The Binghamton YMCA and Kalapaki Beach Hawaii

What does Kalapaki beach have to do with the Binghamton YMCA? The answer is learning how to swim. On my 77 birthday I decided to learn how to swim. As a youngster growing up in the Paradise of the Pacific on the island of Kauai, we did many kinds of ocean activities such as body surfing, boogie boarding, diving off cliffs and spear fishing for barracuda. We dove for seaweed (LIMU) to make a delicious salad. There's an old Hawaiian saying that it is so delicious (ONO) you will undoubtedly forget your last name! I did all these activities with my friends without knowing how to swim but in the back of my mind there was always a fear of drowning. Hey, I was an invincible kid!!

 

My first lesson was with Patty, the swimming instructor at the Binghamton Y. She told me to swim to the end of the pool.  I was a little nervous, but I wanted to show her that I really wanted to learn how to swim. I started off making big splashes with my arms and hands causing water to fly all over my head. I looked like a battleship going through 10-foot waves traveling at 20 knots. My legs were kicking like I was a hydro power plant. I thought I was doing well and impressed Patty. It was completely exhausting. I did this a couple times, and it was not fun. I always swam in the lane next to the lifeguard. I was afraid of drowning. It took me four months swimming in the shallow section of the pool before I attempted to cross the blue line to the deeper part of the pool. I was determined to learn how to swim and kept it up for three years before I felt comfortable swimming the full length of the pool.

 

After years of training, I was ready to return to Kalapaki Beach, for my epic challenge, I was prepared to swim across the one mile Nawiliwili Bay. The ocean water tasted salty and was buoyant, the water temperature was 83 degrees, the warm trade winds gently caressing me, I felt the currents pushing me and that made me anxious, and there was no lifeguard on duty, this is not a good time to think of drowning. Oh, this is the day!

 

Remember to keep your body balanced, relax, have fun, do the cadence count with your strokes: 1-2-3-4 breath, pretend you’re climbing an invisible ladder, keeping your graceful arms from crossing in front of you. I hear a Hawaiian Airlines jet low overhead landing at Lihue airport, I can hear the tourists on the beach having fun with their children catching the small waves at the shoreline, now I see the big black shiny lava rocks mixed in with the brilliant white coral ahead of me, I am getting closer to meeting my goal. I made it, this is my day!!!!

 

I met my childhood challenge, and it was both exhilarating and made me proud of myself. Thanks to the YMCA.

 

I am honored to be a member of the Binghamton YMCA Swimmer’s Galore Society Club of about 8 to 10 men and women. We would often go for breakfast after our swim and rotate to different restaurants. The swimmers are fascinating folks.  They are: The Marathon Swimmer, who has swum over 7,300 miles in 32 years, and was a student who audited the Chinese language, also an expert of ethnic foods.  The Renaissance man, who is a professional ball room dancer with his wife, winning many national dance competitions, is a black belt Karate expert, guitar player, fly fisherman, an accomplished acrylic painter, a trained Chef of the Culinary Institute of America and a Social Worker.  Bob swims “like a knife cutting butter” in the water, he is so smooth, fast and effortless. Jim is an Army veteran and an avid marathon runner; George a retired newspaper reporter. John retired as a minister, Air Force veteran and an artist. Bill, a golfer, retired as a school Superintendent, Karen retired as a teacher. Tom is just a very handsome guy. John is a world traveler and raises bees. Kevin, a Marine veteran and a master swimmer is our trusty Lifeguard and there is Freddie, who is our very secret Special Agent. There is limited space to describe all the other talented swimmers. This is a wonderful group of welcoming and warm friendships of guys and dolls.

 

The Swimmer’s Galore Society Club is a perfect place for our Mental Health!!

 

Aloha,

   Casey Epe