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Swimming in Jersey
Jersey has safe beaches and bays for swimming, indoor pools and an outdoor lido at Havre des Pas. Find out everything you need to know here.
Beaches and BaysJersey's varied coastline and high tidal range means that the water can vary from safe and fun to downright dangerous. Some of the more popular beaches are patrolled by beach lifeguards from Mid-May until the end of September. Red and yellow-striped flags show the areas patrolled. Stay between the flags to make sure you stay in the safe zone. When plain red flags are flying, conditions are dangerous and you shouldn't enter the water. The beaches patrolled by lifeguards are Grève de Lecq, St Brelade's, Havre des Pas and part of St Ouen's Bay. The lifeguard station at St Ouen's Bay overlooks the surfing area in the centre of the bay, but the safe swimming zone is near Le Braye Slip at the south end of the bay, and lifeguards patrol in a jeep. Other parts of St Ouen's bay can be very dangerous - I've known undercurrents so strong that even in knee-high water you can be knocked off your feet! Beaches and bays where you can safely go in the water but with no lifeguard service include Longbeach, Beauport, Portelet, Anne Port, Ouaisne Bay (south end of St Brelade's but without all the crowds) and St Aubin's Bay. At Long Beach and St Aubin's Bay, the tide goes out a long way as the beach is very shallow. I live in St Aubin's Bay, and swim there regularly during the summer - but in parts of the bay large amounts of seaweed collects and you sometimes have to wade through a sort of seaweed soup to get to the clear water! Don't miss having a swim at Plemont if you get the chance. You can even swim in the big sandy pools in the caves there sometimes. It's also the best place to go if you have young children just learning to swim - the big sandy pools left when the tide goes out are deep enough for them to swim in without any waves! Plemont is quite a sheltered bay, but also gets some surf, and swimming there can be really exhilarating. Swimming is also good at high-tide at Archirondel, Bonne Nuit Bay and Green Island (once the water passes the rocky breakwater.) Bouley Bay is only suitable for confident swimmers as the pebbly beach shelves steeply to deep water. You can swim from the slip at St Catherine's Breakwater at high-tide, but it's suitable for competent swimmers only. Havre des Pas LidoHavre des Pas Lido is an outdoor pool on the beach at Havre des Pas, close to St Helier. The pool makes it easy to get to the water at low tide, without having to walk out a long way. At high tide it is safe to swim from the beach. The Pool is divided into two parts, with a row of markers between the two, to keep the fun boats away from the swimmers. There is also a shallow children's pool. There is safe diving at the Lido - a favourite with active teenagers is the central platform where you can jump or dive into the pool. Toilet and cafe facilities are available at the Lido, as well as sunbeds for hire. The Jersey Water Polo association use the pool for training, as it has the only deepwater water polo pitch in the Island.
Les Quennevais Swimming PoolLes Quennevais Sports Centre has a 25 m pool, a learner pool, 2 spa baths, a bubble bed and a cascading fountain. Unrestricted public opening times are normally:
There are Family Fun sessions on Fridays from 6-7pm and Sundays from 4.30-6pm, when pool toys are available. There are adult-only swim sessions Monday to friday at 7-8.30am (tickets must be bought in advance), and Wednesdays and Thursdays from 7-8pm. Tip Quennevais Pool opening times are sometimes changed because the pool is used for galas and teaching. You can telephone reception to check opening times on 449880, or check this website which lists the main closures.
AquasplashThe Aquasplash is on the Waterfront of St Helier. It has a regular pool, but also a pool that is partly indoors, partly outdoors - with flumes, fountains, jacuzzi and a wave machine. There are sauna and steam rooms, and also a very shallow area ideal for babies and toddlers. Each adult is only allowed to take two children under eight into the pool. Children over eight may swim on their own. One of the 3 flumes is for tyre rides - this is gentler than the two main flumes which give an exciting slide. The flumes have a minimum height restriction of 1.2M. This can be tricky if you have one child above and one below the height restriction and they both want to use the slides - you aren't allowed to take smaller children on the flumes even if you go with them. During school holidays, the flumes, wave machine and outdoor pool are open every day from 10am-6pm. There are family fun sessions with large inflatables and floating toys from 3-4.30pm Tuesdays and Thursdays, and diving sessions Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 3-4.30pm, and Sundays from 1-2.30pm. During term times, the leisure pool is open Monday-Friday 9am-6pm, Saturday 11am-6pm and Sunday 9am-6pm. The Flumes are available Fridays 3.30-6pm, and the flumes, wave machine and outdoor pool are open Saturdays 11am-6pm and Sundays 10am-6pm. There is a family fun session from 11am-12.30pm on Sundays and also diving between 1-2.30pm Tip School holidays in Jersey can be a week different from in the UK. If you are visiting in half-term, don't assume it will be half-term here! You can contact Aquasplash to check on opening times, on 01534 734524. Tip If you're going to Aquasplash with children who will want to spend hours on the flumes, take a good book! There are some chairs near the indoor pool and a few sun-loungers by the outdoor pool. There's a limit to how long you can stay in the sauna and steam room, or jacuzzi, how ever much you enjoy them!
Find out more about St Aubins Bay here.
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