Kid wearing a life jacket jumping off pier

Health and Safety

Four Pier-Swimming Safety Tips

Foto por: Kelly Sikkema
Lindi Osborne, Waterkeeper Swim Guide
July 14, 2025

Piers are the perfect place to stroll by the water, go for a swim, watch a sunset, or try your hand at fishing. Some piers, like the Gord Edgar Downie Swimming Pier, are not only beloved swimming spots, but also a testament to communities fighting for accessible and swimmable waters in urban cities. While piers can be great for many types of water recreation, they also offer specific hazards to swimmers. Learn how to avoid these hazards before you head to the water!

Types of Piers

Some piers, like the Gord Edgar Downie Pier, are meant to be enjoyed by swimmers. Rob Baker of the Tragically Hip has some great tips for how to safely go swimming at the Gord Edgar Downie Pier here!

Unfortunately, not all piers are safe to swim around. Fishing, working, and pleasure piers aren't meant for swimming, and it's dangerous to swim off or near them. Fishing piers are for those who want to fish, working piers are often for ships and industry, and pleasure piers are often used for amusement parks or other attractions. They each have their purpose, and only using these piers for their designed purpose is the best way to stay safe around them. However, even swimming piers have safety hazards to keep in mind when visiting.

Image of the Gord Downie Pier
Foto por: Photo by Kai Abreu

Here's How to Safely Swim Around Piers

1.) Know how to avoid, recognize, and escape rip currents!

Strong and fixed rip currents often form near piers. If you get caught in a rip current, the water will pull you away from the shore. Rip currents can form in any waterbody that has waves, meaning that both lake piers and ocean piers can pose this risk! To avoid rip currents, swim at least 30 meters away from a pier.

These currents may appear as a choppy line of water moving in a circular motion, a column of seaweed or other beach sediment that is being sucked out to sea, gaps between waves, waves in disrupted patterns, and as darker coloured or muddy waters.

It’s nearly impossible to swim back to shore against the pull of a rip current for even the most experienced swimmers. The best way to escape a rip current is swimming parallel to shore until you no longer feel the pull, then swim back to the beach.

 Image of a sign warning of swimmers of rip currents on a beach
Foto por: Photo by Anders Marlowe

2.) Be aware of structural currents and longshore currents.


Structural currents are essentially rip currents that are created near a shoreline structure. They are almost always present near piers or other structures where water can be funneled away from the shore in a long, narrow channel.

Longshore currents move parallel to the shore. They are formed when wind and waves hit the shoreline from an angle, forcing water down the length of a beach in a single direction.

A longshore current can push a swimmer into a structural current or rip current. It can be very difficult to escape multiple currents in the same area, and you may end up being passed from one current to another. The most effective way to prevent being caught in multiple currents is to avoid swimming directly by a pier.

3.) Be cautions of strong waves, rocks, and other hazards!

Powerful waves around piers can crush you or push you into the pier or surrounding structures and rocks. Strong waves and storm surges are especially a concern before, during, or after stormy weather. Storm surges are sets of long waves that form in the deep water offshore and get more powerful as they come inland.

Rocks on the bottom of a waterbody can also be hazards, since you can injure yourself by jumping onto sharp rocks. Always look before you leap, and make a note of things like water and air temperature, wind, and waves before you swim.

Image of rocks on the shores of a beach
Foto por: Photo by Joe Holland

4.) Steer clear of people fishing!


Piers—whether designated or not—are popular places for fishing. Watch out for both fishing hooks and large fish when you are swimming by a pier. You may be hooked or tangled in lines or nets.

Fishing is often allowed on piers, and some beaches ban swimming near fixed structures to keep swimmers safe. Make sure you aren’t putting yourself in danger by swimming too close to people who are fishing.

With these safety tips on hand, you’re ready to set out swimming!