The Timaru Ocean Swim takes place at Caroline Bay, Timaru, New Zealand, and is organised by Timaru Open Water Swim Group.

Swimmers can choose from four distances; a 500m, 1.5km, 2.5km and 5km ocean swim in an around-the-buoys course format.

• The 500m ocean swim will see swimmers start on the beach at Caroline Bay before completing a short triangular course inside the bay and finishing back on the beach.
• The 1.5km ocean swim will see swimmers start on the beach at Evans Bay before heading straight across the face of the harbour entrance and along the front of the breakwater before rounding into the calmer waters of Caroline Bay to finish.
• The 2.5km ocean swim will see swimmers start on the beach at Evans Bay before heading into the inner harbour before swimming back out to the open ocean and along the front of the breakwater before rounding into the calmer waters of Caroline Bay to finish.
• The 5km ocean swim will see swimmers start on the beach at Caroline Bay before heading diagonally out and across to the point directly below the Benvenue Cliffs before turning back for the long 1.5km leg all the way across to Evans Bay where the second half of the course will start. Swimmers will swim into the inner harbour and back out to the open ocean and along the front of the breakwater before rounding into the calmer waters of Caroline Bay to finish. This swim is a challenge for any swimmer and a true test of stamina.