Stocks Hotel offers the use of their beautiful outdoor pool if you are a resident or if you  eat, and they have a beautiful hot tub too. A swimming pool is available at Caragh Chocolates and Tea Garden (in the summer months) if you eat there.

Swimming in the Sea

Sea bathing in Sark is a wonderful experience. The water is clean, clear… and, it has to be admitted, rather chilly. The water is at its warmest in August and September when it can reach 16 to 18 degrees Celsius.

photo by Lydia Bourne

Safety

Reasonable care must be taken at all times. You swim at your own risk. There are no beach guards and no safe bathing flags. At high tide, expect to find yourself in deep water quite quickly though at low tide you can wade out quite a way for a swim at Dixcart and Derrible. You are not advised to swim outside the bay unless you are a very confident swimmer.

Children should be supervised at all times, and please remember that lilos and other blow up beach toys can quickly be blown out to sea in an offshore wind.

Which bay when?

One of the most fortunate things about living on a small island is that you can always go to a bay on the lee side and get out of the prevailing wind.

State of the tide and where the sun is can also be considered. Here are just a few examples of where you can go to swim.

Dixcart                                  Best near low tide.  The easiest path down to a beach.

Derrible                                Best near low tide.  Quite a long route down (and up!) but well   worth the effort. Lots of sand in the middle.

Greve de la Ville                 Best at high tide in the morning.

Port du Moulin                   Best at from half tide up to half tide down. Pebbly cove. Go through the rock arch on the right to swim in a tiny cove around half tide.

Eperquerie Landing          A small pebbly bay just north of the landing.

Creux Harbour beach       Very popular with local children. Take care to keep away from boats. The only beach with a café (and toilets) nearby!

Venus Pool                           A natural rock pool big, and deep enough to swim in in Little Sark. Accessible two hours either side of low water. Lovely flat rocks for sun bathing but covered by the tide from half tide up to half tide down.

photo by Sue Daly

There are numerous other small coves and rock launching platforms which you may find. If you are jumping in, always give some prior consideration to the depth and how you are going to get out. Rocks covered with seaweed can be very slippery and a swell can make climbing out tricky.

However, seabathing in Sark is a great experience which will enhance your stay with us.