Wild Swimming: Top 10 Best Spots in Canada and USA

GlobalEAT - Wild Swimming: Top 10 Best Spots in Canada and USA
The largest and longest beach in the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is rich in history and nature. In the winter months, it's a popular storm-watching destination. (Pixaline/pixabay)

First Published: August 09, 2017 | Updated: June 09, 2022

Wild swimming has gained popularity especially during the pandemic when pools were closed.  With soaring summer temperatures, the joy of taking an al-fresco dip in refreshing natural waters has never felt more appealing.

The movement was inspired partly by writer, environmentalist and film-maker, Roger Deakin.  Deakin journeyed across Britain, swimming through the network of rivers, lakes and rock pools.

It’s great way to explore beauty in secluded places inexpensively. Wild swimming places include any natural body of water such as ocean, sea, river, lake and stream.

Canada: Top 10 Places

Did you know that close to 7.8 per cent of Canada’s terrain is covered by fresh water? Canada is home to nearly 14 per cent of the world’s lakes with surface areas over 500 square kilometres .

Surveys suggest that the nation may well has as many as two million lakes, cited thecanadianencyclopedia.ca.

Tofino sits on the stunning shores of the Pacific Ocean . The area nestled within the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Reserve is known for its world-class waves and miles of pristine beaches, backed by beautiful coastal landscapes.

The 10 best beaches in Canada, according to World Beach Guide 2022 Rating.

    1. Chesterman Beach, Tofino, British Columbia
    2. Crystal Crescent Beach, Sambro Creek, Nova Scotia
    3. San Josef Beach, Cape Scott Provincial Park, British Columbia
    4. Cavendish Beach, Cavendish, Prince Edward Island
    5. Carters Beach, Liverpool, Nova Scotia
    6. Ingonish Beach, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia,
    7. Long Beach, Pacific Rim National Park, British Columbia
    8. Kitsilano Beach, Vancouver, British Columbia
    9. Wreck Beach, Vancouver, British Columbia
    10. Spanish Banks, Vancouver, British Columbia

10 Best U.S. Beaches

The 2022 list of best beaches in America is compiled by Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman who goes by the name, Dr. Beach. Leatherman is the professor and director of the Laboratory for Coastal Research at Florida International University.  A coastal scientist and author of 20 books and hundreds of scientific articles and reports about storm impacts, coastal erosion and ways to improve beach health and safety.

Dr. Beach’s annual survey covers some 650 U.S. beaches, based on 50 criteria including cleanliness, sand quality, water temperature, facilities and safety.

  1. Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach, Outer Banks of North Carolina
  2. Caladesi Island State Park, Dunedin/Clearwater, Florida
  3. Coopers Beach, Southampton, New York
  4. St. George Island State Park, Florida Panhandle
  5. Duke Kahanamoku Beach, Oahu, Hawaii
  6. Lighthouse Beach, Buxton, Outer Banks of North Carolina
  7. Coronado Beach, San Diego, California
  8. Wailea Beach, Maui, Hawaii
  9. Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina
  10. Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts

Top 10 American Freshwater Lakes

These are the most gorgeous freshwater lakes to swim in the U.S., according to Live Science.

  1. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
  2. Lake Tahoe
  3. Tettegouche State Park
  4. Emerald Lake
  5. Crater Lake
  6. Bottomless Lakes
  7. Lake Crescent
  8. Flathead Lake in Montana
  9. Pyramid Lake
  10. Norris Lake

Link

Wild Swim Places