Swimming?

[simply-juniper.livejournal.com]

Where can one go swimming around here? I have a car and am willing to travel up to 30 minutes outside the city. Usually we go to Walden Pond or Revere Beach, is there anywhere else? No pools please, I prefer natural places meant for swimming (clean lake, ocean, pond). It'd also be nice to know if there's a fee to get in.

Thanks!

Comments

[sissychrissy1.livejournal.com]

There's the Reservoir in Arlington.

[simply-juniper.livejournal.com]

Nothermind, I found this: http://www.arlington2020.org/reservoir/ :) Thanks for your suggestion!

[dancingdeer.livejournal.com]

On a bike ride yesterday, we passed a public swimming beach in Winchester, part of the mystic river reservation.
http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/metroboston/mystic.htm

[simply-juniper.livejournal.com]

Cool, thanks!

[bluepapercup]

Just to let you know - Revere Beach is closed indefinitely right now b/c of a massive leak of raw sewage from a damaged pipe.

[simply-juniper.livejournal.com]

Thanks for letting me know! The one and only time I've been was July 4th, haven't made it back since but have wanted to. Glad to know our attempts not working out was a good thing!

[dancingdeer.livejournal.com]

Also just found this link, which looks like it could be very useful:
http://www.boston.com/travel/newengland/beaches/summer/livereport/

[simply-juniper.livejournal.com]

Oh, excellent. Thank you!

[guxx.livejournal.com]

Best place in Boston city limits is the stretch between around Pleasure Bay, adjacent to Castle Island in South Boston.

[seaweedgirle.livejournal.com]

I believe it's called Sandy Beach. A great place!

[sissychrissy1.livejournal.com]

I don't know if the link you found has the information you're looking for, so here's a bit more information for you...

Where? How do you get to it? Is there parking? Is there a fee for parking? Is there an actual beach? Can you swim there?

Off Lowell St. in Arlington Heights. Yes, there is parking, but it's limited due to work on the dam. I don't know if it costs though. There is a beach, and you can swim. It's $4-6 to get in depending on the day of the week and is open 12-8 weekdays and 10-8 weekends. All this information and more is available on page 17 of this summer's recreation brochure (in .pdf format):

The Arlington Reservoir (http://www.town.arlington.ma.us/public_documents/arlingtonMA_recreation/summer/Summer_2005_brochure.pdf)

[sissychrissy1.livejournal.com]

Oh, also, I really like Carson Beach in South Boston, near UMass. It's about a mile long, very clean, has showers and bathrooms and a snack bar. The water's sort of murky at times (particularly in the morning) but clears up quite a bit in the early afternoon. It's a lot colder than a lake though!

[simply-juniper.livejournal.com]

Oooh, thanks! Yes, that link didn't give me a lot but I could figure a lot out just from the map. I found another but it said nothing about limited parking or prices. Thanks for the info!

[julyana.livejournal.com]

I have found Walden Pond kind of gross and crowded lately. Try Singing Beach up at Manchester-by-the-Sea. The Communter Rail goes up there too or I think it is, like, $20 to park in the lot on weekends. You can always luck out and find a space for two hours. You do have to walk a ways to get to the beach, but I have always found it to be one of my favs. Also try Wingersheek in Gloucester. During the week after 1:00 seems best.

[simply-juniper.livejournal.com]

We went to Walden today and it was neither dirty or crowded. $5 to park and only 20 minutes away makes it my top pick. Manchester-by-the=Sea is too far out for me but thanks for your suggestion!

[julyana.livejournal.com]

No prob. Glad you had fun.

Wow, Walden wasn't crowded? I am very surprised. The last few times I went people were practically sitting on my lap. Absolutely no regard for personal space. And usually you have to wait in line on the street in order to park so that they can close up and let other people out. The water has been a bit nasty lately in my opinion.

You are missin' out at Singing...the sand sings as you walk.

Stay cool! I'm checking out Arlington.

[simply-juniper.livejournal.com]

Well, they did have a line of cars waiting to get in but it moved quickly and we easily found parking once inside. Usually I like to walk around and find a quiet little stop to myself but the water level has risen too high to find many of those. This time we were to the right of the main beach on one of the benches and there was plenty of room. The last time I went (a couple months ago) the water was fairly nasty because of pollen but now it's clean and clear.

I'm going to check out Singing, I just need to plan that kind of trip out for a weekend day. The closer the beach the easier to go swimming after work. :)

Great icon, btw!

[theref.livejournal.com]

Ugh, you ever been there on a hot sunny day? Mass of people... Definitely not worth it when you can go to Walden.

[simply-juniper.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the heads up :)

[ert.livejournal.com]

Yep, it's Sandy Beach. Don't know how it's doing these days, but three years ago it was the only place along the Mystic deemed safe enough to swim in (it's also the only public swimming beach in the Mystic River watershed), while the rest of the river was having water quality problems. I also noted that the Aberjona river, known for the Aberjona superfund site (http://yosemite.epa.gov/r1/npl_pad.nsf/51dc4f173ceef51d85256adf004c7ec8/25001afe0850c69a8525691f0063f701), empties into the Mystic nearby. They test the water at Sandy Beach on Thursdays (http://www.mysticriver.org/newsletters/4-05_newsletter-FINAL.pdf), and it was closed for six days in 2004 for water quality problems.

I never really felt too safe about the idea of swimming there, and never heave, despite the fact that I lived really really close to it for two summers.

[theref.livejournal.com]

It's mucky, gross, and ugh. Just go the extra miles it is to Walden. I know I do, and I live 5 minutes from the Rez.

[julyana.livejournal.com]

thanks hon.:)

well, if the water is better at Walden, I will definitely have to go back now. Sometimes the side part can be a bit rocky, but you can get a lot of sun.

[fanw.livejournal.com]

I've heard there's a place called Mystic Lake which is pretty close and not too packed. Searching led me to the Massachusetts Pond Maps (http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/dfw_pond.htm) website. Hope this helps!

[simply-juniper.livejournal.com]

Excellent. Thanks!