John 'The River Guy'

I honestly can’t remember how I discovered Lake Wedowee for open water swim adventures. It was another birth sprung from the pandemic exhausted summer of either 2020 or ’21. More than likely it came down to me visiting a business account somewhere in central eastern Alabama or Auburn University for some event years prior to that – driving over it while meandering my way down the vulture obsessed 431 route – and looking down and stating to myself………….hey, that looks like a great place to swim! No matter how I ended up there………….I love it. Being the Tallapoosa River system it means clean, sanitary water (relatively speaking), deep water and peaceful exercise in the fading summer sun. It’s always my first ‘travel’ swim of the summer, taking place during the first half of June. I start from the public pier behind the Lakeside Marina and Grill, swimming about two football fields downriver, across to the residential side of the channel then up stream under the bridge to the bouys and back around to the fishing pier where I started. It has some minor traffic you have to stop for, yet usually boaters are considerate and even not surprised seeing swimmers, unlike some other places I’ve journeyed into. There are ‘speed stops’ for safety and wake dynamics in the heart of the route also.

It’s a good ‘whip around’ 80% ‘bank’ swim down and up a channel with free parking, considerate boaters and the June promise of high sun daylight to give me ample time………….to take my time. It’s also my favorite ‘ambiance’ route with establishments galore in Oxford and Anniston in which to stop and refresh. You had the old Thai One On there on Noble Street downtown, which has sadly closed. Which offered great delectable duck in coconut sauce and friendly conversation with the owner. Then there is the great time always to be had at Mellow Mushroom up in Oxford. Where ever one ends up after tackling ‘Lake ‘Wee’ it just puts an exclamation point on the excursion and brings anticipation for what other adventures the next two summer months hold.

-Stay Wet