Swim Vacation offers distance swimmers, triathletes and people in search of a sunny-good-time the opportunity to plunge into the pristine waters of the British Virgin Islands. In December, Michèle and I stayed one week aboard the Promenade, a beautiful 65 foot trimaran sailing yacht based in Tortola, BVI.
At 7:30am led by our fearless leader, Hopper, our group of six began each day swimming along coral reefs, rocky shoals and sandy beaches, stopping every once in a while to watch the majestic motion of giant sea turtles, rays and tarpon. By 11:00am after a large (and deserved) breakfast, we were under sail relaxing and enjoying the sights headed toward the next island and anchorage in a calm leeward-side bay. At 4:00pm we were back in the water for workout #2, typically a bit shorter and a bit less rigorous. After the swim we were treated to a few rounds of exotic drinks in preparation for dinner.
Not your average sailboat soup-kitchen, the daily feasts included treats such as seared tuna, beef fillet grilled to a perfect medium-rare, homemade ice cream and deliciously baked non-dietetic goodies. Kudos to Kerry (boat owner and master-chef) for the superb culinary creations. After a day of sun, fresh air, swims, amazing food and copious drink, it was not a surprise that the boat was quiet well before 11:00pm each night. Swim Vacation’s slogan is “Swim Relax Repeat”; we swam 15 miles in 6 days.
As the token Canadian passengers, Michèle and I were exposed to some of our southern neighbour’s strange rituals, including national Talk-Like-A-Pirate Day, for which no part of the country seemed willing to accept responsibility. But, argh, we sailed unscathed through Blackbeard’s bay and were treated to some tall tales from our captain. Our fellow-swimmers were eclectic and interesting and included an architect (arghitect), an English professor, an engineer, a male “homemaker”, a medical doctor, a freelance free-diver and a talented underwater photographer with vast experience in marine biology and deep sea diving. What a great group!
Much congratulations and thanks go to Hopper and his team for providing so many wonderful memories and facilitating such a world-class holiday event. See the links below for more information.
http://www.swimvacation.com
http://www.heatherperryphoto.com/Heather_Perry_Photography/Home.html