Swim Saint Lucia

The Saint Lucia Channel has long held a fascination for swimmers SWIM Saint Lucia

People on Saint Lucia often refer to the island of Martinique as France – after all it is an overseas department of its mother country across the Atlantic. From Saint Lucia’s northern viewpoints, Martinique looks close enough to touch. And in the same way that the English Channel has long held a fascination for elite swimmers, so has the Saint Lucia Channel between the two Caribbean islands.

In July 2018, this dream became reality when Sue Dyson launched the first ever Saint Lucia Channel Swim.

Launching the event, Sue said, “Our goal is to bring open water swimming to Saint Lucia as well as to bring another avenue for channel swimming, marathon swimming and long distance swimming to our region and the Caribbean.”

The event is facilitated by open water swimming expert Philip Rush, who holds the records for the fastest two and threeway swims of the English Channel (28 hours and 21 minutes for the three-way). The Saint Lucia Channel Swim is a swim crossing of 34 km of generally

Race around the buoys

warm and beautiful open ocean with gorgeous landscapes ahead and behind of the high volcanic islands of Saint Lucia and Martinique.

“This has created a stir in the marathon and channel swimming communities,” says Dyson.

The Swim incorporates Open Water Clinics, Open Water Races as well as the race from Saint Lucia to Martinique. “The various programmes are incorporated to get local as well as regional participants an alternate avenue to learn more and test their skills,” says Dyson. “On the premise of encouraging individuals to respect the sea, but not fear it, the event allows for avenues of development within the local community as well. Safety and security are a major focus regarding all of the programmes so the organisation has put together training sessions for local participants as Independent Observers and Pilot Captains. These training sessions dive deeper into what open water and marathon swimming is all about as well as the skills necessary for each position.” Molly Nance, the first woman to swim the channel between Saint Lucia and Martinique in early 2018 and who took part in the 2018 Channel Swim says, “ The Saint Lucia channel is an incredible challenge for any swimmer with wind, waves, seaweed and possible wildlife. It’s also one of the most beautiful swims in the world with clear, turquois water. The people of Saint Lucia are incredibly friendly and helpful. You may just decide to stay.”

Ultra-swimmer Kevin Pollman, who took part in the 2019 Swim, says, “Swimming the Saint Lucia channel was an incredible challenge, both physically and mentally. The entire experience was incredible and well worth it! I had a rough idea of what the conditions might be like, but you never know what you’ll get on any given day. The weather cooperated on race day, so the rest of the challenge would be decided by the swimmers. We touched Martinique after almost thirteen hours of swimming in wind and swell - just as advertised. I will cherish the memory of my time spent in Saint Lucia!”

The 2020 event runs from 3rd to 5th July 2020. The individual events are as follows: 3rd July - The BRR – a swim from Smugglers Cove to Bird Rock and back 4th July – 1K, 3K and 5K swimming races at Saint Lucia Yacht Club 5th July – Channel Swim (Smugglers Cove, Saint Lucia to Grande Terre, Martinique)

The event will also include open water clinics from Phil Rush.

For information and to register, search Saint Lucia Channel Swim in Facebook or email sluchannelswim@gmail.com Saint Lucia Channel Swim 2020

Land of The Iguanas

Saint Lucia was known historically for its reptiles but it has been fought over constantly for the past two millennia

Saint Lucia and its neighbouring islands in the Lesser Antilles were formed through the process of volcanism – you can see the evidence of this at Sulphur Springs on the island today. Saint Lucia and its neighbours lie on the boundary of two tectonic plates – the North American plate is sinking beneath the Caribbean Plate. The magma has risen to the surface, creating these distinctive islands.

This explains the mountainous interior of the island and the instantly recognisable shape of the island’s best known attractions, the Pitons, two enormous volcanic plugs that have long been inactive.

The first known inhabitants of Saint Lucia are the Arawak people who called it Ioüanalao or place of the iguanas.

Evidence of the Arawaks can be found at Grande Anse on the east coast and at

Place of the iguanas. Photo: Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust

Anse Noir in the south and through rock carvings found near the Balembouche River.

By around 800AD, the Arawaks had been supplanted by the Caribs, who had their origins in South America. The Caribs, known as fierce warriors, conquered much of the Caribbean, lending the region its name. It stayed that way for much of the next seven centuries.

The Caribs called the island Hewanorra – also a tribute to the country’s many lizards. The Carib name for the island lives on through the country’s international airport which still holds this name.

Like many Caribbean islands, Hewanorra was fought over by the colonising powers of Europe. Christopher Columbus” fourth and final voyage in 1502 certainly passed by the island but

it is unclear whether he made landfall, although he did in neighbouring Martinique. Whether he did or not, it was certainly claimed to be a Spanish possession within ten years; a royal decree of 1511 claims the island for Spain.

Claiming an island and controlling it are two different things. Over the next 150 years, the Spanish, French and English all aimed to take control of the island.

It is from this period that the name by which the country is known today emerged: a group of French sailors are said to have landed here one 13th December, the feast day of the 3rd century martyr Lucia of Syracuse.

It was not until 1660 that the Caribs signed a peace treaty with the French. This French heritage is clear from many of the place names in the country – Gros