Certification

Why certify when you can swim completely on your own?  HOW does not own the ocean and encourages swimmers to enjoy the natural beauty and challenges of Hawaiʻi.  HOW assists the open water swimming community by providing limited information regarding open water swimming in Hawaiʻi, rules, certification, and documentation of a completed swim.  Certification has many potential benefits: 

1. It can serve to document swimmer proficiency when applying for organized swim events.

2. It can help the swimmer develop goals.

3. It can help the swimmer identify other swimmers with similar interests, goals and abilities by documenting successful swims.

4. Completion of HOW swims may encourage swimmers to take on bigger challenges like channel swimming.

Hawaii Open Water

Established 2025