The three-leg series starts in Warrnambool on December 28.

Port Fairy hosts round two on January 3 and the series wraps up in Port Campbell on January 17.

Series committee member Jon Watson said 49 swimmers completed the two-kilometre practice dip on Saturday.

“Some days there will only be a couple,” he said.

“I think the most we’ve had is 52 and that was in the height of summer.

“A core group of a dozen do it all year long and as the weather grows, (participation) gets better.”

Watson said “every single one” used the organised swims to prepare for the ocean water series, which tests their physical and mental mettle at three contrasting beaches.

“There is a lot of fierce competition in the series, not to win it but between mates,” he said. “We follow the yellow buoys out there.

“Everyone waits for each other. The unwritten rule is you can swim as fast as you can to the first buoy and wait for everyone to catch up.

“The nice thing is the community side. Everyone goes to the Pavilion for coffee afterwards.”

The weekly swims take roughly 50 minutes — depending on the weather. “It’s very different from one day to the next,” Watson said.

“Saturday was pretty perfect. A group of us swam without wetsuits.

“It can get pretty fresh. The water was sitting at 14 degrees.”

The Shipwreck Coast Swim Series is likely to be without Warrnambool superfish Isaac Jones, who is overseas honing his skills at an American college. Jones accepted a scholarship at the University of Kentucky and moved to America in August.

“It makes the open grade swimmers happy — they might have a chance,” Watson said.

“We have the novice section again and we’re trying to get those new to open water swimming in.”

justine.mc@fairfaxmedia.com.au