The currents were strong Sunday during the fourth annual Sapphire Beach to Shark Island Swim, but the 12 determined swimmers who took on the challenge would not be beaten.
The annual Shark Island swim is organized by EAST – the Environmental Association of St. Thomas. EAST Vice-President Dalma Simon said the idea for the swim is partly because of the lack of a major swim event on St. Thomas.
“I notice that St. John and St. Croix have swim events,” said Simon, “so I looked around and asked, ‘What would be a nice challenging swim that sounds good?’ And I thought Sapphire Swim sounds good.”
EAST is also an affiliate member of the Virgin Islands Conservation Society, which is representing the local chapter of the National Wildlife Federation, and when a gubernatorial proclamation last year designated June as “Great Outdoors Month,” EAST officials amped up the annual swim to support the proclamation.
“We’re the first in the Caribbean supporting this action, and this major event is tied into going outdoors, enjoying nature, knowing beauty,” said EAST president Jason Budsan. “We have so many events based on coral protection, looking at coral reefs and underwater habitat.”
The swimmers all agreed with Budsan that the coral reef around Shark Island is “phenomenal.” Swimmer Rebecca Hoffart described the reefs as underwater “roads” of coral, spanning wider that her outstretched arms.
“There were beds of elkhorn coral, and I was surprised,” shared Simon. “It’s an endangered coral, and there’s beds of it.”
This year’s event was the first time EAST opened the swim to the public, not just EAST members, encouraging only strong swimmers to undertake the full swim route.
The precaution proved wise. While the current around Shark Island already had a reputation of being strong, Budsan said it was especially so on Sunday. The half-mile swim, which normally lasts half an hour to 45 minutes, turned into a two-hour challenge.
“The current was so strong that we were literally swimming in one place,” said an exhilarated Budsan. “I was swimming and not getting anywhere, looking down and saying, ‘That’s the same coral, same coral.’”
Although the swimmers could not be seen from shore, the St. Thomas Rescue boats following them could be seen veering farther and farther east of Shark Island, heading back toward Sapphire Beach, then doubling back east, eventually disappearing behind a nearby peninsula.
Even the lifeguards on kayaks admitted to rowing vigorously for half an hour, all the while staying in the very same spot.
All the swimmers finally made it back to shore around 11 a.m., all with stories to tell of the adventure. Deja Marie Simon, 11, who started swimming at 18 months, made the full circuit around the island, but not without difficulty.
“It was fun, until you reach the current, and I couldn’t move nowhere,” said Deja. “I had to hang on to the lady’s kayak.”
Mireille Boumedine, 9, who was participating in the event for the fourth year. In the past she stayed in the canoes or swam part of the way, while her parents swam the whole way. Sunday was her first time to undertake the full swim around the island.
“I had a hard time, but I didn’t have to ask for help because my friends were right beside me,” said Mireille proudly.
Budsan said that they hope to eventually turn the annual swim into a race.
“A number of participants this year said they wanted to do a race, but after today, I’m not too sure we want a race,” he said jokingly. “But it’s a test of strength and endurance, but it has such a simplicity and beauty about it that just captures your attention.”
