Lake Washington, the mother of all swimming experiences in Seattle. Credit: Kelly O

Lake Washington, the mother of all swimming experiences in Seattle.

Lake Washington, the mother of all swimming experiences in Seattle. Kelly O

Whenever people ask me where I swim in Seattle, I tell them I go to the edge of the land and get in—everywhere. It’s not like Los Angeles or Chicago, where the beaches are obvious. You need a guide to figure out where to go. But I’m convinced there is more water here than anywhere else in the world. I have so much to tell you.

This city has two public outdoor pools, eight public indoor pools, three lakes, and Puget Sound.

Jen Graves (The Stranger’s former arts critic) mostly writes about things you approach with your eyeballs. But she’s also a history nerd interested in anything that needs more talking about, from male...