The Cross-Continental Bosphorus Swim
Kanlıca (Asia) to Kuruçeşme (Europe), across the Bosphorus.
Approx. 6.5 km
Open water swimming in Bebek
Bebek Swimming Club
An open water swimming community
Based in Bebek, İstanbul. Brought together by the sea.
Follow us on InstagramAbout
This is our water
Bebek is where it all began. Every summer, as the sun rises over the Bosphorus, you'll almost always find someone from the club already in the water. We're a community of open water swimmers who share the same stretch of sea, the same early mornings, and the same love of swimming in it together.
Swim With Us
Swim with us
We meet in Bebek for open water swims through the season, and some of us keep swimming long after the warm months end. If you're keen to join a morning swim or brave a cold-water dip, follow us on Instagram or send us a message there.
Message us on InstagramThe races we swim together
The Dardanelles (Çanakkale) Strait Swim
Eceabat (Europe) to Çanakkale (Asia), across the Dardanelles Strait.
Approx. 5 km
Our Seas
Protecting the sea that brings us together
We swim in these waters every day, so we do what we can to protect them. For the past four years, we've run an annual campaign with our partner, the Marine Life Conservation Society (Deniz Yaşamını Koruma Derneği – DYKD), to support their work in protecting marine life in Turkey's seas.
In partnership with DYKDPeople
The people behind the club
Murat Öz
Ultra Marathon Swimmer · Triple Crown · Architect
Architect by training (ENSAP La Villette, Paris), Murat has turned open water swimming into a life philosophy. His goal to cross the English Channel at 40 became a defining achievement — one that has taken him across 3 continents and 5 countries. He is one of the 20 people worldwide to have crossed the English Channel twice. He brings these experiences — preparation, goal-setting, resilience — to keynotes and workshops through Una Unda.
Yasemin Altıntaş
Ultra Marathon Swimmer · Triple Crown · Strategist & Planner
MBA from INSEAD. 344th person worldwide to complete the Triple Crown: Catalina Channel (34km), Manhattan Island (48km) and the English Channel (36km), all in under a year. A certified yoga teacher, she shares her methodology — mental focus, goal-setting, resilience — through Bamboo Mind.
Margot
Bear Hunter Turned Swimmer
Margot is a Weimaraner, a breed once used to hunt bears. She chose the sea instead. Born on June 6, 2016, she has lived with Murat since she was a puppy and never misses a chance to swim with Murat and Yasemin. She can finish a 5K in under 90 minutes. She is the club's most enthusiastic member, and the only one who shakes off right next to you.
Shop
Wear the club, support the sea
Our BSC cap, beanie and socks are made for early mornings and cold water. All proceeds go to DYKD. Valmira sunglasses are made by recycling the ghost nets we help collect from the seas each year.
Message us for more info
Contact
Come swim with us
The best way to reach us is on Instagram. Send us a message for morning swims, cold-water dips, events or anything else. That's where we share what's happening, day by day.
Message us on Instagram