Swim Vacation

So, what exactly does this picture tell you? It tells you that it is time for another SWIM VACATION week on Promenade!
Hopper made himself at home, while it looks like Fitzy is begging for permission to come on board!

We relaxed, as we had a few coming in at dinner times,

Ate lunch on dock...



And then made our way over to Beef Bluff and put down anchor ready for our first get acquainted with the water swim...

Everyone was looking pretty good...



And looking like they had been in the water all week and that it was not their first swim this week!



While waiting for them to come back (no damn way I was chasing them with scuba gear on, but I think tomorrow I will have to do the camera with snorkel thing...) I went to see what I can see, and I had never realized there was a wreck down there in about 20 or so feet of water... Had rigging, sails and everything!

The cutest thing was the two slipped lobster that did not care if I was there at all...

Someone thought they were going to be cute taking pictures of me taking pictures of them...

After our swim it was a short stop back at dock to pick up the next arrivals and then a sail over to Salt Island where they all listened attentively to all my little rules (like don't fall asleep on the beer locker otherwise your ship mates will roll you off!)

The late afternoons swim was fairly ambitious, it was a swim from the boat anchored up at Man Head point, around Salt Island, finishing up at with a snorkel at the wreck of the RMS Rhone! I was in with my trusty camera to take some splash pictures, which obviously is what the next few are...



And they are in....

and under....

And off!

I followed them (ha!) on the bottom... found a lobster...

Found little crab eyes...

Some very pretty coral, clear water and pretty colors..

Do you see the TON of large shells in this picture? It is an octopuses lair. I think he had more empty large shells then I have ever seen any octopus have!

I love eyes, and this conch's eyes were peaking out looking at me...

The swimmers made it around the point, but the current was too strong for me to, so I came up and let the dinghy pick me up...Sunset on the water...

It was already a pretty big day with traveling, two large swims and some coming all the way from Alaska, so it was seared tuna for dinner....

A toast to the beginning of the Swim Vacation week...

and I am eating Oreo Cheesecake while doing my blog (quite good if I do say so myself) and I think most of the rest of the crew is in bed before ten! Got to be up early for that 7 AM swim you know!

It is time for another Swim Vacation week on Yacht Promenade...



I received an email from Hopper yesterday, their fearless leader, with some "I am sincerely hoping the weather gods cooperate with me this week instead on wind and lightning striking down" and his plans for some different swim routes!

"We’re just a few days from the start of our next SwimVacation trip to the British Virgin Islands. We’ll have 9 guests; swimmers from such far-flung places as Alaska, Switzerland, and New York City. I have plans for us to swim in some new places – around Sandy Cay near Jost Van Dyke, perhaps from Dead Chest Island to Deadmen’s Bay on Peter Island (much less dangerous than it sounds, unless you’re a non-swimming pirate from the 18th century), and the waters between Ginger and Cooper Islands, an endlessly blue experience. Follow us all week on our Trip Blog, which I have already begun. "

And of course, I will also blog my view of the swimmers this week. It should be fun, and it is a full house with 12 swimmers on board including guests, the salon will have three Swim Vacation guides in it! They call themselves homeless...we just call them extra crew!

Photo on this page is taken by one of the guides, Heather Perry of Heather Perry Photography

Well, it is another weekend so it must mean the end of another charter week! We spent most of the day yesterday in Great Harbour on Peter Island. Our Swim Vacationers did a very long swim and then STILL have energy to go play on the sand (kind of like playing in the snow for Texans, as Linda makes a "sand angel" here)

Then there was the Sand Man. She had collected bits for him for days...

Then at Oceans 11 they found some beach toys, which they decided that they would get to the top of if it killed them!

It was a struggle...

and they came down much quicker!

We had a mid afternoon sail and then a last big swim around the Bight and they swam up to Willy T's to have a finishing celebratory drink... Then came back for more cocktails and dinner!



After dinner we all piled into the salon to watch a selection of pictures that we had taken during the week. This took awhile to get organized, and we never did get the music to play along with the pictures either!

Heather, who came along as part of Swim Vacation shot thousands of pictures for their marketing purposes, and there is a lot of very nice ones. You can see her work and photo's on her website here!

We all socialized for a couple hours after the slide show and then it was to bed and up bright and early to make it back to dock and wave good bye to all our swimmers until next time. The guests left us some nice comments and the crew is very much looking forward to a few days in between charters here! I see a glint in Bazzas eye and it has nothing to do with me, but he is already at work on his ROV!!

Thank you so much for making the non swimmer welcomed on the "swim vacation" The books you loaned me kept me going and the beach patrols kept me sane! The food, wine and ready flow of info about the islands sparked my interest! You are an amazing couple and I admire your hard work and enthusiasm. MICHELLE, TORONTO

WAHOO! Thanks for the fantastic food, adventure, aquatic support and fun! CORTNEY, SWIM VACATION

Thank you for a most excellent week. The food was wonderful, the boat well run and the company inspiring. I am grateful to Kerry, Bazza and Simeon for taking such good care of us and for making this wonderful week possible. BILL

In a word, PERFECT!! Well, maybe two words, "TOTALLY PROFESSIONAL"! Well, maybe three words, "I'LL BE BACK!" LINDA THE TEXAN

BRAVO! What a spectacular week! Great food/entertainment/swimming/boating/fun/fun! Thank you for putting on a great show! SWIM VACATION ROCKS! KEITH, TORONTO

Thanks for hosting my re-emergence into this great part of life. HEATHER