9 July - Our first adventure of this month was with our truly wonderful friends, SaraLinda and Hugh MacMillan. We met them through swimming. After our Saturday morning swim at Riverside Pool (33 1/3 yard length), we drove an hour to Havelock with our bike packing gear. Once in Havelock, home of the world's green mussels, and after finding a good parking space at the wharf, we began a 46 km single track ride to Picton (where the ferry crosses the Cook Strait over to Wellington). It was up and down (more than Karen thought would happen), and one bridge that was sneakily covered with invisible lichen. We biked arrived in Picton, continued a wee more and stayed in an AirBnB at the top of the hill in Waikawa. Next day, we retraced our route, and back to Nelson.
22 July - 1 August - 5 islands Swim Challenge - Samoa
After spending the night in Auckland and attending the USA vs Vietnam World Cup math, we traveled on to Samoa and met Kay and Ben at Ocean Club Maninoa Beach Fales (pronounced "fa-lays") for 2 nights. These are on the south coast of Upolu, the main island of Samoa. This is after we had booked, canceled, then rebooked this entire trip due to Immigration visa issues…. Mark got a call from Immigration New Zealand Friday at 3:30 p.m. granting approval. We were able to rebook by calling Air New Zealand, Mark called Seti, the race organizer, and told him we were a go. We were off Saturday morning at 8:00 am to Auckland, and went to Eden Park for the USA vs Vietnam World Cup. They won this first game 3-0 and Rapinoe played the last 20 minutes…. An historic moment we were thrilled to witness.
Back to the Ocean Club - fales (3 sided hut on the beach, 5 meters from the sea). We woke up after arriving late (without any food on Air New Zealand Sunday night), and dipped into the warm, tropical Pacific Ocean Samoan waters . In the afternoon Mark and Ben hung out with a school of big sea turtles and Mark was startled by a white tipped reef shark. After breakfast, the four of us drove along the south coast to the “Return to Paradise Beach Resort”. Recall the “Return to Paradise” 1964 World War II movie starring Cary Grant and Roberta Haynes. We lunched there and explored the resort’s coast line that includes a beautiful marble outdoor church situated by the sea. There is a “memory wall” with plaques dedicated to those who have passed onto the bluer waters of the heavens. How do you get your own plaque besides dying? Well, Return to Paradise Resort is the only Samoan resort that is 100% owned by Samoans. Shareholders are eligible for the Memory Wall.
That evening, Good news, we brought some Duty Free items. Bad news - couldn’t find tonic water! But everything works out….Samoa is like that, casual, and nothing is a big deal. Next day, traveled back to Apia to check in for the FIVE ISLAND SWIM CHALLENGE!!!
Day 1: Welcome swim 2km in the harbor. Not much to see, water very warm, too warm. But, it was a good “shake out” swim for Seti to see what kind of swimmers he would be entertaining for the next five days. We stayed at the luxurious Tanoa Tusitala Hotel in Apia, had dinner at Paddles Restaurant on Samoan time… Definitely a lot of cocktail hour time once you give your order - is that purposeful?!?!
Day 2: Manono Island swim 3.7 km (one way) - swam from Upolu to Manono. At the finish on Manono Island, we walked 1.5 km to our lunch spot. Manono has no motorized vehicles, just walking pathways. The Seaside Cafe had prepared our lunch for us. We ate, rested, then started the next swim.
Nu'ulopa swim 3.2 km (1.7 km over and 1.5 km back) Over to Nu’ulopa we had a gentle push with the current, coming back though, quite a few swimmers opted to take the boat back, but we persevered - Karen staying right on Mark’s toes for a nice wee draft to fight the current and the waves. We stayed at the very non-luxurious Transit Motel. BUT, we had dinner across the street at the Sheraton. Our original itinerary showed we were to stay here...Not sure what happened! But, everything works out in Samoa.
Day 3: Manono Island swim 3.7 km (return) - We had a 6 am start (no coffee!) boat ride over to Manono then swam back to Upolu- breakfast buffet at the Sheraton. Finally had our morning coffee. Also, Karen was learning not to drink the water unless filtered or boiled! Thank you to Christina and her Imodium. A van drive to the next starting point where we swam to Nu'usafe'e Island. Going over to the island was a “social swim” and there was complete mayhem regarding the buoy target, and negotiating a strong current, but we all managed to make it to the infamous island where “Survivor” is being filmed.” After a group picture we RACED back - this was the best finish as Christina, Ben, Mark and Karen finished as the first four (all of us being from Nelson)! We fought a current and had beautiful coral to swim across…. The total for this swim was 3.4 km (return)- On to the Taufua Beach Fales where we again had an accommodation footsteps from the sea. Family style dinner, early to bed….
Day 4: Falefa Falls swim (5 km) -Back in the van, drove to the starting point at the Methodist Theological College. We swam along the coast, up the river, negotiating a huge root stump and anchored boat, to the falls, around the yellow buoy, down the river, across the choppy bay to the point, hugged the coast back to the Methodist Theological College and Piula Springs. This was the only swim of the day. On the way back to the Taufua Beach Fales we stopped at The Trench where we climbed down a ladder to a gigantic sink hole filled with ocean water - the tidal water inside was surging. It reminded me of the Heber Crater in Utah but, saltier, beautiful, no pee in the water and lots of swirly current.
Day 5: Namu'a swim 2.5 km - This last day of swimming was changed from a 5k to 2.5 km due to the weather, current, and chop. A mix of interesting instructions where we were to swim to the yellow buoy, then the boat anchored at the island, then back to the starting point. But... the anchored boat left mysteriously on our swim there, but.... everything works out. That afternoon we took the ferry to Sava’ii Island where we had r & r at the Stevensons Fales for two days before returning to Nelson.
22 July - 1 August - 5 islands Swim Challenge - Samoa
After spending the night in Auckland and attending the USA vs Vietnam World Cup math, we traveled on to Samoa and met Kay and Ben at Ocean Club Maninoa Beach Fales (pronounced "fa-lays") for 2 nights. These are on the south coast of Upolu, the main island of Samoa. This is after we had booked, canceled, then rebooked this entire trip due to Immigration visa issues…. Mark got a call from Immigration New Zealand Friday at 3:30 p.m. granting approval. We were able to rebook by calling Air New Zealand, Mark called Seti, the race organizer, and told him we were a go. We were off Saturday morning at 8:00 am to Auckland, and went to Eden Park for the USA vs Vietnam World Cup. They won this first game 3-0 and Rapinoe played the last 20 minutes…. An historic moment we were thrilled to witness.
Back to the Ocean Club - fales (3 sided hut on the beach, 5 meters from the sea). We woke up after arriving late (without any food on Air New Zealand Sunday night), and dipped into the warm, tropical Pacific Ocean Samoan waters . In the afternoon Mark and Ben hung out with a school of big sea turtles and Mark was startled by a white tipped reef shark. After breakfast, the four of us drove along the south coast to the “Return to Paradise Beach Resort”. Recall the “Return to Paradise” 1964 World War II movie starring Cary Grant and Roberta Haynes. We lunched there and explored the resort’s coast line that includes a beautiful marble outdoor church situated by the sea. There is a “memory wall” with plaques dedicated to those who have passed onto the bluer waters of the heavens. How do you get your own plaque besides dying? Well, Return to Paradise Resort is the only Samoan resort that is 100% owned by Samoans. Shareholders are eligible for the Memory Wall.
That evening, Good news, we brought some Duty Free items. Bad news - couldn’t find tonic water! But everything works out….Samoa is like that, casual, and nothing is a big deal. Next day, traveled back to Apia to check in for the FIVE ISLAND SWIM CHALLENGE!!!
Day 1: Welcome swim 2km in the harbor. Not much to see, water very warm, too warm. But, it was a good “shake out” swim for Seti to see what kind of swimmers he would be entertaining for the next five days. We stayed at the luxurious Tanoa Tusitala Hotel in Apia, had dinner at Paddles Restaurant on Samoan time… Definitely a lot of cocktail hour time once you give your order - is that purposeful?!?!
Day 2: Manono Island swim 3.7 km (one way) - swam from Upolu to Manono. At the finish on Manono Island, we walked 1.5 km to our lunch spot. Manono has no motorized vehicles, just walking pathways. The Seaside Cafe had prepared our lunch for us. We ate, rested, then started the next swim.
Nu'ulopa swim 3.2 km (1.7 km over and 1.5 km back) Over to Nu’ulopa we had a gentle push with the current, coming back though, quite a few swimmers opted to take the boat back, but we persevered - Karen staying right on Mark’s toes for a nice wee draft to fight the current and the waves. We stayed at the very non-luxurious Transit Motel. BUT, we had dinner across the street at the Sheraton. Our original itinerary showed we were to stay here...Not sure what happened! But, everything works out in Samoa.
Day 3: Manono Island swim 3.7 km (return) - We had a 6 am start (no coffee!) boat ride over to Manono then swam back to Upolu- breakfast buffet at the Sheraton. Finally had our morning coffee. Also, Karen was learning not to drink the water unless filtered or boiled! Thank you to Christina and her Imodium. A van drive to the next starting point where we swam to Nu'usafe'e Island. Going over to the island was a “social swim” and there was complete mayhem regarding the buoy target, and negotiating a strong current, but we all managed to make it to the infamous island where “Survivor” is being filmed.” After a group picture we RACED back - this was the best finish as Christina, Ben, Mark and Karen finished as the first four (all of us being from Nelson)! We fought a current and had beautiful coral to swim across…. The total for this swim was 3.4 km (return)- On to the Taufua Beach Fales where we again had an accommodation footsteps from the sea. Family style dinner, early to bed….
Day 4: Falefa Falls swim (5 km) -Back in the van, drove to the starting point at the Methodist Theological College. We swam along the coast, up the river, negotiating a huge root stump and anchored boat, to the falls, around the yellow buoy, down the river, across the choppy bay to the point, hugged the coast back to the Methodist Theological College and Piula Springs. This was the only swim of the day. On the way back to the Taufua Beach Fales we stopped at The Trench where we climbed down a ladder to a gigantic sink hole filled with ocean water - the tidal water inside was surging. It reminded me of the Heber Crater in Utah but, saltier, beautiful, no pee in the water and lots of swirly current.
Day 5: Namu'a swim 2.5 km - This last day of swimming was changed from a 5k to 2.5 km due to the weather, current, and chop. A mix of interesting instructions where we were to swim to the yellow buoy, then the boat anchored at the island, then back to the starting point. But... the anchored boat left mysteriously on our swim there, but.... everything works out. That afternoon we took the ferry to Sava’ii Island where we had r & r at the Stevensons Fales for two days before returning to Nelson.