There’s something about bats. Mammals that fly. Nocturnal. Sleep upside-down. Faces only a mother could love, yet we also find them cute. We pulled into a little cove this morning on the west side of St. Vincent, about mid-way up the island, at its fattest part. We swam around the bay, checking out the very healthy reef with both hard and soft corals, and rock structures that drop off dramatically to the depths.

*John climbed the huge promontory and jumped….*

Captain Jason swam us into a long tunnel cave with crystal clear water and pointed a light at the ceiling. Bats. Thousands of them, chirping and squeaking, some taking flight before choosing another perch. We followed Jason out through the narrow tunnel, really just a crack in the rock with deep water and a low ceiling. More bats flew over our heads. The sunlight at the end of the tunnel lit up the water exit in a dazzling blue, which led us back outside onto another healthy reef. The whole thing felt like being in a National Geographic special, and was one of the most amazing experiences we’ve had on SwimVacation.

Thank you, John for getting some of the best bat footage of the day!

And Zack got great footage of a gorgeous spotted eel on a ledge just outside the cave!

Back aboard Christophine II, we set sail for Bequia Island. Red, green, and blue colonial cottages line a big harbor here, a very Caribbean looking place. Some fishermen motored up and sold us some lobster. We dinghied to one of the docks, guests spread out to check out the shops, crew hit the markets to re-provision.

Our evening swim had a bit of everything, with a confused sea, current, and wind. This group toughed it out, and were rewarded with a glimpse of the sunken tugboat we were moored to and then to a mojito back aboard. I split and grilled the lobster tails, drowning them in butter and sage, with help from Zack, John, and Jason. Chef Maya prepared a lovely quinoa casserole and a green salad to accompany the lobster, and scooped out some local ice cream for dessert. Rose’ wine was the preferred libation tonight.

The crew shared some old stories over beers around the helm before retiring, bringing us back to our adventures in the Bahamas, the BVIs, Greece, Turkey, the Seychelles, and Hawaii. Mostly we talked about the characters that have lit our path along the way. It’s why we do this.

Hopper

Tuesday Bats & Bugs.

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