SwimVacation

05/13/2024

A big swim went as expected, but our Friday night did not. A jarring end to an amazing week in Hawaii. Nothing can spoil our love for this place, for our ohana here, and our forever plan to return. Mahalo nui loa, Hawaii. A hiki i ka manawa a'e.

The Ironman course in Kona, Hawaii is legendary among swimmers and triathletes. It starts from the town pier and heads south along the coast for 1.2 miles, then back to the start.  The competition course is shorter than the pedestrian course by a bit because of the race setup, so it swims c

05/10/2024

Thursday brought us a hike, many Honu (turtles), a swimming chef and massage to sooth tired muscles. This is Hawaii. This is SwimVacation.

Our day began with two options: a short hike or ride in the minivan to Hapuna Beach. The land between our Hale and the beach is wild, criss-crossed with dirt roads, scruffy grasses and trees,  a section of a longer trail called Ala Kahakai. It’s one of those rare places with open camping an

05/09/2024

Boat day gives us a chance to reach points further south. A spotted eagle ray and octopus give good face, as our swimmers tackle three swims and adventure. This is Hawaii. This is SwimVacation.

Boats are great for swimmers. They can bring us to places that are hard or impossible to reach by car, and can easily drop us off in one place and pick us up in another. Today was our boat day here in Hawaii, where we charter a fishing boat to take us to a few places down the coast. Calm seas and bl

05/09/2024

Tuesday was black sand to white sand and malasadas and yoga and running rocks. Hawaii is a feast for the senses and we are all in. This is SwimVacation.

There’s a place here in Kona that embodies the spirit of the place all in about 4 acres, Kahalu’u beach park. It has  a pavilion with a mismatched, rusty corrugated metal roof, families gathered around hibachis smoking with the coals from Kiawe trees, a tiny church, a surf rental shack, a b

05/07/2024

Hawai'i, her land and people, share the best of what is on offer here. This is what Aloha is all about.

After yesterday’s bouncy swim that kicked off our trip, I was happy to wake to the sounds of birds, rather than wind whipping through the Kiawe trees, telling me that the water would be calm. It was, and we set off for a dramatic reef at the mouth of our little bay. We were greeted there by one li...

05/06/2024

We bring our six guests up the long and magic road to Puako, where the punee, a bouncy swim, sashimi and the best damn cake you've ever had await. This is Hawaii. This is SwimVacation.

The road between Puako and Kona here on the Big Island of Hawaii is like none other. Old  lava flows extend from the mountain to the sea, clouds hover over dormant volcanoes and blue skies extend over to Maui, a cousin in the distance. Palm tree lined white sand beaches dot the shoreline, w

05/05/2024

SwimVacation is back on Hawaii Island and feeling the Aloha. Can’t wait to get started. ❤️🧜🏽‍♀️🧜🏽‍♂️🌋🌺❤️

When we Mainers travel to Hawaii, we fly over a portion of two oceans. Just a quick loop into the Atlantic from Boston before the traverse the vastly varying landscape of America.

04/24/2024

National Geographic featured SwimVacation guide and photog Heather's photograph to report that swimming is the best exercise out there, and we quite agree! Come join us and come back better! 🏊🏊‍♂️

Experts detail the benefits of swimming, from strengthening your muscles to reducing inflammation and boosting your mental health—and how to get started.

01/24/2024

Precious few spots available in 2024. Come back better. www.swimvacation.com

11/21/2023

A final post from our beloved BVI, the Islands we have needed and are so grateful for. Sometimes the most loving thing you can do is say goodbye. This is open water swimming where we started. This is SwimVacation.

Muskmelon Bay has had enough of us. A swell picked up, sending waves crashing high into the air at the cliffs at the mouth of the bay. Winds swirled from every direction. The sea was confused, choppy, like it was having a tantrum. So we jumped in for a 2-mile swim. 

11/18/2023

We might have lost internet but we didn't lose steam....here's Thursday, with a loooooong swim and three cranky lobsters. Stay tuned for our final Friday and the wrap on our beloved BVI. This is SwimVacation.

I woke up and stood on the bow of the boat this morning to check out the weather and water conditions. Looking out, light winds and partly cloudy. Looking down, the water was really calm and clear, and I could easily make out the anchor chain. Three little southern stingrays were taking advantage of

11/16/2023

Wednesday was a swim among rocks and wrecks and a painkiller of a cocktail. We are prepping for a big Thursday morning, but not skipping the joy of today. This is Virgin Gorda in the BVI. This is SwimVacation.

Hopper and I both looked out the side hatch from our tiny crew berths at the same time this morning, which seemed like a fun photo op. - HP

11/15/2023

Tuesday was caves to wrecks and waves and stars. This is the British Virgin Islands. This is SwimVacation.

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.

11/14/2023

A rainbow to start, a remora midday, Pimms to finish. Monday rates pretty high here in the BVI. This is SwimVacation.

Sometimes we get a group of guests who just put their heads down and swim, and swim, and swim. I think that’s what we’re looking at this week. We hopped in at Great Harbour, Peter Island, with a destination of Little Harbour, same island. Our skipper would follow us, anchor in Little Harbor, and...

11/13/2023

Back to sea with a new batch of swimmers, wind picks up but they charge unfettered. Don't worry, there's plenty of cheese. This is week 2 in the BVI. This is SwimVacation.

New guests!  A mix of familiar faces and some new ones, and an even split male/female, which is rare for us, as women often outnumber the men on SwimVacation. Karen, Jeff, Pam, Patricia, Bill, Kyle, John, and  (guest) Heather. West Coasters outnumber East Coasters 4-3, with one gue

11/12/2023

A lot of shopping, running around and sweating, but also some great local eats and good crew hang time. Also, cows. This is flip day in the BVI. This is SwimVacation.

Saturday morning is all goodbyes, not my favorite. You grow close to your guests when you live with them and swim with them for a week, and it’s sad when they depart. Tough cookies, sailor. Dry your eyes and hit the town for another day of provisioning.  One of our more challenging items h

11/11/2023

It's never easy to say goodbye to old friends after new adventures. We know with this bunch, there will be more.
Week 2 ahead!

We woke to a sky of stormy pink.

11/10/2023

A long swim and a taste of history. This is the historic and scenic BVI. This is SwimVacation.

After yesterday’s baby jellyfish soup here at Mountain Point, Virgin Gorda, I woke up hoping they’d moved along. I paddled the SUP out a few hundred yards and kept jumping in to check the water. Clear! We set a swim course to Savannah Bay, about 2.5 miles down the coast. I swam with Debbie for a...

11/09/2023

We can't deny the heartbreak of some of the things we see beneath the waves. We can witness and swim on. This is the British Virgin Islands, and we love them. This is SwimVacation.

I am not a climate scientist. However, I have been traveling to the same sensitive environments for over 15 years, and I am a fairly observant person. I can say two things about the environment here in the British Virgin Islands: the ocean has been getting warmer, and many of the coral reefs have di

11/08/2023

Tuesday is for caves and shipwrecks, wild weather and fizzy drinks. This is the British Virgin Islands. This is SwimVacation.

I’m going to take a moment here to celebrate our chef, Lisa “Loulou” Dixon. She is also our chief provisioner, so let’s start there. Picture yourself in a grocery store on a small island with a list of items you’ll need to feed 14 people, many with strict diets, allergies, and preferences,...

11/07/2023

When there's rain, we swim. When there's sun, we swim. When the day is done, we enjoy the view and Pimms. This is a Monday in the BVI. This is SwimVacation.

My day started around 1 a.m., when a rainstorm blew through, and my hammock became a little damp at my feet. No big deal.  I looked down at the cushioned platform below me, where Simon was sleeping, and he seemed ok. Back to sleep. At 2 a.m., another storm came, this one more fierce. It bui

11/06/2023

Six new guests, old friends, climb on and jump off board. We are swimming in the British Virgin Islands. This is SwimVacation.

Crowing roosters again served as our alarm clock as Hodges Creek marina woke up to a hot, sunny day.  Danny and Simon made a last-minute trip to the hardware store for some kitchen implements, while the rest of us ate candy bars for breakfast and tidied up the yacht. Noon. Guests arrive! S

11/05/2023

We are provisioned, coffee makered and food truck fed. We are ready to welcome our first week's guests here in the beautiful BVI. This is delicious travel to the islands. This is SwimVacation.

Our trip begins with a drive from Bath, Maine to Revere, Massachusetts, just north of Boston and close to Logan Airport. We catch a glimpse of bucolic Casco Bay as we pass Portland, then cross the Piscataquis River into New Hampshire, and proceed to cross through the gates of hell and onto Route One

10/01/2023

Open water swimming or open water ? Hard to tell with this bunch in with these fun by . Thank you, for being our playground for two weeks. We will be back! 🇬🇷🏊🏻‍♀️🏊🏼‍♂️🧜🏽‍♀️🧜🏽‍♂️🏐❤️

09/23/2023

Friday was the apex of two weeks of play. The Ionian Sea has made for the playground of our dreams. This is SwimVacation signing off from Greece. What a wonderful trip it's been.

Today’s Greek Lesson: Play = Paízo = Παίζω We all got up early this morning to catch the silkiest water of the day. Barely yet above the mountains of Meganisi, the sun made a perfect backlight to energetic entries that belied the hour. Eight splashes before 0800.

09/21/2023

Thursday thrilled with three caves and more. How can it be we only have one more full day here? This is us making the most of it. This is SwimVacation.

Today’s Greek Lesson: Cave = Spílaio = Σπήλαιο I woke to see legs just outside my hatch. They belonged to Andrew, and he was getting clothes from their clothes pinned spot on the life lines so he could go running with Alison, Melissa and Ken. I checked the time: 0600. It’s still dark at ...

09/20/2023

A day that starts with a greeting by belled goats can't be anything but good. Wednesday was two bays and now dinner on the town. This is life in the Ionian Sea. This is SwimVacation.

Today’s Greek Lesson: Bell = koudoúni = κουδούνι Jellyfish = médousa = μέδουσα I woke to the sound of bells. Specifically, belled (pronounced bell-ed) goats scampering down the hillside. If you’ve never tried waking to the sound of scampering belled goats in Greece, I think you ...

09/19/2023

We swam through Tuesday like caves and keyholes and one pesky jellyfish. We don't stop, we swim through. This is the Ionian Sea. This is Swim(through)Vacation.

Today’s Greek Lesson: Swim Through = kolympíste mésa = κολυμπήστε μέσα Last night’s nudie swim was a little shorter, in part (I think?) because of fatigue but also the presence of a big obnoxious mega-yacht that was so bright it was killing our bioluminescence joy. We could still...

09/18/2023

I think this gang would eat and sleep in the water if we let them. This is a group of 6 making the absolute most of everything the Ionian Sea can offer. This is SwimVacation.

Today’s Greek Lesson: Energy = enérgeia = ενέργεια So yes, we all got in for our nightly skinny dip last night, and it was fun and a little more boisterous than usual with almost the entire group in the water. We all got the bioluminescence going and it was pretty thrilling. Alina and I d...

09/18/2023

A new batch of swimmers is here and already making the most of this Mediterranean adventure. 3 swims in half a day. Get ready, Ionian, this is SwimVacation. 🇬🇷⛵️🧜🏽‍♀️🧜🏽‍♀️🏊🏼‍♂️🏊🏼‍♂️🏊🏻‍♀️🏊🏻‍♀️🏊🏻‍♀️🏊🏻‍♀️

Today’s Greek Lesson: Reset = epanaforá = επαναφορά As Jane left yesterday, I mentioned to her that one of the tricky things about doing two weeks in a row is that I always feel a little duplicitous. Having connected with one group - writing about and photographing them and their experie...