Bespoke Endurance Swim Series
Bespoke Endurance Swim Series is giving experienced open-water swimmers two final chances to get into the water before its summer Endurance Swim Series comes to a close, beginning with a Saturday morning swim in Stonington on August 29.
The guided session runs from 8 to 10 a.m. and is designed for swimmers who already have some open-water experience and want something different from a traditional swimming lesson.
There’s less standing around talking technique.
More swimming.
Built for Distance, Not Instruction
The Endurance Swim Series was created for people ready to move beyond introductory open-water instruction and concentrate on endurance, consistency and confidence.
That includes experienced recreational swimmers, triathletes and participants who have previously completed BESPOKE’s instructional clinic.
The emphasis is on maximizing time in the water.
Each organized swim is planned around local tides and conditions, with routes and distances selected to give participants an appropriate open-water challenge.
Choose Your Distance
Not everyone has to swim at the same speed or cover the same distance.
The group naturally separates according to pace, experience and individual goals, allowing swimmers to find others moving at a comfortable speed.
Most sessions offer as many as three distance options.
That gives someone training for a longer endurance event room to push farther while another swimmer can choose a route better suited to their current ability.
Distances and overall swimming time have gradually increased as the summer has progressed, making this late-August session one of the final opportunities to put that season of training to work.
Safety Comes With You
Open-water swimming is very different from following the black line at the bottom of a pool.
Visibility, currents, tides, water temperature and weather all become part of the experience.
BESPOKE requires participants to arrive with a brightly colored inflatable swim buoy and brightly colored swim cap so swimmers remain visible in the water.
Proper goggles and an appropriate swimsuit are also required.
A swimming wetsuit is strongly encouraged, particularly when water temperatures are cooler.
The sessions are fully supported and organized, but swimmers still need prior open-water experience or appropriate preparation before participating.
The Water Sets the Schedule
One of the defining features of the series is that nature gets a vote.
Sessions are planned around the best available tides and swimming conditions rather than forcing every swim into the same weekly time slot.
That means dates, times and locations can change if conditions aren’t considered safe.
Saturday’s scheduled two-hour session begins at 8 a.m. at BESPOKE in Stonington.
The August 29 swim wasn’t part of the series’ original schedule. It was added as one of two final Endurance Swims to close the season, with another scheduled for sunrise on Monday, September 7.
Two More Chances
For swimmers who spent the summer meaning to join the group but never quite made it, the season isn’t over yet.
Saturday offers the first of those final two opportunities.
The second arrives on Labor Day morning at 6 a.m., turning the final swim into an early-morning outing as the sun comes up.
Saturday’s session is limited to 18 swimmers. As of the most recent availability posted by BESPOKE, 11 spaces remained.
Drop-in admission is $45.
Then it’s into the water.
Event Details
Event: BESPOKE Endurance Swim Series
Date: Saturday, August 29, 2026
Time: 8–10 a.m.
Location: BESPOKE
Address: 22 Bayview Avenue, Stonington, CT 06378
Instructor: A.J. Massengale
Admission: $45 drop-in
Capacity: 18 swimmers
Experience: Prior open-water experience or completion of an instructional clinic recommended
Required Equipment: Brightly colored inflatable swim buoy, brightly colored swim cap, proper swim goggles and appropriate swimsuit
Wetsuit: Strongly encouraged
Weather and Conditions: Session details are subject to change when conditions are unsafe
Final Series Swim: Monday, September 7 at 6 a.m.
BESPOKE’s Endurance Swim Series gives experienced open-water swimmers a supported environment for building distance, stamina and confidence in the waters around Stonington.
To purchase a spot, click the Event Ticketing link below.
Featured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people, location, or activities shown.
