More than 200 people are expected to jump into Baltimore's Inner Harbor on Saturday, July 19, for the second "Harbor Splash" event, according to the Waterfront Partnership.

The event will kick off at the Bond Street Wharf in Fells Point and accommodate swimmers ages 18 and up. The event is now sold out. 

Harbor Splash celebrates the progress that the city has made in improving the harbor's water quality.

The Healthy Harbor Initiative has been at the forefront of cleanup efforts. The group was established by the Waterfront Partnership in 2010 with the goal of creating a swimmable and fishable waterfront.

Is it safe to swim in Baltimore's Inner Harbor? 

According to the Waterfront Partnership, Baltimore's harbor is generally swimmable if it has not rained within the previous 48 hours.

Still, there is a risk of stomach or respiratory illness for those with compromised immune systems or those with open wounds.

Swimmers should be mindful to only swim around areas that are deep enough to prevent contact with sediment, as the bottom of the harbor contains pollutants that should not be stirred up.

Inner Harbor water quality, ecosystem sees improvement

The Waterfront Partnership said it has worked extensively to improve the Inner Harbor's water quality and ecosystem since 2013.

"When we launched the Healthy Harbor Initiative in 2010, floating trash was considered an intractable way of life. Trash booms at outfalls were easily overwhelmed and skimmer boats required extensive fuel and manpower to operate," the partnership wrote in the 2024 Healthy Harbor Report Card.

The Waterfront Partnership said that it has worked to improve the habitat for animals and small organisms. According to the report, more than 350,000 oysters are grown in the harbor each year.

Oysters are a critical component of Maryland's economy and help filter water.

First "Harbor Splash" saw success

The first Harbor Splash event that took place in June 2024 had a turnout of nearly 150 swimmers, including Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott.

It marked the first public swimming event in the Inner Harbor in more than 40 years.

"We know our work is far from over, but we must start swimming. It's a commitment to keep working to ensure that our ecosystem thrives and that swimming in the harbor becomes a routine occurrence," Michael Hankin, president and CEO of Brown Advisory and chairman of Waterfront Partnership's Healthy Harbor Initiative, said.

Baltimore ultra-marathon swimmer in Inner Harbor 

In April, Baltimore open-water ultra-marathon swimmer Katie Pumphrey completed a six-hour swim in the Inner Harbor.

Pumphrey used the swim to encourage others to swim in the open water and as a qualifying practice for her third English Channel crossing.

"More and more is happening, I'm really excited for this to be a more regular thing," Pumphrey said. "Open water swimming should be done with a lot of safety in place and with all things in mind. Our Inner Harbor is a beautiful place for open water swimming."

In 2024, Pumphrey also completed a more than 12-hour swim from the Chesapeake Bay to the Inner Harbor.