Flo's First SwimVacation

Flo catches us after our first fantastic swim.

Flo, the giant pink flamingo welcomed our guests aboard with a vivid hello and presided over our first swim. While Flo is new to the goings on of SwimVacation, all of our guests this weekare seasoned pros.

We have Kendra, who is not only a SwimVacation alum, but also a Greece alum. She was with us for the spectacular, cave-rotten week of exploring we did in the Ionian Sea in 2019. So pressure is on the Sporades to top that this week. Kendra mostly wants to be under water (I feel you, sister!), and I love to photograph her there. She usually jumps back in for more after everyone has come aboard. I think she’d sleep there if she could.

We have Miriam who is a total SwimVacation junkie. She comes on just about every trip we run and brings energy and enthusiasm to each one. She’s spicy and fun, but my favorite thing about her is that she GETS us. She truly understands the spirit of what we do on SwimVacation - that we swim to let the ocean peel away the layers of stress and chaos to return us to our natural, sea-state of being. She swims to her best self, and I love to synchro swim beside her as she does.

Miriam and Susan became fast friends on a SwimVacation in the BVI a few years back. Since then they have plotted and schemed to travel together. Susan is pure fun and this woman is ON VACATION. She arrived minus her checked bag, but had packed her essentials in a carry on and said, “Who cares! I have all I need!” and proceeded to come aboard and never look back. She instantly kicked back and brought the play to the group. She is full-body rolling in everything we have to offer.

Marianne has been swimming with us for probably 10 years, and in the last few has brought her daughter Lexi to join. Lexi shares her Mom’s passion for being in the water. They are a great swimming pair, pretty evenly paced, though Lexi has clearly put some time in the water as she is a much more confident swimmer than she was on her last trip with us. Marianne feels at home on boats and in the sea, and it shows. I love to watch the stress drain from her with each swim. 

So this bunch knows how to do this thing. Evidence: they all sauntered down the dock like they owned the joint, waved hello to Flo (as if they were expecting a giant pink flamingo), sat down and cracked open a bottle of Ouzo at about 12:15. Yamas (that’s Greek for Cheers)!

And off we set. Everyone dropping into relaxation mode as Richie raised the sails and we made for the island of Skopelos. We found a beautiful little swanky beach bay called Limnonari Bay, and splashed in. The rush, the relief of salt water lifting us came rushing back, and I instantly felt the tension leave my body. Kendra spent a significant amount of time underwater and I joined her. Ahhhh the underwater texture of things here - dramatic and architectural rock formations and soft sea grasses and patches of white sand. We looked into a few baby caves and swam and generally played. Back at the boat, Flo waited patiently to cap a fantastic first swim.

Kendra looks how I feel - it’s sooooo good to be back (underwater).

Lulu knocked dinner (and oh yeah lunch) out of the park of course, with amazing mezzes and four kinds of fish and risotto with mushrooms and salad and wine and wine and leave room for baklava….see? This is how it feels to be stuffed right full of Greece, food and fun and all.

Ok so I’m the last one up. They’ve all wandered off to bed (except Kendra who is lost in the quiet and the beautiful gentle rocking of our boat, Crates).

It’s good to be back in the world, it’s good to be back to the sea. The Aegean will spoil us this week, and we’ve got 5 swimmers ready to drink it all in.

Love,

Heather

Flo’s work for the day is done. Rest up for more tomorrow!