HUBBARDSTON, Mass. - Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Howard Whitney and his fellow swimmers at the Worcester Area Masters called Asnacomet Pond home.

"Frankly, everyone fell in love with it," Whitney said.

The love they have for the pond is why news of a open water swimming ban is concerning. But, per the state's Department of Conservation and Recreation, open water swimming at the pond is already not allowed.

"No one informed us of that while we were swimming here all throughout the summer," said Whitney. "It's very confusing."

In a statement, a DCR spokesperson said, "Due to its significant dangers and the variety of recreational access to the waterbody, such as gas-powered motorboating, open water swimming continues to not be an authorized activity at comet pond."

"It's very safe," Whitney said in response. "We swim with swim buoys, in groups. We're very serious swimmers."

The department lists other reasons for the ban, saying the division of water supply protection prohibits swimming from its lands in the Ware River Watershed. They're also looking to limit swimming to a designated area in an effort to avoid the spread of viruses and bacteria and protect the quality of water.​

Whitney isn’t buying that explanation, saying his group isn’t a leading contributor to the issue.

"The problem really is in the very crowded children's swim areas, where you have kids in diapers and with lack of control, really," Whitney said.

Whitney and the masters swim across the pond, sometimes covering more than two miles of water, saying the health benefits of the activity are undeniable.

"In an era when people are really suffering from mental illness or are on anti-depressants, this is really the best cure for that," he said.

It's why he’s so frustrated.

"I think it's a real shame that they feel like the government has to act like a babysitter, treat us like children," Whitney said.