be part of that global movement. The challenge is that BOWS is brand new and founder-led. We are at the stage where modest startup support can help us do AWESOME things, in and out of the water.