What to bring to your first swim lesson in Manhattan

The night before a first swim lesson, most people are less worried about swimming than about logistics. Where exactly is the pool, and what do you carry there? A short checklist takes care of most of it.

Pack these

• A towel.
• Flip-flops, for the deck and the locker room.
• A lock for your locker. You can bring your own or buy one.
• A swimsuit, and a change of clothes for afterward.

You do not need to buy a cap or goggles ahead of time. AquaSkills has loaner caps and goggles, and new ones are available for purchase if you decide you like them. Goggles are worth trying, especially if putting your face in the water is the part you dread.

Getting there

The pool is at 88 Fulton Street, New York, NY 10038, between William and Gold Streets. The school describes the location as extremely accessible by subway and close to the PATH train.

The pool is inside a private spa and club, so the front desk and locker rooms belong to the venue. Membership to the spa is not required for your lesson, though you are welcome to join. The facility has showers, locker rooms and blow dryers. The school's advice is to make sure you know where the pool is before you head into the locker room.

The one text to send

When you arrive, text (646) 724-7024. The school's instruction is text only on arrival, so a text is the right way to reach them, not a call.

Lessons at AquaSkills are by appointment only, so you set up your time by text or phone before you come. If your plans change, tell the school as early as you can. Ask about the cancellation policy when you book, because the school says an intro class missed without notice is forfeited.

Leave a little extra time for the first visit. You will be finding the entrance, changing, and showering before you get in the water, and nobody learns well while rushing. Arriving early means you start the lesson with your breathing already slow, which is the skill you are about to practice anyway.

One more small thing: eat lightly beforehand, since an hour of moving through water uses more energy than it looks like. Bring water to drink afterward, and plan nothing urgent for the half hour after your lesson so you can dry off and warm up without a hurry.

What the first class costs

The intro class is $98 per person, private or semi-private, and lasts one hour. There is no membership. After the intro, you are not obligated to sign up for anything. If you want to continue, the school offers packages, but their prices are not published online, so you ask by text after the lesson, once you know how it went for you.

What the water is like

The pool is 15 feet wide, 60 feet long and heated to about 88°F. Lori Pailet directs the school and conducts classes in New York City, and instructors get in the water with you. All you need to bring beyond the checklist is a little patience with yourself. The first lesson starts with breathing and balance, not laps.

To book the $98 intro class, text (646) 724-7024.