Brilliant facility and one of the best spots in Greater Manchester for open water swimming. I've taken part in the weekly sessions in Ontario Basin and can't recommend it highly enough. The staff are genuinely friendly and welcoming, and the whole operation is really well run. Safety is clearly a priority — sessions are supervised with lifeguards on the water — but it never feels stuffy or over-managed, just relaxed and well organised. If you're new to open water, that makes a huge difference; you feel looked after from the moment you arrive. The setup itself is great. There are marked 300m and 500m loops, plus a separate area if you're just getting started or want to build confidence before heading out further. The water is clean and well maintained (the basin is closed off from the ship canal, so it's a world away from what people might expect of "the docks"), and there's coaching available if you want to work on your technique, sighting or build towards a triathlon or event swim. Location is a real bonus too — it's right in the heart of Salford Quays, a short walk from the tram, with parking on site and changing facilities, so it's easy to get to whether you're driving or on public transport. If you've been thinking about giving open water swimming a go, this is the place to do it. Friendly, safe, well organised and genuinely good fun. I always leave feeling great. Highly recommend!

What an amazing facility this place is and the staff are truly awesome. I've been swimming outdoors here since November and really look forward to it, wish I'd discovered it earlier. The staff really can't do enough to help, Jason, Jimmy, Sam and Ryan are superstars. Great facilities for all watersports, lovely warm changing rooms. Book in advance to avoid disappointment as it can be very popular. Lots of courses available.

Myself and my two sons attended the SUP session yesterday. It was my third time paddle boarding at the centre and a first time for my sons. Our instructor Ryan was absolutely amazing and made the session really fun and engaging. All 3 of us were confidently standing up on our boards within the first 30 minutes. My boys said that they learned so much and we can't wait to go back!

Dock 8 open water swimming is amazing. Beautiful city views, clean water and gorgeous wildlife. The actual centre building is kept very clean by hard working staff. The Lifeguards are really friendly and helpful, so too are the other swimmers.

We attended the introduction to stand up paddling on Thursday evening. Ryan the instructor was brilliant. Getting us onto the boards on our knees and once confident up to standing. There was a small group of us and it was great fun. We learnt how to use the paddle and the session was both informative and great fun. I loved the tricks session at the end but maybe at 50 year old I’m too old for headstands on the board!! All in all a great activity and good to try something new. Would recommend to all. At £15 each much cheaper than other sessions I’ve seen advertised and Ryan was encouraging and helpful. The warm shower after was much needed and the changing rooms clean too. Will def be back. Thank you very much.