Swim Day Schedule for Swimmers 

• Meet at Cass Park - Start your day at the Cass Park Rink, where you check in with the rest of your pod, then take a bus to the swim entry point on the east shore of the lake. 
• Parking- Park in one of the adjacent lots to the ice rink and walk to the rink. 
• When to Arrive (early!) - You will have been assigned a check-in time for the swim at Packet Pick-Up. Arrive at Cass Park in plenty of time before then to park, use the bathroom, or have a last-minute snack, and check-in with your pod. Wear your swimsuit to Cass Park to save time.  Arriving anywhere other than Cass Park Rink or arriving late that morning may mean you miss the bus with your pod, so please arrive at the rink with plenty of time to spare. 
• Arrival times at Cass Park for Swimmers 

Wave I – Pods 1-3
	6:15 a.m.	Swimmers gather for check-in at Cass Park Rink
	6:45 a.m.	Swimmers board the assigned bus
Wave II – Pods 4-6
	6:25 a.m.	Swimmers gather for check-in at Cass Park Rink
	6:55 a.m.	Swimmers board the assigned bus
Wave III – Pods 7-9
	6:35 a.m.	Swimmers gather for check-in at Cass Park Rink
	7:05 a.m.	Swimmers board the assigned bus
Wave IV – Pods 10-12
	7:00 a.m.	Swimmers gather for check-in at Cass Park Rink
	7:30 a.m.	Swimmers board the assigned bus
Wave V – Pods 13-15
	7:05 a.m.	Swimmers gather for check-in at Cass Park Rink
	7:35 a.m.	Swimmers board the assigned bus
Wave VI – Pods 16-18
	7:20 a.m.	Swimmers in Wave VI gather for check-in at Cass Park Rink
	7:50 a.m.	Swimmers board the assigned bus
Wave VII – Pods 19-21
	7:45 a.m.	Swimmers gather for check-in at Cass Park Rink
	8:15 a.m.	Swimmers board the assigned bus
Wave VIII - Pods 22-24
	7:50 a.m.	Swimmers gather for check-in at Cass Park Rink
	8:20 a.m.	Swimmers board the assigned bus
Wave IX - Pods 25-27
	8:05 a.m.	Swimmers gather for check-in at Cass Park Rink
	8:35 a.m.	Swimmers board the assigned bus
Wave X - Pods 28-29
	8:30 a.m.	Swimmers gather for check-in at Cass Park Rink
	9:00 a.m.	Swimmers board the assigned bus
~11:00 a.m.		Final swimmers arrive back at the IYC South Dock
~11:15 a.m.		Closing ceremonies at IYC, awards, raffles
~12:30 p.m.		Last TCAT shuttle to Cass leaves to go to IYC

• Swimmer Check-In - At Cass Park Rink, look for safety cones with markers that match the color of your pod/swim cap and check in there. A Pod Manager will have a clipboard in that color and will be wearing the same color bandana. That's the volunteer you check in with. It is very important that you wait with your pod until it’s time to get on the shuttle bus that will transport you, with your pod, from Cass Park to the east shore of the lake, where you'll start your swim. Your Pod volunteers will escort you to your bus when it’s time to go. 
• The Pod Manager will hand your pod off to a Wave Manager who rides the bus with you. There are several pods assigned to each bus. When you reach the east shore, the Wave Manager checks in the Swim Coordinators on shore. The Swim Coordinators will let you know when it's your pod's turn to enter the water.
• What to Do with Your Stuff - Most of the things you'll need after your swim (towels, change of clothes, etc) will be transported from Cass Park to the Ithaca Yacht Club (IYC) and placed near the Swimmer Changing Space for you to find easily after your swim. Put those things in a bag clearly marked with your name and pod number. Tags with your pod number will be provided. You may want to send a towel to the IYC with a family member or friend who can hand it to you as soon as you leave the dock after your swim.
• You may want a sweatshirt, flip flops, or a bottle of water as you ride the bus to the swim entry point. Please keep items you take on the bus to a minimum. You will be getting off the bus and into the water fairly quickly, so you won’t need much. To make retrieval easy, bring along a small bag (like a plastic grocery store bag, or a zip-top bag) with your name clearly visible on it, and then stow your belongings in that bag. Each pod will have a large laundry bag clearly identified with the pod number. All swimmers in the pod will put their belongings in the “pod bag”. These bags will be returned to the IYC and placed on the tables by the Swimmer Changing Space. 
• We have an eyeglass retrieval system so that swimmers who will need their glasses immediately after exiting the water can find them easily and quickly. There will be a special place to leave eyeglasses at the swim entry point. Please put your glasses in a case labeled clearly with your name. Glasses will then be placed in a special bin on the South Dock at the IYC near where you’ll come out of the water.

Crossing the Lake for Swimmers and Paddlers

• ​Please read the Safety Manual for Swimmers & Paddlers for details about what to expect at the start of the swim and as you're crossing the lake. In the event of a high wind, rain, or HABs cancelation, there will be no party.
  
  

After the Swim - Party and Breakfast at Ithaca Yacht Club (IYC)

• Exciting the Water -  You did it! Your escort paddlers will guide you to the South Dock of the IYC. Climb one of the two ladders onto the dock to be greeted by Hospicare staff with congratulations and a blanket, if you need it. Make sure the check-out volunteers have checked your name off the list of swimmers so we know you've safely finished your swim.

• Your Stuff - Eyeglasses can be retrieved from the bin on the South Dock, and your change of clothes and other items will be on the tables by the Swimmer Changing Space. 

• Swimmer Changing Space - There is a designated Swimmer Changing Space at the IYC for after your swim. Tables will be placed by the building and your belongings will be placed there, organized by pod number. A volunteer will remain with the belongings. Please note, there are no toilet or shower facilities available for Women Swimmin'. The plumbing infrastructure at the IYC is simply not geared to accommodate such a large number of swimmers. Port-a-johns will be available.

Your friends and family can meet you after you exit the dock. The Swimmer Changing Space is behind and to the left of the main IYC building, as you exit the dock. From there, port-a-potties are across the lawn. Get into dry clothes as soon as you can, especially if the air temperature is chilly or it's windy on swim day. We don't want you to get too chilled.

Once you're dried off, enjoy a good breakfast, with our compliments for a job well done! Your friends and family can also have breakfast, for a suggested donation of $5. Stick around the IYC and listen to the music of The Yardvarks and enjoy the festivities. After all the swimmers and paddlers are ashore, we'll have closing ceremonies to draw the name for the stand-up paddleboard raffle, will announce winners for top fundraising prizes, and will announce the total amount raised for Hospicare!

Shuttle Busses 

Shuttle buses going back to Cass Park leave from the top of the stairs on the parking lot side of the IYC. The shuttle will make stops at both Union Fields (where spectators and volunteers park) and Cass Park Rink.

Detailed Schedule

6:15 a.m.    Women Swimmin' staff and Safety Team meet to make "Go/No Go" decision, based on a detailed weather forcast, lake conditions, reports from HAB harriers, and other environmental concerns. If the conditions are not safe for the swim across the lake, the Women Swimmin’ staff posts to the Women Swimmin' website (womenswimmin.org) and social media (facebook.com/WomenSwimmin).
6:15 a.m.    Lake swimmers begin to gather for check-in at Cass Park Rink, according to their pod assignment.
6:00 a.m.    Escort Paddlers begin to arrive at IYC and get ready to put boats in the water per their assignments. Please arrive at least one hour before your pod gets in the water. (All paddlers must wait for the "Go" announcement from the Safety Team Lead before they put their boats in the water, at around 6:30a.m.)
6:30 a.m.    Paddlers (KST, LSP, and Escort Paddlers for first pods) put their boats in the water to be ready to head out when the Safety Team Lead gives the "Go"
6:35 a.m.    The Safety Team Lead, in her kayak, leads paddlers (KST, LSP, and Escort Paddlers for first pods) out across the lake. KST and LSP move into their assigned positions as they cross the lake. Escort Paddlers continue to the east shore.
6:30 a.m.    TCAT shuttles start running from Cass Park Union Fields to IYC (only for spectators and volunteers).
6:45 a.m.    Lake Swimmers begin to board buses to go to the swim entry point, according to their pod assignment.
7:10 a.m.    First pod of swimmers enters the water for their swim across the Lake!
7:30 a.m.    Breakfast opens for spectators and volunteers.
7:45 a.m.    The Yardvarks begin to play.
7:45 a.m.    Merchandise and raffle sales open.
7:45 a.m.    Swimmers begin arriving back at IYC.
8:00 a.m.    Last pods of lake swimmers arrive at Cass Park Rink to be checked into their pods.
9:10 a.m.    Last pod of swimmers enters the water.
11:00 a.m.    Final Swimmers complete their swim and arrive at IYC.
11:15 a.m.    Closing ceremonies, award presentation, drawing of raffle winner
11:30 a.m.    Clean-up begins. Feel free to stay and help!
12:30 p.m.    Last run of shuttle buses from IYC to Cass Park