Introducing the Caribbean’s first ocean swimming pool

TURKS & CAICOS, July 13, 2023: Ocean pools offer the best of both worlds. They provide swimmers all of the poolside comforts with the thrill of a seaside swim. Add in breathtaking views, and it’s a win-win situation every traveler should experience. While Australia’s coastlines are famously dotted with ocean pools dating back to the 1800s, until now, the Caribbean hasn’t embraced the natural appeal of ocean-fed pools. But Wymara Resort + Villas owner Bruce Maclaren had a vision. 

Several years ago, Maclaren set out to develop Wymara Villas perched on one of the highest points of the secluded Turtle Tail peninsula, a short 7-minute drive from Wymara Resort. Now an intimate community of one, four and five-bedroom modern masterpieces, each villa offers guests a private pool, expansive ocean views, and exclusive access to a state-of-the-art sports club. Next, Maclaren set out to create a luxurious beach experience to compliment Turks & Caicos’ famed Grace Bay Beach where Wymara Resort is located.

MIND-BLOWINGLY BEAUTIFUL

The newly formed Sunset Cove Beach is now an aquatic oasis fringed by palm trees, an expansive manicured lawn, and the same blindingly white sand and crystalline turquoise waters the tropical island is known for. But Maclaren, the Canadian born businessman who lived in Australia for over 20 years before moving to Turks & Caicos in 2008, wanted to take it one step further. Last year, he set out to construct the ultimate amenity, an ocean pool that measures 130 ft long by 30 ft wide, spanning nearly 3,900 square feet.

Now ready for guests to take a dip, the stunning swimming spot features a shallow end that is 3 to 5 ft deep (depending on the tide) and a deep end that plunges 6 to 9 ft, with a soft, sandy bottom throughout.

“While ocean pools aren’t just an Aussie thing, they do inspire a kind of fervor there that borders on the fanatical,” says Wymara Resort + Villas owner Bruce Maclaren. “They’re probably more in the public eye now than ever. Maybe it’s Instagram — they’re so seductive to photograph. But having experienced the benefits of ocean pools and the communities that evolve around them, I thought, well, maybe we can do this here.”
 
TAKE LAP SWIMMING TO THE NEXT LEVEL

The natural swimming pool, which gets replenished with fresh seawater from the Atlantic, is carved out of the coastal rock and lined by an expansive timber deck that spans the entire length of the pool. Featuring a tiki bar and stylish sun loungers and umbrellas for shade, guests can take breaks from sipping spritzes to dip in and out of the refreshing, salty sea while soaking in the serene views. The vibrant, rich colours of the pool’s sea-fed waters are the perfect spot to cool down, minus the need to worry about waves crashing into you.