For the Love of Water

FOR THE LOVE OF WATER

Immersing yourself in your destination offers unique perspectives.

by MICHAEL SHAPIRO

Just married, my wife and I are honeymooning on the northwest coast of Maui, and there’s nothing we’d rather do than, well, swim. A short walk from the Napili Kai, our hotel for the week, is Honokeana Cove, where sea turtles often congregate. We’ve been advised to get there early, ahead of the tour boats.

Early morning, we plunge into the cove wearing bathing suits and snorkel masks, enjoying the warm clear waters that surround Maui. Soon I see a dark green blur about 10 feet down – and then another; before long we’re languidly swimming with six to eight turtles.

One of the largest, 4 feet long and nearly 3 feet wide, moves toward the surface to breathe; I do the same. For a second or two, our eyes meet above the water. I imagine a connection – we do see each other – then the turtle descends a few feet below the surface.

That was the moment I got hooked on swimming outdoors. I’m not an endurance swimmer or triathlete – I just love being in free-flowing water. I’ve swum in the Colorado River at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, in limestone pools called cenotes in Mexico, in the warm waters along Thai beaches and in chilly San Francisco Bay.

Getting Comfortable:

Swimming outdoors “gives you a sense of freedom” says Cathy Meeker, a student advisor at Pace University who also works as a swim coach at the YMCA in Rye, New York. “When traveling, it’s the best way to explore.” Meeker, who volunteers as a “swim angel,” to help people get comfortable in open water, says it’s a sport almost anyone can enjoy for their entire life because it’s not as hard on one’s body as, for example, running.

Outdoor swimming “opens a whole new world,” Meeker says, and has helped her “to feel comfortable, to gain confidence, to feel like an athlete. I may not be the fastest but it doesn’t matter how fast you are if you keep working on your technique and your confidence.”

Swimming outdoors, it’s about finding your flow and calmness in the water instead of trying to control everything,” she says.

Meeker works with a lot of beginners. “We get them comfortable,” she says. “It opens them up to a world of endurance, whether it's swimming or snorkeling or aqua bikes; it’s kind of cool to see. The biggest thing with swimming is getting relaxed, not holding your breath, realizing you need to breathe out under the water and breathe in over the water, and working with stroke technique so strokes are nice and long.”

The primary concern of people new to open-water swimming is safety. So most of the time Meeker invites those new to the sport to swim in protected waters, for example an area bounded by jetties or a beach patrolled by lifeguards. She also recommends wetsuits for ocean swimming, which provide buoyancy, keep people warm, and offer protection from the stings of jellyfish (now properly called “jellies” as they’re not fish).

One of the most enjoyable aspects of open-water swimming for many people is that training and swims are communal."

Mark Meeker, Cathy’s husband and an attorney, swam competitively in high school and was on his college water polo team, but now finds joy in swimming outdoors with friends. The key to getting better outdoors, he says, is swimming with others. “Find an open-water swimming group,” he says. That makes a huge difference. You feel safe, encouraged, and want to come back.”

More than two-thirds of the Earth is aquatic, and getting comfortable in open water leads to unexpected adventures like swimming with sea turtles in Hawaii. Since our remarkable turtle encounter, my wife and I have swum among a rainbow of parrot fish off the coast of Thailand and been in the water with a squadron of small penguins in the Galapagos. These are among our most thrilling travel adventures, lifelong memories that we cherish long after returning home.

Far-flung destinations for open-water swimming

Leaping into open water while traveling is one of the best ways to explore a destination. See the coast in a new light, connect with locals, or discover hidden realms such as sea caves or underwater grottoes. Here’s a selection of beguiling places to swim throughout the world.

Blue Cave, Croatia:

Known as the Blue Grotto near the Croatian island of Vis, the cave has an iridescent cobalt light at certain times of day. It’s reachable by ferry from the coastal city of Split.

Blue Cave, Croatia

Havasu Falls, Arizona:

Located in the Grand Canyon near the Havasupai Indian village of Supai, Arizona. One of the most spectacular swimming holes on the planet, it features spring-fed water that cascades 100 feet into vibrant blue water, contrasted by red rocks. Although tough to get to, the view alone makes it worth the trip.

Havasu Falls, Arizona

Mexico’s cenotes:

Formed when the roof of a limestone cavern caves in, cenotes are tropical wonderlands, often turquoise or emerald pools surrounded by walls covered with lush foliage. Among the most popular cenotes are X’keken and Samula (near one another), Ik Kil (on the way to Chichen Itza), Gran Cenote and Dos Osos. The all-inclusive resort Hacienda Tres Rios has guided swimming in cenotes on its property.

Gran Cenote, Mexico

Pont du Gard, France:

Near France’s southern coast, you can swim (or kayak) in the Gardon River alongside a 2,000-year-old Roman aqueduct.

Pont du Gard, France

The Baths on Virgin Gorda, BVI:

Gigantic granite boulders form a series of natural tidal pools filled with a myriad of grottoes and tunnels for swimmers and snorkelers to explore. The further from the shore you go, the better the coral and sea life is.

The Baths, Virgin Gorda

Hamilton Pool, Texas:

Near the city of Austin in Dripping Springs, Texas, you can swim beneath the limestone outcroppings that create a canopy. The fall tumbles over the outcropping, dropping 50 feet into the waters below where you can swim leisurely and enjoy your surroundings.

Hamilton Pool, Texas

Donsol, Philippines:

A little over 300 miles by car from Manila, you can swim safely with endangered whale sharks. All you need is a snorkel to commune with these gentle spotted giants. From November through June, whale shark sightings are highly likely.

Donsol, Philippines

To book your aquatic-themed trip, please contact your Ensemble Travel ® Group Advisor.