Monday’s Multiple Plans (and a cave that barfs rainbows).
I woke to a wild whapping of my towel pinned to the line above my hatch. It was loud and snappy. Wind. Today is supposed to be the windiest day in the forecast this week. We are used to running from and working with wind on this shindig, and we have a strong set of swimmers here so other than the whapping sound, it’s not too big a deal.
Let’s talk about the 2 hour rule for a moment.
Hopper came up with the brilliant SwimVacation rule of The Next Two Hours. As in, we try to give our guests what they will be doing for the next two hours only. We do this for two reasons: 1. We need to be able to change our minds and our plans, sometimes even more than once, without upending anyone’s expectations. 2. Our guests are on vacation. Let us do the driving.
One of the many things I love about this group is that in spite of the fact that I haven’t given them many two hour updates, no one has even asked. They all seem to be happy to kick back and let us do the deciding. They trust us.
So last night when everyone went to bed, I'm not sure I even told them what their morning would hold or when it would begin. When we woke to the whapping, we went from plan A to plan B, lifted anchor and two stern lines and headed out. As we made our way South and East toward our plan B location (somewhere special, in no way a consolation prize), we could tell the wind was going to spoil it. And so, on to Plan C. We hung a sharp left and ducked into Limnonari Bay, mostly protected and very beautiful. We will save the super special Plan B location for later in the week!
We jumped into the stunningly clear waters of Limnonari, made for a point at one end, circumnavigated the inside of the bay to the opposite point. Along the way we saw schools of chromis and wrasses ducking in and out of the crags and crevices of the shore line. Dana asked Simon for some stroke technique tips and he was happy to oblige even though her stroke looks pretty good already. As we approached the beach, a shelf of stone divided the water column into two shades of turquoise. Everyone bobbed and dove to the smooth sand below, and I couldn’t stop making pictures of them in the clear, calm water.
Limnonari Bay
39.088975, 23.696559
https://goo.gl/maps/XQfUMNmEPNuoDoFT7
When I say crystal clear, I mean, Crystal. Clear.
After about an hour we headed back to the yacht, and before climbing aboard I recorded stroke from underwater for later review with Simon.
Behind the scenes in the galley, Lou Lou was whipping up a new dish for lunch while Simon, Richie and I decided on our next location, which is where we are now. This beautiful spot, Paralia Stafilos, also on Skopelos will host our afternoon swim, our anchorage for the night, and likely our first swim of the morning.
Unless we change our minds. :)
Off to edit stroke video while things are quiet here on board. There is still some whapping, but also some napping. This is a Vacation, afterall.
Lots of napping and one FaceTime call home to baby Cameron to new (ish) mama Heidi.
Have you ever seen a cave that barfs rainbows? I bet you haven’t.
Right, so, the naps were had, and even one by me, which is nearly unheard of on SwimVacation. As a matter of fact, I wasn’t sure I could shake myself out of it. But the afternoon swim called, and so I got up and stomped around a little to wake my fellow nappers. We plotted a course around a rock outcrop, tall and lovely, with a slot we have swum through in the past, but with the swell, alas, not today. Still beautiful and awe inspiring, we oohed and ahhed and gathered for a group photo. Across to the main shore with caves and swim throughs through which we have swum in the past, but with the swell, alas, not today. Still, we floated on backs and gazed, mouths agape, up the towering walls of orange, white and pink rock, studded with mediterranean trees in various shades of green. The sun burst through branches here and there, creating shafts of lights and dark by the time it reached into the water column. Small schools of fish bobbed in breaking waves against the rocks. Ever changing and just stunning.
We continued around the inside of the bay alternately staring up and down at the wondrous ways light plays against rock, tree and water. The gentle rollers bobbed us around, but even as we crept in and out of nooks and crannies, the water carried us and never pushed us against the edges as you might have imagined. A swim of faith, and playful exploration.
At one point, after we passed beneath the bow line of an old fishing boat, we seemed to lose Simon for a time. I stopped the group to wait. Just as I was about to turn back to find him - had he lodged himself in some crevice? Gone to the center of the Earth through a cave? - he appeared. Giddy and chattering about something.
I’ll let the video demonstrate his find - the cave that barfs rainbows (water in, rainbows out, all thanks to the swell), but his description was so delightful, we doubled back to see it ourselves before returning to the yacht.
Apps were fabulous - hot figs, split and filled with warm goat’s cheese, and topped with a dollop of Tahini Honey. Don’t try this at home. You lack any of these ingredients good enough to enjoy in this way. Trust me.
Dinner was spectacular - A perfectly pan fried sole and a few prawns drizzled with lemon sauce, leaning against a sculpted serving of rice. Apres, Lou Lou’s famous Lemon Posset, in a shell shape and littered with fresh berries.
Our first full day here filled our cups, with plans and change of plans and gin clear swims and even a cave that barfs rainbows, thanks to the swell. I’m told the wind will calm some overnight, and we will swim here at Paralia Stafilos again on our way to more adventures. No swim, no bay, no cave, no plan is ever the same twice. And if the swell foils your spelunking hopes, a cave might barf rainbows at you instead.
A soft pastel sky hovers over the Aegean tonight.
Love,
Heather
Check us out:
Paralia Stafilos
(39.0839329, 23.7469023)
