Couple hopes to swim around St. John
This is Tory Lane and his partner Sara Stevens, who plan to swim around the entire island, a 35 mile adventure. They’ll do it in stages, with a leg or two each weekend. They are also looking for some help from boaters.
Tory and Sara were swim team buddies at their high school in Connecticut years ago. After going their separate ways, they crossed paths again, this time on St. John.
The two started their great Around the Island Swim last weekend, swimming about 2.5 miles from Salt Pond to Little Lameshur. This weekend they hope to swim legs 2 and 3, Lameshur to Reef Bay and then Reef Bay to Chocolate Hole. It gets a bit dangerous after that.
“When we swim from Chocolate Hole to Frank Bay, we’ll be going through some heavy boat traffic at Great Cruz Bay and the barge channel, and we really need a boat escort to look out for us,” says Tory. “Then Frank Bay to Caneel Bay will take us right across Cruz Bay. Speeding boats might not be able to see swimmers in the water.”
They’d also like some company getting them from Caneel to Trunk, and then again on one of the final legs from East End to Friis Bay.
“That’s a mile and a half across open ocean. We really need some boat support there,” Tory says.
Tory and Sara hope to reach their goal by September, and say when they do, they’ll have a big party at Salt Pond, where their Swim Around the Island started last weekend.
Why do this? “We love to swim and this bumps it up from just swimming back and fourth at the same beaches. And it’s a great way to train for the Love City triathlon.” (Leg #1, below.)
June 18th, 2009 07:11
As someone who swam competitively in his youth…open water swimming has always intrigued me, but never appealed to me. The thought of not turning around every 20 seconds or so scares me I think.
Good luck though…the whole southern end, I suspect, will be far more challenging.
June 18th, 2009 08:18
Any chance they could swim through Chocolate Hole so we could see them on the Serendipity cam??? I don’t want to add any unnecessary mileage to their daunting challenge, but if they’re going to be in the neighborhood….
June 18th, 2009 08:21
Good for them! I hope they find the boat escorts they need. Good luck!
June 18th, 2009 10:52
Good luck. I prefer to do my best at drinking around the Island.
June 18th, 2009 11:46
How cool is that?! I hope they find the boat support. I would think that it wouldn’t be too difficult if the word gets out. Good luck!
June 18th, 2009 12:08
Cap’n Brandi can do it, if he stays sober!
June 18th, 2009 17:59
I wish I had a boat. In St John. Good luck with your swim!
June 18th, 2009 19:10
Wouldn’t it be easier to just swim underneath the island? In any event, best of luck!
June 18th, 2009 19:44
I’m happy to escort them to the Beach Bar after they finish. I’ll even buy them a shrimp basket and a Stripe.
June 18th, 2009 20:17
I love this challenge. What a great way to fully appreciate where we live. To bad a few of the comments refer to drinking and think its funny. How many memorials have we seen because of drinking? I’d much rather celebrate someone’s health accomplishments. And I’m sure someone will want to help out with boat support.
June 18th, 2009 20:42
So Tory and Sarah… how many beers did it take to come up with this idea?!?!?!?!?!
June 18th, 2009 21:08
Judy….
If you swim around St. John … I’m happy to buy you a V8
June 19th, 2009 07:05
I’m renewing my gym membership!!!!!!
June 19th, 2009 14:48
I agree with Kevin. I’m getting tired just reading about it.
June 19th, 2009 15:35
Good luck getting some boaters to help
June 19th, 2009 18:26
You said it Judy! I have watched a lot of people drink themselves to death, literally, here in Love City over the past few decades! I celebrate this effort and applaud the example they are setting. What a memory to tell their grand kids. How do we get in touch with them to lend a hand or offer support? This is what our kids need to be made aware of, not the glorified partying that is so socially accepted here.
June 19th, 2009 19:45
Luigi…you can call Tory at 340-626-7873
June 19th, 2009 21:08
Hey guys!
What a FANTASTIC thing to do. Sorry I can’t be there to root you on in person, but I’ll be cheering you on and sending good vibes from afar. Best of luck!!!!
June 20th, 2009 06:46
We would like to help as a boat escort. Please e-mail us and let us know details!
Laura and Capt. Sam Lunday
Virgin Islands Boat Excursions “VIBE”
June 20th, 2009 07:28
Thanks everyone for the support. We are swimming leg 3 today Reef Bay to Chocolate Hole. Next Saturday we will leave Chocolate hole swimming in view of the Serendipity web cam. It will be early afternoon. I’ll post later in the week exactly what time. My phone number is listed above, and email is tory@surfcoralbay.com.
Thanks again.
June 20th, 2009 07:52
Good luck Tory & Sara – I admire anyone who even thinks to take on that challenge! Hope your swim tomorrow goes great!
June 20th, 2009 23:02
Hey Tory,
I saw this and said, wait I think I know that guy! My name is Russ, I went to Fitch and graduated in 95 (and is Sara Tara’s sister?)…Hey, congrats on the swim/goal and be safe. My wife and I are frequent visitors to STJ, going at least once/year for the last six.
Yeah, and I echo the thoughts of a few of the others…If I had a boat…ON ST JOHN…I would love to help!
All the best,
Russ
Robert E. Fitch HS
1995
June 22nd, 2009 09:51
Hi Guys,
What a great idea… looking forward to hearing about your adventures swimming in those turquoise waters!
June 22nd, 2009 12:07
We will be leaving the beach in Chocolate Hole at 1pm est Saturday June 27th. The Serendipity.vi web cam will capture the start of our swim to Caneel. Thanks to VIBE boat charters out of Red Hook. They will be escorting us across the areas with heavy boat traffic.
June 27th, 2009 16:15
How are you guys doing without any lanes and lines to follow along the bottom?
July 13th, 2009 12:09
We just learned about your swim…you guys rock…what an inspiration for loving where you live and doing something great!!! Good luck to both of you…be safe and enjoy the water…we miss the warm water of St John….Keep on smiling. Dana & Dave Arbogast