Tuesday = Noodlers and Sea Stars.

We wake in Privateer to a delicious morning sunrise. Many swimmers eat two breakfasts, one  before a swim, and one after. We need the total calories from both, but have to split them in half so we don’t lose them during the swim, if you get my drift. So breakfast stays laid out all morning. 

We try to get to the caves here at Norman Island before “the noodlers” arrive; tourist boats who drop several dozen people in life jackets and floaty noodles to explore the caves usually show up around 9am.  We jumped in at 8:30, and as we started exploring the caves, the noodlers arrived. Hurry!, we screamed. It turns out we had plenty of time, as the noodle handlers had a lengthy safety talk to give.

I mentioned yesterday that this group likes to swim a LOT, so what is typically happening on every swim is that we add on about a mile after our typical tour. This was the case this morning as most of the group swam across the deep part of the bay to Angelfish Reef. They were rewarded with a field of big, brilliant sea stars. A few of us stayed back to do some stroke drills, we were rewarded with better strokes:)

A sea star the size of a dinner plate gave us an excellent opportunity to learn about pentamerous symmetry and the water vascular system! It was returned to the bottom, unharmed.

A big sail, tacking upwind back and forth across the Drake Channel, Tortola to Peter, Tortola to Peter, then a brief motor to our anchorage at Salt Island. Then it got HOT. We retreated to shady spots around Rhapsody and scrolled on our phones and through our books. 

The wreck of the Rhone is like none other. Much of this behemoth ship that ran aground here in a hurricane in 1867 is accessible to mere snorkelers, and the water tends to be clear, if not calm. After a sporty swim to the wreck from Salt Bay, the guides did their swim-throughs under the wreck at its stern until we re-grouped for the swim back to Salt Bay. Heather and I swam over a sleeping spotted eagle ray, who awoke only after we hung around for a while. Once in Salt Bay, most of us hit the beach to comb for sea glass. I pause to look up at where the graves of the victims of the Rhone tragedy once were, it seems that the past few hurricanes have reclaimed their remains, pulling them back into the sea. I’m slowly learning that nothing is permanent. 

A small team of us men made a strong batch of margaritas, knowing the ice would water them down quickly. Canapes were passed around as we all told tall tales about our past swimming achievements, a passtime on SwimVacation for over a decade;). I played DJ and took musical requests for a bit. 

Three of our guests are former Hawaii SwimVacationers enjoying their first time on a yacht with us. Kyle, Pam, and Patricia all seem to be taking to the concept nicely. 

Shrimp and pasta was gobbled down, and after a dessert of brownies and ice cream, these swimmers hit their beds. Heather and I hung around on the bow locating constellations in the stars before hitting our coffin berths. Zzzzzzzzz.

Hopper

PS. Please enjoy a short video recap of the day!