St. Croix Coral Reef Swim Highlights Importance of Marine Conservation

The Coral Reef Swim race between Buck Island and St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands is planned for Nov. 12. With three distances to choose from – one, two, and five miles – the race offers friendly competition for age group and competitive swimmers.

Founded by Elizabeth Armstrong, owner of The Buccaneer Beach & Golf Resort, and fellow swimmer Kim Sanford 27 years ago, the event draws attention to the reality of threatened Caribbean reefs. Participants in the longest race will come face to face with the beauty and uniqueness of these natural treasures as they dive into the pristine waters of Buck Island, a living coral reef designated an underwater park by the U.S. National Park Service.

These fragile natural resources, the coral reefs funnel significant amounts of money into local economies, generating billions from fisheries, dive tourism, and shoreline protection services across the region. A groundbreaking study led by The Nature Conservancy revealed that reef-associated tourism in the Caribbean generates US$8 billion per year, nearly 25% of all tourism expenditure, from over 11 million visitors.

The Coral Reef Swim attracts fitness swimmers competing for fun, as well as world-class, open-water athletes. Participants as young as 11 years old and seniors as old as 75 are among this year’s contestants.