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R2R Open Water Swimming at Millbrook Quarry
Rehab To Racing provides an open water swim training venue near Haymarket, Virginia. Millbrook Quarry is a privately owned, spring-fed rock quarry that is primarily a scuba training facility. April 2010 will mark our 2nd year of open water swimming at Millbrook Quarry. Swimming is from 2:30 to 4:30 PM on Sunday afternoons as posted. There will be no refunds in case of inclement weather.
Tickets are $25 purchased in advance online through the Rehab To Racing website. (Link at the end of this section) You must purchase your quarry swim ticket online by midnight Saturday before the Sunday swim.
Open Water Swim Practice Rules and Regulations:
- Your safety is our primary consideration. For that reason, you must wear a wetsuit.
- Open water swim coaching is available, but must be pre-arranged by e-mail with R2R staff. coaches@rehabtoracing.com The fee is $50/person for a 30 minute session with an R2R swim coach. Limit of 2 swimmers per coach. Coaching sessions will be scheduled between 2:30 and 4 pm. Payment for coaching is either check or cash at the time of the coaching. All swimmers must purchase the swim ticket/waiver on the website.
- After purchasing Quarry admission online (link below), you will be redirected to be able to view and print out the R2R Millbrook Quarry Swim Ticket & Waiver (please wait 5 seconds for paypal to redirect you to the swim ticket). You must date and sign the swim ticket, and give an emergency contact person’s full name and phone number.
- You must check into the quarry with the gatekeeper between 2:15 and 3 PM. Present your completed R2R Millbrook Quarry Swim Ticket & Waiver to the attendant, who will have a check list of all who have paid their admission fees online for your swim date. After checking in, proceed past Beach #2. Look for the R2R sign. If it has been raining, be aware that the quarry roads are gravel and dirt. The speed limit is 5 mph. Drive very slowly! You speed—you leave! No Exceptions!
- Millbrook Quarry is private property. Our continued use of this facility depends upon our care of the property and water resource. You must respect all requests of Dive Shop or R2R staff on site. Please be considerate of others at all times! Pick up all trash before leaving.
- Scuba divers have the right of way at all times both on land and in the water. Be aware that in full equipment with a neoprene hood on, they may not be able to hear you!
- Pets are not allowed on the grounds at Millbrook Quarry. Only swimmers who have paid through the R2R website will be allowed in the water. Each person entering the gate must pay the $25 fee in advance.
- NO PETS, no fireworks, no drugs, no guns, NO EXCEPTIONS. All people entering the quarry grounds must have a ticket. Only swimmers with wetsuits on are allowed in the water.
- YOU MUST bring all supplies/water/food/towels that you might need. There are no supplies, facilities, or potable water on site. There are two Porta-Lets at the quarry, do not use the woods. Consider bringing your own emergency toilet paper.
- You MUST wear a sleeveless or full wetsuit and visible swim cap at all times when in the water. Note that in April and May the water will be quite cold, often in the upper 50s to low 60s! This is a safety regulation as the suits provide at least 3 or more pounds of buoyancy. A skin suit or compression swim garment is not adequate. Prior to mid June, you should consider bringing a neoprene cap if you are sensitive to cold water. (Secret Tip – if you hate being cold, bring a quart of warm water in a thermos to pour into your wetsuit just before entering the water.) There will be a safety kayaker.
- You will be swimming in water that in some places is almost 100 feet deep. There are usually scuba diver trainees in the quarry. Do your best to avoid surfacing scuba divers at all times. Scuba diver locations are easily identified by the masses of bubbles coming to the surface. Scuba divers swimming on the surface may have trouble hearing you if they have a neoprene hood on, and they may have limited vision to their side. Scuba training platforms are suspended under water at several places in the quarry from large blue metal buoys. Stay at least 30 feet from any of these platforms.
- There will be bright orange inflatable turn buoys similar to those used in triathlons to help you practice sighting. One pair of buoys will have a yellow floating polypro rope between them. Beginners in open water may want to swim back and forth between these buoys along the rope. Please stick to the line of sight between the orange inflated buoys while swimming.
- You will be asked to log yourself into and out of the water.
- Swimmers must be out of the water by 4:30 pm and driving out by 4:45 pm, and observe all other quarry regulations.
- Millers Point is a private area reserved for the owners of the property. Please respect their privacy if you see individuals in that area.
Swim Dates:
- April 18, 25
- May 2, 16, 23
- June 6, 20, 27
- July 11, 18
- August 1, 8, 22, 29
- Sept 5, 19, 26
Directions to Millbrook Quarry: 17301 John Marshall Hwy, Broad Run, VA 20137
Hwy 66 west toward Front Royal.
Take Haymarket Exit #40, and left on US Rte 15 south back across I-66.
At traffic light, turn right on VA Rte 55 west.
Proceed 3.6 miles.
Look for the R2R Swim sign and entrance on the left, just past the Broad Run bridge. Enter there and take the left fork.
Give your ticket/waiver to the gatekeeper and proceed past Beach 2. Look for R2R sign.
IMPORTANT:
-Please email us with which date you will be attending after payment.
-After purchasing Quarry admission online (link below), you will be redirected to be able to view and print out the R2R Millbrook Quarry Swim Ticket & Waiver (please wait 5 seconds for paypal to redirect you to the swim ticket). You must date and sign the swim ticket, and give an emergency contact person’s full name and phone number.
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