Halifax Harbour hosting swim competition

This summer the Halifax Harbour will host its first open-water swimming competition in more than 50 years, according to Swim Nova Scotia.

Swim Nova Scotia, the umbrella organization for all swim clubs in the province, will host the event July 27.

Swimmers will start at the Cable Wharf, go around George's Island, and return.

There will be a 2.8-kilometreloop anda five-kilometreroute. There will also be a one-kilometreswim that will involve swimming straight out to the island and back.

Swim Nova Scotia says there hasn't been an open-water competition in the harbour more than 50 years. Swimmers used to race from Chinatown in the Bedford Basin to Black Rock Beach.

Halifax Harbour was off-limits to swimmers for decades, until a new sewage-treatment plant cleaned the water.