This Whitsundays Long Distance retreat is designed for swimmers who are comfortable swimming 4km+. You’ll experience world-class open water swimming in some of the most beautiful waters on the planet, with expert coaching and unparalleled access to the Great Barrier Reef.
Andy Donaldson – Marathon swimming world-record holder and Oceans Seven finisher, will share his expertise in open water swimming technique and mental preparation.
Brenton Ford – Effortless Swimming’s Head Coach, will provide underwater filming and stroke analysis to help improve your technique.
Swim in crystal-clear waters around Whitehaven Beach and secluded islands that most people never get to experience. You’ll be among the first swimmers to complete our world-first outer-reef swim – a 7km swim in pristine Great Barrier Reef waters with 30+ meter visibility and untouched coral formations.
Forget about work and daily stress as you focus purely on swimming in some of the world’s most spectacular locations.
6 day / 5 night swim experience
Staying at the 4.5 star Coral Sea resort, Airlie Beach
Whitsundays, Queensland, Australia
Week 1 (Intermediate to advanced)
May 31st – June 5, 2026
Pace guide: 1:50/100m or faster for 2km
Week 2 (Intermediate)
June 7-12, 2026
Pace guide: 1:51-2:20/100m for 2km
Single ($9,490 AUD)
Couple ($8,490 AUD/pp)
Twin Share ($8,490 AUD/pp)
Limited to 16 swimmers for personalised coaching
Andy Donaldson – Marathon swimming world-record holder, Oceans Seven
Brenton Ford – Effortless Swimming head coach
Group welcome at Coral Sea resort to meet the other swimmers (4pm) followed by easy swim at nearby lagoon with underwater filming before welcome dinner at Coral Sea Resort.
Technique tune-up at Cannonvale pool after breakfast with coaches Brenton Ford and Andy Donaldson.
Whitehaven Beach swim along the famous Whitehaven Beach coastline. Experience up to 7km of incredible scenery for those who want to go the distance. Beach lunch followed by a recovery swim and snorkel at Haselwood Island.
Hayman Island – Swim around Hayman Island, exploring up to 7km of reef-covered coastline including the famous Blue Pearl Bay.
Langford Sound – Walk up to the lookout for amazing views, then finish with a recovery swim at Black Island.
Hook Island – Begin the day’s swim at Mantaray Bay and make your way along the Hook Island coast, swimming up to 7km on this stunning stretch of coastline.
Finish the camp with a technique and video session at Cannonvale pool before heading home after an incredible 5 days of swimming!
The camp will conclude at 11am.
*Itinerary will be subject to change based on weather conditions
We meet at 4pm on the first day and check-in is from 2pm. Many of the flights into Proserpine arrive at 2:30pm which will allow enough time to travel to the hotel and check-in before we begin.
Whitsunday Coast Airport, Proserpine (PPP)
This is the preferred option for most travelers. Whitsunday Coast Airport is approximately 40 minutes to Airlie Beach. The airport is serviced by four domestic carriers Qantas, Skytrans, Virgin Australia and Jetstar. Virgin Australia and Jetstar offer daily flights from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.
Hamilton Island Airport (HTI)
Hamilton Island Airport is approximately a 65 minutes boat transfer to Airlie Beach. The airport is serviced by four domestic carriers Qantas, Virgin Australia and Jetstar. Transfers are operated by Cruise Whitsundays every 1-2hrs.
We have a wide range of speeds and swimming abilities attend our swim camps.
For this long distance camp we have two options:
Week 1 – a minimum standard of 2km at 1:50/100m.
Week 2 – a minimum standard of 1:51-2:20/100m for 2km
If you’ve never attended a camp like this before don’t worry, neither have most people!
Most days we do a longer swim up to 7km in the morning followed by a lighter 2-3km swim in the afternoon. In these swims we re-group regularly and the coaches will be giving feedback and advice. You’ll be able to wear fins/flippers during the open water swims if you’d like and our support boat is with us at all times.
– There’s a $2500 AUD deposit to secure your spot on the camp which is refundable up to 14 days after booking.
– Full payment is required 120 days before the camp begins
– For cancellations 120 days or more before the camp begins, you can roll your deposit over to another camp within 12 months
– No refund if cancellation occurs within 120 days of the camp start date
Your accommodation varies depending on your booking type:
Single and Couple Bookings: King Balcony Room
Twin Share Bookings: Garden Twin Queen Room
Both room types include complimentary continental breakfast, with hot a la carte options and barista coffee available at an additional charge, plus standard amenities like LCD TV, hairdryer, iron/ironing board, and daily housekeeping.
The King Balcony Rooms offer ocean views and balconies, while the Garden Twin Queen Rooms provide a more secluded garden setting – both ensuring comfortable accommodation for your swimming retreat.
Secure your spot by clicking the book now link on this page. Enter your details and credit card information to pay our deposit. Final payments are due 120 days before the camp start date. We will email you with details on how to pay this (via bank transfer or credit card (transaction fees apply)).
If this is your first camp with us we understand it can feel like a big step! That’s why were available to chat and answer any questions you have. Call us in Australia on 1300755088 or email us here.
We have reserved the ThunderCat and WildCat (for the outer-reef day) who are operated by the trusted Red Cat team in the Whitsundays. These boats are spacious, have a toilet on-board and make for a quick journey out to the islands each day.
Call us in Australia on 1300755088 or contact us here.
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Brenton and Mitch were great to work with at the clinic, Good to get video analysis to work on straight away, practice some new drills and go home knowing what you need to work on.
Sydney
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