Our hotel was nestled on the hillside across the bay with a view of Nidri. That evening we greeted the other swimmers and had our informational meeting.
Our first swim day began with our sorting cap ceremony, where we swim 2 laps around a small boat which determined which group we would be swimming with. The pink caps were worn by the fastest swimmers, orange caps were given to the next group and the group that needed more time were given yellow caps. Naturally, Beth swam with the pink group, I was placed with the yellow group (we quickly decided that we would be referred to as the gold group).
After our morning swim we cruised to a nearby port for lunch after which we swam along an island coast for 2 kilometers (the walk back to our hotel from the Athens bus drop off wasn’t looking that bad at all).
Each day was similarly structured with a morning swim, a lunch break at a different port and then an afternoon swim. Each day we swam an average of 5 kilometers along island coasts or crossing between islands.
On our swims we explored coastal caves, saw a variety of sea life from sea cucumbers to lion fish. One day we were blessed with dolphins playing at the bow of the boat and in its wake.
Being the novice swimmer that I am I did not realize the importance of the various liquids offered while we swam. The guides would offer mouthwash and fresh water or a variety of other drinks. I wasn’t very thirsty, nor did I think my breath was bad, so I would pass on the offerings - big mistake. After my second day my mouth was raw and I had an ulcer on my tongue which made it painful to eat and difficult to talk. The guides coordinated with the hotel to get some medicinal gel to correct my error. After a day of rest my mouth was mostly healed and I felt it was safe to swim again with frequent requests for mouthwash.
In the evening we were free to enjoy the local restaurants at our leisure. Sometimes we would join our new friends and other nights Beth and I would have a private meal on the water. After dinner it wasn’t uncommon to converse late into the evening. One evening the hotel put on a Greek night with local delicacies and entertainment from a local dance troupe. Our final evening our group ate together and celebrated our swimming achievements in a mountainside restaurant.
The next day Beth and I found our way back to Athens to prepare for our next adventures.
