The central purpose of the Barbados Open Water Festival is to promote open water swimming in Barbados to the local community as well as to swimmers from across the globe. Conditions for open water swimming in Barbados are ideal, especially in the historic and magnificent Carlisle Bay. The focus at the event is professionalism, safety, and providing a truly enjoyable experience in the Caribbean. The event is comprised of 4 swim races (1.5km, 3.3km, 5km, and 10km distances) plus 3 initial days of Guided Practice swims. The “Just for Fun” section of the 1.5km race allows beginners or those who don’t enjoy competition to take part and enjoy the atmosphere. Since the inaugural event in 2013, the “Swim the Bay” races in the Open Water Festival have attracted swimmers of all ages and abilities from over 20 countries around the world. In 2023, we had a record 425 swimmers participating.
Swimming is a unique sport because your whole body is suspended in the water. It is a low-impact, high-calorie-burning method of exercise and, most importantly, the water takes the pressure off the joints, making it a viable workout for anyone, even those with injuries. Swimming continues to grow in the Caribbean, both competitively and as a recreational sport, but as with many sports in the region, it is hindered by a lack of funding and inadequate facilities. Islands struggle with limited access to pools, such as in Barbados, where there is only one public swimming pool.
Considering that the Caribbean is comprised of islands surrounded by water, it is somewhat astounding that a large percentage of the population still cannot swim. Adults in the Caribbean will all recall being warned as children: “Be careful, the sea has no back door!” This is a warning that has fallen on the ears of many a child venturing out to frolic in the sea. It basically is a warning letting the youth know to respect the sea, and if they get into trouble, there is a good chance no one can or will come to help. For generations, many people in the Caribbean have seen the sea as a source of livelihood but not as a playground or arena for sport. Fortunately, in recent times there has been an awareness of the need to teach our school children water safety. Programs have been initiated to teach the basic skills of swimming. For those that progress in competitive swimming, there are opportunities available in the sport of swimming both academically and competitively.
In the competitive swim arena, there is a relatively small but very dedicated community of junior swimmers training in the Caribbean. One only has to visit a regional swim competition to witness the reunions of familiar faces and new friendships carried over from previous competitions. As a result of the hours spent training in silence, it is not surprising to see the camaraderie and friendships that form between swimmers both on the same team and who compete against one another. Swimming can be a lonely sport that requires swimming countless meters whilst staring at a black line at the bottom of a pool or the bottom of the ocean. Swimmers respect each other because they understand the effort and dedication it takes to achieve a time for a particular stroke and distance.
Once the competition begins, though, nationalistic pride kicks in, the flags are displayed, and country supporters claim their area in the stands. The atmosphere is always festive, with music between races and an abundance of Caribbean-style food. The bonds formed are strong, and this leads to an interesting swim culture when Caribbean swimmers go abroad to compete and they join together as if representing one country.
A turning point for swimming in modern times occurred when the International Olympic Committee listed a 10km “open water” race for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The popularity of open water swimming has substantially increased since then. There are currently about 3,000 open water swim races being publicized annually across six continents in a multitude of differing bodies of open water. Swimmers of all ages and very varied abilities, from recreational to elite, are getting involved.
In Barbados, the high demand for lane space at the island’s sole public pool, plus the availability of weekly sea swims by clubs like Flying Fish Masters and “learn to swim” programs in the sea, have all contributed to a growth in sea swimming. This is a common trend across the Caribbean, where open water swimming conditions are excellent, and the financial potential for attracting visiting swimmers has been realized.
There are multiple open water events held annually across the Caribbean. The Flowers Sea Swim in Grand Cayman is that island’s flagship sporting event. There are several established annual events around the Caribbean, including Bermuda’s “Round the Sound” Swim, St. Croix’s Coral Reef Swim, the “Cross Channel Swim Challenge” (Nevis to St. Kitts), “Beach to Beach Power Swim” (USVI), Turks & Caicos’ “Race for the Conch,” and Trinidad’s Maracas Bay Open Water Classic. The newest open water event on the Caribbean calendar is the Barbados Open Water Festival, which had its inaugural event in 2013.
