They say every cloud has a silver lining. It took a long time for me to see the silver lining of having cancer (and frankly I think the silver lining idea is a bit tarnished) but one of the benefits was qualifying for Casting for Recovery. This program provides cancer survivors with an opportunity to meet other individuals battling or recovering from the disease as well as learn a new skill. Fly fishing is a wonderful, relaxing sport which provides exercise, an opportunity to be in the outdoors and a chance to participate in an activity which can be done pretty much anywhere there is water.Ten women were selected to participate in the most recent Casting for Recovery event and we were flown from Toronto to Bermuda earlier this month.
While away I kept a few notes which I'll share below.
February 12
Today we arrived in Bermuda. The sun broke through the clouds as we exited the airport. The water here is turquoise -- the most beautiful shade of blue I've ever seen.
We drove across the Island and after posing for a group picture at the "Unfinished Church" we stopped for lunch at the restaurant Indigo. It was very good and offered a wide array of dishes from local seafood to Indian cuisine. I ordered a thin-crust pizza with pineapple and shrimp.
We spent the rest of the afternoon at a mystical spot known as the Crystal Caverns. The words "Simply Incredible" do not do the caves justice. Even here, hundreds of feet below the surface the water is an incredible aqua blue. The cave ceiling drips with stalactites which were met with stalagmites growing up from the floor. The water was twenty feet deep in places and crystal clear. The underwater crystals reminded me of the corals found in aquariums. It takes a hundred years for one of the skinniest crystals to grow six inches. Most of the structure in the cave was hundreds of thousands of years old.
A floating boardwalk allowed us to walk through the caves. In the past people explored it by boat. Our leader guided us through a session of meditation. We shared how this trip had shaped/affected us. Then we sat quietly with the stillness of the cave working its magic on our souls. A cat lives at the site and it sat in my lap purring as I breathed in the purifying air of the cavern. The sound of water gently lapping the boardwalk and dripping from the ceiling was the only other noise which disturbed the quiet. It was the perfect way to unwind after the hustle of travel.
We ate a late supper at a restaurant not far from our hotel. I had fish soup and bruschetta. The soup is quite different from anything I've had before and is a dark broth-based soup.
Our room is lovely. The bathroom is very luxurious. The bed was a king and we had to have housekeeping come and split it apart and remake it to give myself and my roommate our own sleeping area.
I don't think I'll have any trouble going to sleep tonight.
February 13
Today we received a special Casting for Recovery pin at breakfast. These pins are fashioned like a salmon or trout fly and will serve as a reminder of our trip for years to come.
The winds were howling today and precluded us from doing any casting. We ended up touring the island by taxi. We had hoped to take a ferry from one end to the other but the winds were so strong the ferry stopped running. We toured the old naval yard which has been transformed into shops and tourist attractions. Here we took turns standing in the tip of the Bermuda Triangle. The old building have been retrofitted and one portion is used as a glassblowing workshop. They make stunning pieces there working with colours which are reflective of the local landscape -- crystal clear blues, pale pinks, vibrant greens and deep glossy black.
At lunch we ate a place called Bernard's. I ordered the jerked chicken wrap. It was delicious. They served it with fries and salad. Now that's my kind of place -- catering to both my sensible and impractical sides.
I purchased a book about a woman who moved to the Island "Tea with Tracey". I started reading it but I'm too tired to go on.
Supper was at the same restaurant as the previous evening. I shared a pizza with one of the ladies.
We wrapped up our evening with a candle-light meditation (for lack of a better word) where we had time to reflect. We were asked to share to adjectives friend and family would use to describe us. It was really lovely.
I received a copy of "What a Catch" featuring Kathryn fishing in South Africa.
February 14
Valentine's Day. This damned Bermuda weather. The wind was still blowing this morning and safety reasons kept us from fishing. We kept waiting and waiting for the wind to die. Fortunately it was sunny. We decided to call our group the Gale Girls in honor of the weather.
We did have our first lesson this morning. After breakfast we returned to the hotel where Kathryn went over the basics -- the difference between fly fishing and spin casting. She talked about rod weight, line types, reels, leaders, tippet and backing. We then practiced our casting loops with short rods and orange yarn in the breezeway outside the rooms.
Lunch was at the restaurant Rustico -- it is my favorite place yet. I had the salad which was greens with scallops, shirmp, tender pieces of beef and succulent morsels of chicken. This was topped with shredded parmesean and tossed with a champagne vinegrette. I was feeling virtuous after the salad (which was divine) and ordered cheesecake and cappuchino. I'm sure I've gained back the weight I lost before the trip...but for this meal it was worth it.
This afternoon we went to the aquarium and zoo. They have these huge tanks full of fish indigenous to the area. I was like a child in a candy shop...moving from tank to tank I snapped photo after photo knowing only a handful will turn out. It was as close to being underwater with the fish as a person could get without getting wet.
When we finished the wind had dropped from a gale to a brisk breeze and we took out a rod and practiced casting in the driveway of the aquarium while we waited for our taxis. Kathryn tied our wrists to the rod to help each of practice the drop and pick up cast with proper form.
We stopped at Kathryn's home earlier in the day to do some beachcombing and tonight we returned to end our day with a pizza party and watch a documentary she made.
We all recieved hats and lanyards today. I wrapped up my evening by sharing a cup of tea with a couple of the ladies. On my way back to my room I noticed the clouds had cleared off and the sky was studded was stars. Hopefully tomorrow will dawn sunny and calm.
February 15
Our last day on the island. I don't know where the time has disappeared. Today we finally got to practice casting on water. We went back to Kathryn's beach where there is an old saltwater pool. It was still breezy and none of us had enough practice to actually cast with a hook on the line. But that's okay. I'm more interested in getting my form correct than I am at catching fish at this point. I was doing well enough with the basic cast that Kathryn suggested I practice roll casts, false casts and shooting the line. I ended up tucking my rod in my sleeve because I was "breaking" my wrist. It's something I'll have to work on when I return home. Already I feel more confident in my casts. They're more accurate and straight. I can't wait to get home and practice with my own rod.
When we finished casting we hurried to the airport. It was time to leave. I'm tired. We flew to Toronto and then my roomie and I had a lay-over before flying back to Nova Scotia. By the time I got home it was after 11.
I can't begin to express how much I've enjoyed my sojourn. Looking back, it certainly follows the framework of the Hero's Journey. I left my comfort zone, met new mentors, learned a new task and returned home with a new skill I need to learn to understand and practice.
My thanks to those who made the trip possible and blessings on the woman who particpated with me.
