A Final Word from the Ministry of Rum Punch.
I’m writing this post already having returned from Grenada, and after my first pool swim. I’ve traded coral and turtles for hairballs and bandaids. Blech.
Just this past Friday we woke up at Isle de Ronde and jumped in for a swim around the bay. The wind was up, but this was no bother for these seasoned swimmers. John has been working on their strokes all week, and there’s some marked improvement, including my own stroke.
It was Rob & Chess’ anniversary, and they celebrated with bathing suits with each other’s pictures on them!
Video: A turtle, three flying gurnards and a trunk fish float into a big bay….
A lovely downwind sail to what is perhaps the world’s only underwater sculpture park, just off Grenada. The sculptor has written that he intended the main exhibit, a circle of children of diverse backgrounds holding hands, to be a symbol of unity and resilience. We think having our photos taken in different poses is a fun way to celebrate these concepts. A live pickup gave our guests the opportunity to strut their skills one more time, climbing aboard the yacht while it was swinging around in the wind and bobbing in the waves.
A rum punch party quickly erupted back at the marina, and Ali put out a delicious meal of grouper and local sides. Heather’s slide show was a hit, as always. We ate all the ice cream. And worked hard at draining the rest of the beer, wine, and liquor. Huzzah!
Swimmer Portraits! Top to Bottom, Left to Right: Laura, Amanda, Mackenzie, Amanda + Mackenzie, Mary, Rob + Chess, Kevin + Jane, Richie, Hopper + John + Zack, and me, HP (photo courtesy of Zack!).
I’m so grateful for these guests who trusted us with their week, who got up every day eager to try something new, who didn’t back down when Mother Ocean got testy, but gave over to her and trusted themselves in the water.
Laura was up front with me or John every swim, ready to take on anything and swim any distance. Twice.
Amanda was game for anything and steady as a rock (though more buoyant), and a smart conversationalist. Scientists are always welcome aboard.
We need a Mackenzie on every trip. Quiet, thoughtful, contemplative, eager to learn and stretch her own bounds.
You’re never lonely with Mary around. She’s a delightful storyteller, at ease in the ocean, and will NOT hesitate to go skinny-dipping, regardless of the time of day.
You’d never know that Rob was the senior member of the trip, age-wise. This guy is built to last, and has an infectious smile. His retirement will not look like retirement.
Chess is someone you want to hang with on vacation. She’s got great stories on deck and a great stroke in the water. I’ll be seeing both Rob and Chess (fellow Mainers) this summer on the Swim Run race circuit.
I didn’t realize that Kevin wasn’t very experienced in open water swimming until ½ way through the trip, when he told me. He achieved 2 of his longest ever swims while with us. When faced with a stiff head current, rather than panic, he swam hard, head down, and got out of trouble. And he has great taste in music.
Jane is easy to be around. She also refused to panic in the current, and swam confidently out of trouble. She’s open, supportive, has a smile that lights up the deck, and I hope she comes back soon.
The glue that held all of this together is the crew. Richie is the most confident guy at the helm, and quietly keeps the pace and quality of the trip together in ways that I’m just starting to appreciate, even after all of these years. Ali is a rock-star chef who puts out a stunning array of West Indian dishes along with standard favorites, all from a tiny, floating kitchen. She also kicks butt on word puzzles. Zack is everywhere. He keeps it all clean. He helps out in the water and at the helm. He drives the dinghy, wipes the smudges from our sunglasses, picks the playlist, tests the drinks. John is my frequent travel companion, and can breeze through an airport like nobody else. He’s lightning fast in the water, and fun to hang around with on deck. He can tear your stroke apart and put it back together like a NASCAR mechanic.
Heather is the partner that makes SwimVacation tick. She has a personal touch with each guest that keeps them coming back. Her photos leap from your screen. Of the over 50 of trips we have run, Heather has been on all but 2. Sure, I came up with this idea, but she is the heart of the whole operation.
We’ll be blogging from Kona, Hawaii in May. See you then!
Hopper
Mackenzie made this lovely card for us - a depiction of Sandy Island, and all of our week 2 guests signed it. Thank you guys! XO