Already friends on holiday.

Saturday, our-move-everything-to-the-boat-trash-the-boat-reorganize-the-boat-see-what-we-are-missing-on-the-boat-get-more-stuff-for-the-boat-eat-a-big-dinner-and-collapse-into-beds-on-the-boat-day was a mammoth, non-stop day that Zack and Alina dropped right into the middle of after their long journey to Seychelles and hit the ground running without skipping a beat. I won’t bore you with the details of how much stuff we moved and where we managed to store it all because you wouldn’t believe me anyway. But getting so much done yesterday meant a bit of a sleep in this morning that we 5 took advantage of. Soon enough, the time came for finishing touches and then tada! our guests were here.

Myssie has traveled with us to Bahamas, BVI and Greece. She brings an effervescent spirit, a genuine excitement about what we do and about travel in general. She also brings the most incredible wardrobe of bathing suits. My camera and I can't wait to see what she’s got in the bag this week. This is her first travel since the pandemic grounded us all, and I’m so glad and happy it’s with us (and so far!!).

Marianne was late to join this trip but early to arrive today, which gave us a nice chance to catch up and recall that we have been swimming together on SwimVacation since 2009. In the early years, she brought along her husband Gary (Hi Gary!) and in the last few years she’s brought along her daughter, Lexi (we miss you Lex!). She and I have swum together in every location SwimVacation has been - BVI, Hawaii, Bahamas, Greece, Grenada and now the Seychelles.

Miriam is our steady, our regular. I had the great honor of accompanying her on her very first open water swim, and have syncro-swum with her (swimming tightly in sync, side by side) in every location we have run a trip. She GETS what we do, and she brings her love for us and the water with her in abundance on every trip (9 and counting). She’s fun. She’s family.

Tara lives in Michigan. She had her entire flight canceled on her just hours before departure, rebooked herself, rented a car, drove 4 hours to Chicago, flew for the last day and a half and landed in Mahe just this morning. She ferried over with some of the others looking fresh as a daisy, and never showed signs of wilting until just after dessert. She’s game and she always makes the most of her time in the water with us.

Celine is thoughtful, game and very brave. She’s an introvert who steps out into the world and into new waters without a hitch. She brings a calm to the boat and especially to me. I’ve had memorable moments with her in the Bahamas, BVI and Hawaii, and I could not be happier to be rooming with her on this trip.

Caroline is new to us, and I only just realized today that she is new to open water swimming! She’s already impressed me - she struggled with a very (very) bumpy ferry ride, got off that and onto our boat cool as a cucumber, met the SV team for the first time and jumped in for a swim. It wasn’t until the end of it that I realized this was her very first open water swim. I feel so lucky to guide someone on their first, and am totally amazed that she traveled halfway around the world to do it.

Caroline, Miriam and Tara get off the ferry after a very rough ride, still smiling, ready for another boat!

What I love and appreciate most about this group of women is that they have had a text chain going with each other in preparation for this trip for months. They’ve gotten to know each other, made plans, shared tips and advice and supported one another through travel. So by the time we had them all here on the boat, they were already fast friends. Laughter came easy, smiles everywhere. What a great thing - the warmth of the group rivaled that of the tropical air. With this connection already on board, we are in for a great week of exploration together.

And so we set sail and Richie expertly moved us up Praslin’s east coast to our first anchorage out of a pesky wind. We jumped in and made for our first encounter with Seychelles’ iconic granite strewn shores. The boulders are HUGE! After seeing them in photographs for decades I can hardly believe I’m here before them.

Today’s swim was mostly sandy bottom and calm with beds of sea grasses revealing all kinds of creatures. Already we have seen some familiar fins and a number of species new to SwimVacation. Three sting rays undulated beneath us. We saw butterfly fish with patterns unique to the Indian ocean. Schools of trevally jacks with their less-than-greater-than symbol fins. A yellow spotted eel I have yet to identify. Sea cucumbers- one that tolerated an in hand marine invertebrate lesson. The delightfully odd and curious long-fin batfish - these are large and flat discs swimming upright in the water, like dinner plates standing on end. Most intriguing was a species new to me - the Alticus Blenny. These little guys literally jump all over the exposed rocks in the intertidal zone! Zack climbed up and saw them, bouncing around in the air! I tried to get close enough for a photo - nothing good enough to share yet. When they get spooked they leap like lemmings back into the water. Strange and wonderful.

Top left, a stingray, top right, Trevally jacks. Bottom left, Tara and a very patient sea cucumber, bottom right, the very curious batfish.

Strange and wonderful. Already. These islands like magnificent piles of gleaming granite in the middle of the Indian Ocean. The birds, trees, lizards, bats, fish - everything is different here. Everything we see is of this place alone. After only one swim, we are alert to the uniqueness and ready for more.

Seychelles sparklers made for a very happy happy hour, as did the slow reveal of a very dramatic sunset. Well done, Seychelles.

Lou Lou got off to a strong start with two fantastic meals today - a lunch of amazing cheeses and niblets (Where?? Where does she find these things in such remote places??), and a very local preparation of an enormous red snapper - a favorite called bourgeoisie grille by locals. The thing was infused with a Seychelles concoction of so many exotic spices - you’ve never had anything like it. The fish platters included a mushroom rice side which was savory and great, especially alongside prawns, sauteed vegetables and asparagus. Dessert was wrapped up in little pouches of filo - sachets of sweet apple goodness with a side of ice cream. Smiles and laughter harmonized with the meal. Our friends chatted a while and one by one trailed off to bed. I’m left blogging in the dark and marveling about how their fast kinship makes this yacht an even nicer place to be, and so soon in the week.

Ok. To bed with me. I’ll dream of jumping blennies and alien batfish and amazing food that just appears and the ease and warmth of a new group of friends. 

And the boulders! The boulders that attract wild and wonderful things and already friends like a beacon in the middle of a turquoise sea.

Love from far away,

Heather