Swim or Volunteer at St John Beach to Beach Power Swim

All can participate in this year's swim. Either swim yourself or volunteer to support

St John's Friends of Virgin Islands National Park

...

Swim to Cinnamon Bay, swim to Trunk Bay, or go all the way to Hawksnest Bay.

On Saturday, May 24, 2014 Friends of Virgin Islands National Park will host the 11th Annual Beach-to-Beach Power Swim on St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The race consists of three courses:

Short Course from Maho Bay to Cinnamon Bay, about 1 mile Intermediate Course from Maho Bay to Trunk Bay, about 2¼ miles Long Course from Maho to Hawksnest, about 3½ miles. Swimmers can compete in the long course as an individual or as part of a 3-person team. Swimmers may also compete assisted by snorkel and/or fins in an "assisted swimmer" category

Course map:

Race for a Reason

Returning this year is

Race for a Reason

, which gives participating swimmers an opportunity to further support the mission of the Friends of Virgin Islands National Park. Donations made to the Friends of VINP during the Race for a Reason Fundraising Challenge will be used to support the “Learn to Swim” program in Virgin Islands National Park along with other projects and programs. All participants raising $250 or more for Friends receive a Limited Edition 2014 Beach-to-Beach Power Swim hat and the top 3 fundraisers receive special gifts following the race at the Beach Party/Awards Celebration at Oppenheimer Beach.

Race for a Reason is going online for 2014! Participants may create their own fundraising page online and race for prizes for the Top 3 Fundraisers.

Link to our fundraising homepage

here, and get started creating a personalized page! All donations made through these online pages are tax-deductible and benefit Friends of VI National Park.

Farmer's Almanac Predicts a 'Bitterly Cold' Winter! What to do?

This weekend the famed Farmer's Almanac released its forecast for this winter and it is a bitterly cold one!  By their own admission they are using words like 'piercing cold' and even a strong four letter word in caps: C-O-L-D!  You can read the entire Farmer's Almanac report - 2014 Long-Range Weather Forecast - which is broken out by sections of the USA to see just how chilling your part of the world will be this winter.

So what is a warm blooded person to think or do? Yes, plan your trip for St John in the warm Caribbean where the only cold thing you will find is the ice in your smoothie!

Don't be left out in the cold this winter. Where would you like to put your toes this winter?

Do you think they are reading about the winter forecast while dipping their toes in the waters at Cinnamon Bay?

Beach to Beach Power Swim - Bring it on St John!

There are courses for all levels of swimmers

If you are going to be on St John Sunday, May 26th join in and support the Friends of Virgin Islands National Park's 10th Annual Beach-to-Beach Power Swim.

The race consists of three courses:

• Short Course from Maho Bay to Cinnamon Bay, about 1 mile
• Intermediate Course from Maho Bay to Trunk Bay, about 2¼ miles
• Long Course from Maho to Hawksnest, about 3½ miles. Swimmers can compete in the long course as an individual or as part of a 3-person team.

Swimmers may also compete assisted by snorkel and/or fins in an "assisted swimmer" category

There are still 2 more practice swims on the schedule so even if you are not going to be on St John for the actual swim you can participate in one of the following practice swims if you wish:

April 28: Maho to Cinnamon or Trunk

May 12: Maho to Cinnamon, Trunk or Hawksnest

The practice swims will start at 8:30 from the north end of Maho Bay Beach.

Come out to swim, root the swimmers, support the Friends of Virgin Islands National Park, and have a fun St John day!