Travesía de Lima

Open water swimming turns into an endurance test against river currents and open winds. The Travesía de Lima is an open water swimming race held in the expansive river waters of the Paraná at Lima, in the Zárate district of Buenos Aires province. Organized by Master Natación Buenos Aires, the competition is set entirely within this dynamic river environment. Held in the southern hemisphere summer in February, the event offers two distinct challenges for competitors: a 1,000-meter sprint and a marathon 10,000-meter course. Entering the river means contending with its living flow from the very first stroke. In past editions, participants described the crossing as a demanding journey where both the river current and persistent winds accompanied them over miles of open water. In past editions, swimmers faced a punishing final stretch, having to exert considerable extra physical effort to maintain their sighting and line as the rushing current pushed hard against them toward the finish.

Río Baradero and Río Areco: channels of the lower Paraná

Branching off from the main lower Paraná channel at kilometer 275 near San Pedro, the Río Baradero winds for 46 kilometers through the surrounding lowlands. The channel traverses a floodable plain bordered on its right bank by the prominent Paraná barranca cliffs, with river depths dropping to 4 meters just off the municipal beach of Baradero. Further down, the river system receives the waters of the Río Areco, an inland waterway that drains a basin of roughly 368,000 hectares. Born from the confluence of the Los Ranchos and El Huncalito streams in Carmen de Areco, the river snakes for approximately 124 kilometers before emptying into the Baradero. Along its course, open banks cut by 1- to 2-meter ravines reveal hard tosca rock veins that create small natural waterfalls in the riverbed. At the mouth where the Areco meets the Baradero, the carved river bottom reaches its maximum depth of 9 meters.

From Isla Talavera to Zárate: ancient shores and rail bridges

By the mid-18th century, early settlers had established a public oratory at Rincón de las Palmas, a riverside territory also known as Rincón de Zárate or Rincón de la Pescadería. Long before the town of Zárate was officially founded in 1825, a small population lived in simple adobe huts right on the edge of the Paraná. By 1880, Zárate's original river wharf had been rebuilt to create "El Bajo," an active waterfront district that served as the cradle for maritime shipping and the region's earliest commercial facilities along the banks. Towering over this delta landscape today is the massive Zárate-Brazo Largo railway complex, which spans both the Paraná de las Palmas and the Paraná Guazú channels.

Lima and the Paraná de las Palmas: beaches and riverfront

The river margins are lush and wild, fringed by native ceibo trees, river willows, and thick climbing vegetation. These nutrient-rich freshwater currents host a thriving aquatic population, making the shoreline a classic retreat for sport fishermen seeking species such as dorado, carp, patí, and river catfish. Along this stretch, sweeping panoramic viewpoints overlook private ravines and preserved gallery forests along a 1,000-meter coastal ribbon on the Paraná de las Palmas. Golden sand beaches border the river, creating a relaxed coastal gathering spot where locals and visitors spend sunny afternoons sharing mate and strolling along the water's edge. The urban riverfront has been updated with illuminated promenades, parkland, and boardwalks that skirt the river reeds. To cap off the day, swimmers can step directly from the riverbank onto permanently moored riverboats that have been transformed into charming floating restaurants and inns.