A Swimmers Perspective of my USVI Open Water Swim Camp
“An Unforgettable Adventure with Simple Swim Fitness and Health & Celeste St. Pierre.
I recently completed the Open Water Swim Camp in St. John, USVI, hosted by Simple Swim Fitness and Health and Celeste St. Pierre, and it was an incredible experience from start to finish!
Challenging yet Scenic Swims
Waterlemon Cay: This 2-mile swim took us around the cay, where I encountered seven turtles, a sting ray, a sand dollar, and countless pretty fish. One turtle even had a fish riding on its back—a true highlight!
Haulover Bay & Turner Point: We started with a morning swim in Haulover Bay, then headed to Turner Point. After arriving at the point we hopped in the boat for a ride back to our starting point. Highlights included swimming over two sharks, spotting a lobster, a sting ray, and three turtles!
Francis Bay, Maho Bay, Cinnamon Bay: Another memorable 2-mile swim featuring turtles, a sting ray, big terrapin, and plenty of colorful fish. The sandy bottom offered a different perspective from the earlier reef swims.
Lameshur Bay: My favorite swim of the camp! The underwater world here was magical—so many fish, sea urchins, two turtles, a sting ray, and even a barracuda (though I missed it). The water was a beautiful color, and I loved exploring the unique rock formations. I brought my waterproof camera and captured some amazing photos and videos..
5K Swim around Lovango: This was one of the most challenging swims I’ve ever done. Battling through big waves and getting caught in “washing machine” currents around the rocks pushed me to my limits. There were moments when I was sprinting just to stay in place, but the encouragement from our group kept me going. The stunning coral and the sight of a huge sting ray made it all worthwhile, even after scraping my knee on the rocks.
Cinnamon Cay: After our Lovango adventure, we enjoyed a short, scenic swim to Cinnamon Cay, exploring cool rock formations, vibrant coral, sea urchins, and a variety of fish. A great way to wind down the camp!
This camp was both physically demanding and incredibly rewarding. The variety of locations, the abundance of marine life, and the support of fellow swimmers made each day unique. The hosts, Simple Swim Fitness and Health and Celeste St. Pierre, created a safe, motivating, and fun environment. Boat support for the swims was arranged by Celeste, she had directions to each location and we stuck to a schedule to keep everyone on track. The daily afternoon dry land flexibility, and mobility sessions were just what I needed after the long morning swims. Celeste had so much to teach us!
I met so many great people who share the same love of swimming that I have.
If you’re looking for a challenging and unforgettable open water swim experience in a stunning location, I highly recommend this camp. It’s perfect for adventurous swimmers eager to explore the vibrant marine life and beautiful bays of St. John.”
Cindy Jarvis is a Swim Coach, and Open Water Adventure Swimmer, she lives in upstate New York