What Do You Do On Your Vacation? Swim, Relax, Repeat?
Courtesy of WOWSA, Huntington Beach, California. Hopper McDonough‘s motto is Swim, Relax, Repeat.
The founder of SwimVacation, he writes, “I’m committing to facing fears and trying new things. In the process, I’ve been thinking about how fear affects us. Fear can create anxiety, misunderstanding, isolation and stagnation. But facing fear can be an opportunity – it’s a ticket to explore places in yourself that you don’t get to know when you’re totally comfortable.
Traveling somewhere to jump in the ocean with nothing but a swim suit and pair of goggles is for many, an opportunity to face fear.
Amazing things await us there – lessons to be learned about other people, nature, about our own strength and perseverance, about how we can surrender and be carried by water. Some of our most memorable moments on SwimVacation have been when someone confronts a fear and overcomes it. It’s transformative. Fear, it turns out, can be a gift.
These are the moments that keep us jumping back in the water.”
Hopper offers swim vacations in the British Virgin Islands, Hawaii and Turkey. His 2016 trip schedule is as follows:
*British Virgin Islands between March 13th-18th and December 4th-10th
*Kona, Hawaii between May 15th-21st
*Turkish Coast in Aperlae between October 1st-8th
Hopper explains his Turkish Coast SwimVacation: “Founded in the 4th century BC, Aperlae was a Lycean city abandoned over 1,000 years ago, and has since partially sunk into the sea, which makes it perfect to swim over, then explore on foot during the Turkish Coast SwimVacation. The history is rich with few tourists, no signs, no fences, no signs that say DON’T. Afterwards, we’ll eat a plate of fresh figs and ponder what it was like to live in this little city by the sea so long ago.”
For more information, visit here.
Photo shows Hopper swimming in Turkey on the cover of University of Rhode Island’s Quad Angles alumni magazine.
Copyright © 2015 by World Open Water Swimming Association
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.
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