Thank you, Peter.
I personally started my day pretty low, a sinus infection had dug in, and I had a fever. I missed my first SwimVacation swim ever! My guides Heather and Will stepped up, though, got breakfast running, plotted a swim, nailed it. I buzzed around on the dinghy for the second half of their swim, feverish and sweating. I'm impressed with the way this group tackles the swims; guest Kathy blasts through the waves like butter, she's got a true open water swimmer's determination. They got out of the water all smiles, many gulping down a second breakfast.
We enjoyed typical between-swim SwimVacation activities; napping, reading, snorkeling, photography, snacking. Pause here... we just got bumped by another boat at anchor...... OK nobody hurt but a bareboat amateur left a gash in Promenade above the waterline. Excitement! We'll let the insurance companies work that one out. Back to the blog now.
Peter Island is our friend. It has big hills that block the wind and harbors that shelter us from swell. We motored around to White harbour after leaving Little Harbour, both Peter Island haunts of ours. White Bay is a favorite of ours; a nice reef, white sand beach, a big field of
turtle grass, and we are often alone at anchor. The sun was in full force this afternoon, we guides keep encouraging guests to apply sunblock and drink water.
Later, Captain Chad and Heather went diving. By this time I felt much better, thanks. I had chats with guests Paul, Janice, and Jamie as the afternoon drifted by. We plotted our afternoon swim course, which began with a buoy turn clinic. I love the idea of my guests returning to their home lake swimming race and smoking the competition at the turn.
I swam the first half of the swim with guest Mark, our six-time SwimVacationer. I'm not kidding when I say that whenever I make a wish (blow out birthday candles, pitch a penny in a well, etc) one of my wishes is to be able to swim as much and as well as Mark does when I am his age. This guy cannot be stopped in open water. I spent the second half of the swim trying to keep up with guest Jamie. I skipped half a stroke to clear one of my goggle lenses, looked up, and he was 10 yards away already. This guy is fast.
After the swim we played around the turtle grass, chasing green turtles and rays. Happy hour was painkillers and nachos. Then we got hit by a stray boat (see above). Dinner was Caribbean lobster! Different from the bugs I often eat in Maine, but very delicious as prepared by Felix the deckhand; grilled with onion and olive oil. Home made ice cream for dessert. I'm hoping for a little less wind tomorrow, but with this awesome group, no worries.
- Hopper
