SEA OLYMPICS

It is now Thursday, February 3rd and we are much more than halfway across the Atlantic on schedule for our Sunday arrival in Takoradi, Ghana.

Last night was the kick-off ceremony for the 104th SAS Sea Olympics!!  There were 9 teams made up of over 700 people.  The students had 7 teams representing the seven seas, faculty; staff and kids were called Luna-Sea and we, the life-long learners, were and still are the Mighty Sea Salts.  The ceremony began with the parading in of the teams in loud, raucous, competitive style.  I think all of you could probably hear us.  The first event was the presentation of each teams' banners - both visually and audibly.  We did not place in the top 3 here, but not to despair because we knew we had the the sea chant and our super secret dance to dazzle the judges.  We were surprised to be called to perform second, but we were pumped and ready!!  We began with our song written by 88 yo Betty which ended in a deafening applause and just when all thought we were finished we suddenly (well for old folks) broke into our Michael Jackson routine with six dancers (I, Tom, was one-whew) around 87 yo old Boyd "Michael" Jackson, but wait we finished with a pyramid from six of our Sea Salts with a crescendo cheer from the whole Sea Salt Community!!!  Judges score - 10, 10, 10.  The remainder of the seas were amazing with enough energy to power the ship, but in the end it was SEA SALTS #1!!!!!!

Today, we begin the Olympic events fraught with the need for technical skill, lightning-like speed, and endurance.  They include SAS basketball (like horse), spoon and ping pong ball relay, synchronized swimming (all guys for us 65-87 years old) with Boyd, 87, in his tighty-whities well above his waist and tee shirt tucked in.  By the way our colors are white.  We continue with the highly stressful and strenuous card stacking, crab soccer, 3-legged relay, dress our leader (Linda's event), and the quintessential strength requiring tug of war, our team represented by the mightiest of all - 5 women over 60.  We are the odds on favorite to win the tug of war against those pesky college kids.

Well, I had better start stretching and warming up, it could take hours.  By the way, my legs are completely bruised from all the leg clapping last night, a particularly brutal and barbaric event.

Aye me hearties, let the games begin!!!!!