BIG HELPERS – COPY 2020

The safety of each participant (Swimmers, Kayakers, and Volunteers) is paramount in every decision made. Everything we do and every decision we make will be guided by safety. Nothing is worth the risk of injury or worse. Our #1 goal is: All swimmers in and all swimmers out safely.

This requires a team effort and understanding that all decisions made are based on safety and may override participants preferences. GIVETOLIVE has been running endurance events for eight years and we have an excellent safety record. We thank you for your understanding and cooperation to continue our record that includes no major incidents.

There is a MANDATORY safety meeting for all participants on the Saturday before the swim. Details of the safety plan, route and many other event day questions will be discussed in detail at this meeting. You must attend the meeting in order to do the swim.

We take safety very seriously. It is our #1, #2, and #3 goal for the event. On the day of the event, there is a chain of command that all participants and volunteers must obey. That chain of command is as follows:

1. Captain(s) in Charge/Safety Officer
2. Event Director/Core Kayaker Team
3. Boat Operators
4. Lifeguards
5. Kayakers
6. Swimmers

Swimmers MUST OBEY everyone else in the chain of command. All other people in the chain of command are in a more senior position than a swimmer and all people can remove you from the water for safety reasons. This is imperative to the success of a safely run event. If anything goes wrong (weather worsens, waves pick up, someone gets sick), then all swimmers agree that it is not their call on whether they continue swimming or not.

Each participant is responsible for getting themselves to and from The BIG SWIM. The NB to PEI swim starts at Cape Jourimain Nature Centre, Cape Jourimain, NB and finishes on Beach Road in Borden – Carleton, PEI. Our start for the NS to NB swim will begin in the Tidnish area ending in Port Elgin. Exact details of the start and finish line will be finalized and communicated soon.

All meals that weekend are your responsibility. There is a limited selection of food at the Cape Jourimain National Wildlife Area as well as a variety of restaurants in Gateway Village on PEI. We are looking into having a food truck on the finish line beaches but details are unconfirmed at this time.

All participants are responsible for their own food and drink on the day of the swim. Please pack everything you would need to keep you hydrated and nourished through the SWIM itself.

All participants are responsible for their own food and drink on the day of the swim. Please pack everything you would need to keep you hydrated and nourished through the SWIM itself.

There are a limited number of accommodations in the close proximity to the Confederation Bridge. You need to book your accommodations yourself and we recommend you do that right away. Here is a list of some recommended options where our participants have stayed in the past.

Tourism New Brunswick and Tourism PEI can be a great place to start as well.

The start times will be calculated based on tides and currents. A decision will be made closer to the event. The exact start times will be announced at the safety meeting.

Everyone will need to be at the start points at least 30 minutes before the first wave enters the water.

Swimmers will be starting in waves (no pun intended) based on their anticipated pace. There will be 3 waves and they will be launched at intervals of approximately 15 minutes. Please note that we monitor the weather, tides and currents carefully and that the launch times cannot be confirmed prior to the safety meeting on Saturday. Plan to be flexible with your schedule on your swim day.

Practically, no. Port-a-potties will be onsite at the start of the NS to NB swim and bathrooms are available before the start of the NB to PEI swim at the Cape Jourimain Nature Centre and port-a-potties are available at the finish area in PEI. During the swim, there are very limited facilities on the larger safety boats.

It can take an extended period of time for a safety boat to reach you for a bathroom break as we cannot sacrifice swimmer safety for the luxury of a toilet. We urge you to arrive early to the Cape Jourimain Nature Centre on the morning of the swim so you can make use of the facilities there before the swim.

The weather plays a key role in the safety of The BIG SWIM. We will discuss the weather forecast and the weather contingency plans in detail at the mandatory Safety Meeting on Saturday. There is a detailed evacuation plan in place in the event that weather degrades during the swim to the point that the event must be stopped. If required, the safety boats will remove all of the participants from the water and get them to shore.