Heather and Victoria escorted me when swimming the Ironman championship swim course 2.4 miles. They provided great tips on sighting, water conditions, safety, distance buoys and even the marine life. I met a few locals before and after the swim. The bonus was getting GoPro video and photos on the course. The price was very reasonable and well worth the experience. I recommend Salty Swim School. I’ll be back and will certainly book them again.

Best dollars spent in Kona! Victoria introduced my 3 year old granddaughter to the ocean. She helped her understand the currents and built her confidence to swim. Her compassionate way of bringing kids out of their comfort zone is amazing. I was so inspired that I am signing up for swim lessons as well! Thanks Victoria!

Coach Victoria was the absolute best! Growing up in a land locked state I never learned to swim properly but in just one lesson she took me from not even knowing how to breathe in the water to actually feeling confident and enjoying myself. After 45 years of doggie paddling and treading water she actually taught me to swim in one day! Thanks so much Coach Victoria :)

There's this magical place in the Big Island where mere mortals, like myself, get to learn how to open water swim, where demigods (aka Ironmen of Kona) swim once a year! All thanks to the talented instructor, Victoria, whose school is IN THE OCEAN (hence the name Salty Swim School.) The moment I met her, Coach Victoria immediately erased all self doubts I had with my swimming ability ("what if I drown?" "What if I see livining creatures and I panic?" "what happens when I get tired?" "What ...") Before meeting Coach Victoria, I was 14 weeks into learning how to swim. I was doing well in the pool, so decided to test my abilities in Lake Tahoe (2 weeks before going to the Big Island). I was doing well until I saw the ground get further from me and I started to panic. Had a friend rescue me on her SUP. Since I was going to the Big Island for a well deserved vacation, I decided to get some open water swim lessons. Searched the web and found Salty Swim School and talked to Victoria and told her about my anxiety of swimming into the deep "I can help you with that." For some reason, I trusted her, and I'm not a trusting person. Coach Victoria delivered! I think it helped a lot too that she was warm, patient and empowering. Within 3 days (1 hour lessons each morning) I was swimming where the Kona Ironmen swim once a year!!! It took me three days to get to the one mile buoy, and when I did, I jumped for joy!!!! Who knew one can jump off the water like a dolphin! Of course, I can't do that again even if someone offered me a million dollars. I highly recommend Salty Swim School. Coach Victoria IS AMAZING!!!! Keep an open mind w/ your swim/ability and trust her. Two days after the attached photo(s), I did a triathlon at Santa Cruz (the water was cold, murky and rough), I was scared for a split second but heard Coach Victoria's voice saying "You are now a swimmer. This is something you cannot undo." So I swam. I will never be a Kona Demigod triathlete, but I AM now a triathlete. Thank you, Coach Victoria. XO!

Coach Victoria is amazing. I signed up for adult open water swim lessons and I was amazed that I could swim in ocean without wetsuit or fins by the end of my lessons. I feared open waters and would always hang by the shore. But after my lessons with Coach Victoria, I was able to swim deeper in the ocean and not panic. All the ocean skill drills helped a lot to build up to a successful swim. I would highly recommend her to any adult looking to learn open water swimming, improving their swim techniques and building water confidence. Whenever I come back to big island, I am going to sign up again for more skill development. Totally worth it.

Thrilled to have my daughter in the Salty Swim School with Coach Victoria this summer. My Daughter’s ocean swimming and water confidence has greatly improved since starting. Coach Victoria has a wonderful playful way with children while also being mindful of water safety. Perfect combination for this momma to continue signing up! Glad this is an option for Kona Keiki!

Coach Jonathan and Coach Sandi were super kind and gracious toward me and my daughter. We did the 1.2 mile swim and they were quick to point out the wildlife we were asking to take the time to see, but I’m sure they would have kept us at whatever pace we would have wanted to hit if we were IM training. Jonathan, a former pro triathlete, even made a collegiate recommendation for my daughter who is an aspiring triathlete! Both were so fun! We had a blast! Coach Victoria, thank you for accommodating us and pairing us up with such great people. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

I went out with Coach Victoria and other community on Christmas morning. It felt as a Christmas present and I was super grateful to gone out with such positive people on my first ever open water swim on the Iron Man course. Coach Victoria is such a positive and knowledgeable person. I would definitely recommend her swim lessons to both family and friends. Mahalo! 🤙

We loved coach Victoria from Salty Swim School! The place was recommended by our Airbnb host and we decided to try it out. As swimming in the ocean is so different from swimming in the pool, I wanted to make sure my kids are comfortable and safe in the big water. Coach Victoria was fantastic at teaching them how to approach swimming long distances, how to pace yourself, worked on stroke technique while not forgetting the main ingredient- having fun! Swimming with the fish, diving, finding treasures like sea urchin shells, even some stretching yoga exercises on the beach - all was a part of the experience. A week of lessons flew by so fast.. we will be back! Thank you!

Salty Yoga and swim class was so much fun! Doing some yoga in the ocean with the amazing coach Victoria was a blast. We swam out and did some ocean exploring which was a huge help to build my ocean confidence. With such a great group of people, you build connections and feel safe going out with an amazing group! I definitely recommend if you are looking for a fun time and even wanting to build ocean confidence!

Coach Victoria is a really knowledgeable swim instructor. My 5 year old son loves her! He is a cautious kid but she does the right amount of pushing to help him try to overcome some of his fears and helps him have fun along the way. She is wonderful with kids and definitely knows how to work with them. It's also nice to have my son learn in the ocean. I highly recommend taking lessons with Salty Swim School!!

I participated in Salty Swim Schools water yoga and ocean confidence class last week - it was amazing! Victoria does a beautiful job of combining her years of swim school teaching, coaching and yoga experience with intuitive flow, deep care for the people she’s with, and fun (and funny) nature. She’s nurturing and has a beautiful way of building a persons confidence to bring them to their edge and feel proud of the expansion they experience. I witnessed it and felt it in myself. This is a wonderful program! I highly recommend everyone take this opportunity to get in the ocean, meet new people, and enjoy the process of building skills and strength in the ocean!! Thank you Victoria! I can’t wait to be back in the water with you!

Coach Victoria is amazing. I can't fully express the gratitude I have for what she has done for my family. We know how to swim, but with her patience & knowledge, I now have the confidence I was looking for to be able to be there for my kids if they were ever in any trouble. Our youngest (4yo) loves her coach & looks forward to every lesson. Even if you know how to swim, I promise, you will learn something & leave your session with a smile. We love you Salty Swim School!!!

Yay! I was delighted to participate in my first Salty Yoga class 🤩. It was my first experience doing yoga and it was not only educational, but super fun! Coach Victoria gently led us through a nice warm up in the shallow water, getting us grounded and feeling connected to each other and the ocean. She led us through a series of yoga positions, while guiding our awareness of breath and body. We even got to play like five year olds for a time, working on our breath control and blowing bubbles and making big kicking splashes! Who doesn't like to have a little extra fun?! Once warmed up, Coach Victoria assessed our groups swimming skills, confidence and comfort level with ocean swimming, and then off we went into the big, beautiful Pacific! We felt very safe as a group as we explored happily together in our new salty playground. I highly recommend trying out Salty Yoga! Coach Victoria beautifully combines her knowledge and passion for yoga and swimming (and love of people) into a fun, new experience that you will enjoy.

I attended the Salty Yoga class. Blending Yoga and Open water swimming is a great combo! We explored poses in the shallows, prepared our bodies and minds for the water and headed out as a pod. I felt safe, had a great workout and was exhilarated for the rest of my day. I highly recommend this unique experience in one of the most beautiful places on earth! Victoria was our instructor, she is a great Teacher and knows how to have a good time. Enjoy!

I cannot express enough gratitude for Coach Victoria, who played a pivotal role in helping me overcome trauma. Her expertise, empathy, and unwavering support have been nothing short of life-changing. From the very first lesson, Coach Victoria showed a deep understanding of my unique challenges and fears. She created a safe and nurturing environment where I felt comfortable sharing my concerns. Her ability to listen attentively and tailor her teaching to my needs made all the difference. Coach Victoria's teaching style is exceptional. She broke down swimming techniques into manageable steps, allowing me to progress at my own pace. With her guidance, I gradually gained my confidence and overcame the trauma associated with swimming. Thanks to Coach Victoria, I not only learned to swim but also rediscovered a sense of joy and freedom in the water.I highly recommend Coach Victoria. She is an exceptional teacher and a true healing guide.

Victoria and Heather are awesome. I have never swum in the ocean before and in just one lesson I got enough confidence to go snorkeling and to jump from the boat and swim without any assistance devices. I only regret that I hadn’t booked more lessons in advance. Not only I learned a lot and gained super useful skills, I also had a great time. Definitely, one of the best experiences on the big island – without any exaggeration. I really hope I’ll get a chance to train with them again. And I have no doubt that this team can help swimmers of any level. Thank you Heather and Victoria! Olga & Sean

Salty Swim School is the best!!! Our daughter started swimming with Victoria in Summer of 2021 when she was 3 years old and absolutely loved it! Coach Victoria’s enthusiasm and love for swimming are totally contagious. My daughter loves warrior shark dive and made so many improvements that we came backs again when she turned five so she could work on gaining more skills! We had the same great experience with coach Victoria and Salty Swim School. My wife also did an ocean session with coach and had a blast. Totally a 5 star experience and worth the investment in yourself or your kids! Coach Victoria is super friendly and easy to work with. Can’t wait until our 7 month old is ready to start with her!

Open Water Swimming in a new spot can be intimidating, especially in Kona. Swam a couple memorable swims with Coach Victoria, who was just a lovely, no pressure, laid back person to swim with. Highly recommend for any master’s swimmer who is looking for a relaxed swim in Kona. Also the water was beautiful blue & for this Michigan lake swimmer it was fun to watch the little yellow fish swimming around the coral & rocks. So pretty. Swim of a lifetime for me. Thanks so much, Victoria!

Coach Victoria is a top rate swim coach. I can't say enough about the value of Salty Swim School- very reasonable rates, and flexible scheduling for the lessons. Prior to the initial lesson, she took the time to talk on-on-one with our 5-year old son. She assessed his fears, likes and dislikes prior to getting into the water. We appreciated this measured approach to craft lessons catered to address specific needs. Within the 5 lessons, Coach Victoria was able to help our son overcome his fears and begin enjoying the ocean with us. I highly recommend Salty Swim School. I would trust Coach Victoria with my child anytime.

I had the opportunity to swim out to the 1.2 buoy and back with Coach Victoria and it was so comforting to have someone by my side who knew the course well and had loads of experience with the current ocean conditions to make sure I felt comfortable. This service is invaluable especially if you are a pool girl like me! We saw an octopus and swam over a sea turtle on the bottom of the ocean. The water was so clear you could see coral and fish the entire swim. I recommend Coach Victoria to anyone looking to swim this long ocean swim safely and can't wait until our next swim!