News

NEWS:

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

SwimPaddles.com News: Swimmer Magazine - The Official Magazine of U.S. Masters Swimming conducted tests of Swim Paddles currently available in the market (May - June 2010). SwimPaddles.com had two of its paddles tested with the following results: Star PaddleThursday, January 21, 2010

Star Paddle

These were a surprise hit. Almost everyone loved them. No one could figure out the strange shape or the purpose of the "wings" on the side, but they felt so good in the water that no one cared. Testers felt the paddles stiff enough for a good workout and a firm catch, but flexible enough to feel the water throughout the stroke. Several testers with prior shoulder issues were pleasantly surprised at the lack of shoulder strain with this paddle. The Star Paddles felt good for all three strokes, allowing testers to feel their catch, get power and lift, and move naturally. Many testers felt that if they could only have one set of paddles, it would be the Star Paddles.

Moon Paddle

Many testers felt that the medium was an excellent size for a paddle, one noting a "perfect hand-to-paddle ratio." Other testers noted that the medium size was easy on the shoulders and allowed the natural hand motions during swimming and streamlining off the wall to occur as though they were not wearing any paddles.

Swim paddle test results used with permission from U.S. Masters Swimming.

"swim bag paddles" Swimmer Magazine May - June 2010: 44-47

Adventurous, Social Open Waters Swimmers in Bermuda

by Steven Munatones

Randy Nutt, the 2008 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year announced the dates of the always wonderful 20th Annual Bermuda Round the Sound Swim.

The Bermuda Round the Sound Swim will be held on October 17th and will include 0.8K, 2K, 4K, 7.25K and 10K races.

Randy says, "Bermuda offers one of the most beautiful destinations in open water swimming and because five different distances are offered, there is an event for everyone. Perfect water temperature averaging 78°F (°C), clear waters in the enclosed and picturesque Harrington Sound, and a crew of volunteers make this an event to put on your calendar."

"But the real reason this event is so popular is because of the swimmers themselves and their traveling companions. Over 200 of the most enthusiastic, adventurous and social open water swimmers come to our event. They all live life to its fullest and enjoy sharing great experiences with one another in the true spirit of the open water swimming community.”

Posted by Steven Munatones at 12:46:00 PM

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Randy Nutt is now on Twitter

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The Melting Pot Restaurant of Coral Springs

presents our 2nd Annual

A Night of Bourbon - America's Native Spirit -US Congress 1964

November 19, 2009 ~ 6:45 PM - 8:00 PM

Celebrate a night of cheese fondue and bourbon tasting with Bernie Lubbers, one of the industries most knowledgeable globetrotting Whiskey Professors.

In an intimate athmosphere you will learn:

-How to read Bourbon and Whiskey labels

-The art of tasting: on the rocks, with a splash of water or "neat"

-The perfect sip: what to look for in great Bourbons and how to buy them

-All things bourbon from grains to glass

$20.00 includes admission, tastings, and our world famous cheese fondue

Limited seating -Reservations Required

call 954-755-6368

The Melting Pot of Coral Springs Florida 10374 W. Sample Rd Coral Springs Florida 33065

June 16, 2009 Coral Springs, FL Dara Torres book signing announced:

Olympic swimming champion Dara Torres will autograph her book "Age is Just a Number" Friday, June 26, 2009 from 6:30 - 8:30 PM.

The Coral Springs Melting Pot Restaurant 10374 West Sample Rd. Coral Springs, Florida 33065 ~ 954-755-6368

June 15, 2009 "The Meltini"

A new cocktail was created by Randy Nutt at The Coral Springs Melting Pot. A refreshing blend of passion fruits with hints of grapefruit 'The Meltini" has been submitted to the Melting Pot Franchise for consideration as one of their core cocktails. Cheers! ***Update November 2009 -The Meltini was selected by The Melting Pot Restaurant franchise as a core beverage nationally!!!

January 5, 2009 - Randy Nutt receives open water honors

(USA Swimming News www.usaswimming.org)

After 5,641 unique online votes were submitted at 10Kswimmer.com, Randy Nutt of the Florida Gold Coast Masters was selected as the 2008 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year and Edith van Dijk of the Netherlands was selected as the 2008 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year.

Twenty-five accomplished individuals from 12 countries, covering all aspects of the open water swimming world, were nominated. Voters were asked to select one individual who embodies the spirit of open water swimming, possesses a sense of adventure, tenacity and perseverance that open water swimmers are known for, and who positively influenced the world of open water swimming in 2008.

Edith van Dijk, a former six-time world open water swimming champion and 2005 Open Water Swimmer of the Year, came out of retirement after giving birth to a daughter to finish 14th in the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim. She closed out her remarkable career with three fourth-place finishes at the 2008 European Open Water Swimming Championships in the 5K, 10K and 25K.

Randy Nutt, a creator of boutique open water swims throughout the Caribbean through Aqua Moon Adventures, won both the World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year award and the U.S. Masters Swimming Dorothy Donnelly Service Award for his long-time volunteer activities in open water swimming. Over the years, Randy has directed the popular Swim Around Key West, the St. Croix Coral Reef Swim, the Bonaire EcoSwim and the Bermuda Around the Sound Swim.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Randy Nutt, World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year

by Steve Munatones www.10kswimmer.com

Thank you very much for voting in the 2008 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year and the World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year poll. Your participation was greatly appreciated.

The purpose of the poll was to recognize all the nominees who, in turn, represent all that is good with open water swimming and its enthusiasts.

The nominees from 11 countries (America, Australia, Bulgaria, Chile, China, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, Russia, South Africa and the U.K.) ranged from world-class teenage swimmers to administrators who have guided the sport for decades.

The 2008 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year is Randy Nutt who outpolled an extremely accomplished field. Based on his decades in masters swimming, volunteering for a number of positions and organizing boutique swims in the Caribbean, Randy received consistent support throughout the public voting, leading from nearly start to finish.

The parallels between Randy and the poll’s second-place finisher, Maarten van der Weijden of the Netherlands are striking. Similar to Maarten’s victory in the Olympic 10K Marathon Swim in Beijing, Randy’s victory was a result of many years in the sport. Very importantly, both Randy and Maarten have always lent a hand, sharing a passion and supporting others, on their way to victory. Their willingness to smile under stress and spend time with others are what makes them stand-out as victors – and representative of all that is good and impressive with this year’s World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year nominees.

Congratulations, Randy. We commend you for your passion and thank you for your efforts to host the unique and popular Bermuda Round the Sound Swim and Bonaire EcoSwim.

Adventuring in Open Water with a Nutt

November 26, 2008 as posted on 10kswimmer..com

Randy Nutt , founder of Aqua Moon Adventures , is currently leading in the 2008 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year poll.

How is the founder of a boutique event company picking up more votes than well-known open water swimmers like Petar Stoychev, the English Channel record holder and winner of 8 consecutive FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix , or Maarten van der Weijden , the Olympic 10K champion?

Perhaps the reason is rooted in the fact that Randy has spent decades toiling in the nitty-gritty of the sport in a variety of roles as athlete, coach, administrator, paddler and race director? Perhaps the reason is because he has built long-lasting friendships with his Aqua Moon Adventures event participants? Perhaps it is because, year after year, Randy continues to secure beautiful locations throughout the Caribbean Sea to organize unique events that appeal to everyone from newcomers to Olympic swimmers?

Randy has forged partnerships with local government agencies, safety personnel and volunteer groups to stage his innovative events that have drawn competitors from all 50 U.S. states and from dozens of countries around the world.

As Randy humbly says, " I assume the support [I am receiving for the World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year] is from the friendships I have made over the years, primarily in United States Masters Swimming . USMS is a leader in the field of exciting open water events and I have been very fortunate to have met and continue to meet enthusiastic adventurers like myself. The polls reflect the people around me as much as they do me ."

Randy and his enthusiastic teams of volunteers from Bermuda to Bonaire have continued to dream up and implement fresh ideas to the benefit of the sport. " Aqua Moon Adventures is a boutique event company made up of volunteers who like to hold a thrilling event while giving back to the open water swimming community ."

Open Water Recognition for Four U.S. Masters Swimmers

(11/21/08 United States Masters Swimming as published on www.USMS.org )

I'm sure most of you thought the election was over, but the voting has just begun. Four U.S. Masters swimmers are up for awards granted by www.10KSwimmer.com: Open Water Man of the Year and Open Water Woman of the Year. Representing U.S. Masters Swimming, Randy Nutt, Bob Placak, Alex Kostich, and Marcia Cleveland are among others in the poll and need your support.

Open water swimming, as we learned with Monday's feature, is an event for all swimmers. Swimmers, competitive and fitness alike, embrace the sense of freedom that open water swimming provides. Swimmers test themselves in distance events, destination swims and other challenges in the open water. Open water swimming continues to gain popularity among swimmers around the world and U.S. Masters Swimming is committed to contribute to its growth by sanctioning events throughout the United States.

Ashley Gangloff, a U.S. Masters Swimming staff member, interviewed Randy about his passion for the open water and his www.10KSwimmer.com recognition.

Ashley: How long have you been swimming in open water events?

Randy: My high school held a swim-a-thon off Fort Lauderdale Beach in the 70's and about that time I started swimming in Fort Lauderdale's Galt Ocean Mile Swim -now called the Fort Lauderdale Rough Water. In college our Coach, Bob Saunders (Marshall University), took our team to Brazil to teach kids to swim. I fell in love with travel, adventure and open water swimming there.

Ashley: What was your first open water experience?

Randy: Jones Beach body surfing as a kid, holding my younger brother and sister up above the surf. Then growing up along Fort Lauderdale's beach offered lots of early open water experiences.

Ashley: What is your most memorable open water experience?

Randy: I received a phone call from Sharon Luka who said she had tried and tried to enter several open water swims but was always told no she was not allowed - because she was blind. A friend of hers told her to call me because at that time I was directing the 12-mile Swim Around Key West . She asked if I would let her in. I said "Absolutely" right away, and "Not only can you enter but I'll help assemble the crew to help you." She could not believe that I let her enter and that she had an event to swim in. The end of that story is she swam 12 miles around Key West and we named an award after her -the Sharon Luka Spirit Award. All she needed was someone to believe in her -and give her a chance. All my open water experiences are memorable when I can help someone accomplish a goal of theirs.

Ashley: What does the recognition from www.10KSwimmer.com mean to you?

Randy: I am humbled. It is nice to see those mentioned and notice that they give so much back to the sport of open water swimming, making it better for everyone. Not only are there gold medalists mentioned, but many serve behind the scenes working thousands of hours to make it possible for everyone to enjoy open water.

Ashley: Why do you think there is so much growth in open water swimming?

Randy: The adventure, the excitement, the friendships and the people. I can step off a plane and meet an open water swimmer for the first time and before we are at the hotel we are friends. These friendships carry on year after year, island to island, event to event. My volunteers and I work as hard as we can to make each event as much fun for the participants - in and out of the water - as we can. It reminds me of my favorite band, Led Zeppelin. They wanted to have a party and give others a fun experience. They worked hard and played hard, and when they did that they had fun too! Life is an adventure!

Ashley: What are your swimming goals for the future?

Randy: Next year's Bermuda Round the Sound Swim in October (10/18/09) will be a blast - with a distance for everyone. The Bermuda swim is a charity event and over $300,000 has been raised so far. So I'll keep on giving back to the sport, trying to make others smile, all while living life to its fullest.

Like all U.S. Masters swimmers, Randy continues to set goals for himself. To find out more about U.S. Masters Swimming open water events visit http://www.usms.org

2008 World Open Water Swimming Man & Woman of the Year 11/13/08

10KSwim.com will select the 2008 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year and the 2008 World Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year on January 1, 2009. This award will be based on the public poll posted at 10KSwimmer.com.

These awards are not necessarily for the best athletes, but are meant to honor the man and woman who (1) best embody the spirit of open water swimming, (2) possess the sense of adventure, tenacity and perseverance that open water swimmers are known for, and (3) have most positively influenced the world of open water swimming in 2008.

The top vote-getters in each region will also be honored as the 2008 Asia/Oceania Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year, the 2008 European Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year and the 2008 Americas Open Water Swimming Woman of the Year.

While the nominees have enjoyed long remarkable careers in the sport of open water swimming as athletes, coaches, promoters, writers, directors and/or administrators, please vote your choice based on their achievements during 2008.

The 14 male nominees include:

1. Dmitrij Belov (Russia), National Team Coach

2. Emilio Casanueva (USA/Chile), Sanctioning Body President

3. Sid Cassidy (USA), Chairman and Global Administrator

4. David Davies (UK), Cross-over Olympian

5. Sam Greetham, (Britain) LEN Open Water Committee Secretary and Director of British Swimming

6. Chad Ho (South Africa), Tough Teenager

7. Alex Kostich (USA), Master Extraordinaire

8. Thomas Lurz (Germany), Professional Swimmer

9. Randy Nutt (USA), Coach, Promoter and Race Director

10. Bob Placak (USA), Generous Visionary and Promoter

11. Scott Rice (New Zealand), Open Water Branding Expert

12. Petar Stoychev (Bulgaria), Record Holder

13. Douglas Woodring (Hong Kong), Race Innovator

14. Maarten van der Weijden (Netherlands), Olympic Champion

The 11 female nominees include:

1. Marcia Cleveland (USA), Administrator, Promoter and Coach

2. Natalie du Toit (South Africa), Inspirational Athlete and Spokeswoman

3. Jennifer Figge (USA), Atlantic Ocean Adventurer

4. Larisa Ilchenko (Russia), Olympic Champion

5. Britta Kamrau (Germany), Professional Swimmer

6. Angela Maurer (Germany), Professional Swimmer and Mother

7. Sandy Neilson-Bell (USA), Race Director and Promoter

8. Penny Palfrey (Australia), Marathon Swimming Adventurer

9. Shelley Taylor-Smith (Australia), Passionate Promoter and Global Administrator

10. Edith van Dijk (Netherlands), Open Water Swimming Legend

11. Zhang Liang (China), Beijing Olympic Volunteer Extraordinaire

Voting at www.10Kswimmer.com closes on December 31, 2008.

11/13/08 10kSwimmer.com

Bio of Randy Nutt (USA), Coach, Promoter and Race Director:

Randy brings passion and excitement to the sport, year in and year out with 2008 being no different. The Bermuda Round the Sound swim and his Bonaire EcoSwim in the Netherlands Antilles attract hundreds of people from around the world to the incredibly scenic waters. The joy experienced by first-time participants at these races results in many newcomers becoming open water swimming aficionados, ranging from young top-notch age-group pool swimmers to adult fitness athletes. Randy provides the widest range of distances in the open water swimming world, from 0.8K to 10K, including relays. He also conducted a National Geographic shark expedition to test out shark pods and shark repellent that attracted interest for obvious reasons. He continues to serve on the US Masters Swimming Open Water & Long Distance Committee and the other races that he organized and built (Swim Around Key West and the St. Croix Coral Reef Open Water Swim) continue to prosper. Randy conducts educational pre-race clinics and provides unsung personal advice constantly handed out throughout the year via email and telephone to people of all ages and abilities, resulting in two of the world’s most scenic and enjoyable open water swimming experiences.

TESTIMONIALS from the 2007 Bonaire EcoSwim:

This was my first Bonaire Eco Swim, and what a fantastic experience! From meeting new and friendly people to swimming in truly tropical, warm water with colorful fish and turtles, I can't imagine a better time! It was very much worth the long haul there, and I'll be back next year, for sure! A big thank you to the organizers and volunteers who made it such a huge success. Everyone was friendly and fun!! Hope to learn some Latin dance moves from the Venezuelans next year! See you in 2008!

-Christine Tait (2007 3K Winner) Anchorage , Alaska

My husband (a non-swimmer) and I used the Bonaire EcoSwim as an excuse for a vacation, and we were not disappointed. We had a fabulous time exploring the pristine waters of Bonaire, taking advantage of one of the top-ranked scuba destinations in the world. It was my first open water race in salt water, and I was thrilled with the visibility. I saw a couple of turtles, an eagle ray, a barracuda, and countless other beautiful fish -- during the race! Randy and his crew organize a wonderful event, and we can't wait to go again next year.

-Kristi Lee (2007 5K Overall Winner) Sawtooth Masters Swim Team, Boise, ID

As long as you have a love for coral reef and tropical fish, I highly recommend the Bonaire Ecoswim for beginner and experienced open water swimmers, family and singles. My husband and I belong to the Ohio Master Swim but we are “pool swimmers”. To complicate things, we have two young children 6 and 9 years old. Our friends at the OM who had participated in the Ecoswim multiple times recommended that we go. It turned out to be a fabulous idea.

-Diana Pi MD Ohio Masters

Tampa Bay 24 Mile Marathon Swim ~ Earth Day, April 21, 2007

Jimmy Welborn wins the 24 Mile Tampa Bay Swimming Marathon. (Kayak support Randy Nutt)

Aqua Moon Adventures - Event Testimonials:

"Swimming the shores of Bonaire is the most spectacular swimming I have ever done in my 40 years of swimming! This event is open water swimming at its finest. Spectacular snorkeling, fabulous people and great organization! Don't miss it in 2006!"
Sue Welker, Illinois
Head Coach Naperville Waves Swim Club

"Just wanted to say thanks again for a great swim! Bonaire is great, whether you are swimming on top of the water, or diving below the surface. And I met so many wonderful people - swimmers are always the most fun! Still thinking about next year!"
Diana Corbin, Maryland

"The Bonaire 5K swim was by far the most enjoyable and beautiful swim race that I have had the opportunity to compete in. The race coordination, administration and support during the race was excellent. In addition the 5k course was along the beautiful coral encrusted shoreline that created a backdrop for amazing fish sightings; I saw a spotted ray eel, sea turtle and a ship wreck during the swim! The Caribbean water is soooo blue and incredibly clear that you really have to experience it for yourself to appreciate it. No postcard could ever do this water and location justice. I am looking forward to the challenge and new undersea adventures waiting for me to discover during the next Bonaire Eco Swim!"
Carol Carr, Nashville, TN
Westside Swim Coach -'80 & '84 Olympic Swimmer

"Athletes who have participated in Randy Nutt's Bonaire Eco-Swim now agree with divers across the world that Bonaire is an aquatic paradise. While swimming in the waters of Bonaire, it is hard to take the time to turn your head for a breath, the reefs & fish below are mesmerizing. I won't miss this event next year!"
Ralph "LaneLine" MacIntyre
Atlanta, GA

"Randy and his gang put together yet another wonderful swim for all of us who decide swimming a 10K (or a 5K or a mile) at a glorious, tropical island is the way to go. It was an adventure that warms your heart and strengthens your soul. I'll be back next year for sure."
Gretchen Van De Carr
Durham, NC

"The Bonaire Open Water Swim is a wonderful opportunity to swim one's choice in distances in a truly beautiful setting. Besides this, the island offers a great chance to get away from the world as we know it and really relax and enjoy the water, the people, the fish and the assortment of restaurants. Highly recommended!!"
Russ Frazier, Tampa
Coach SunCoast Y Swimfit

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Industry News: SwimPaddles.com debuts on the World Wide Web. November 1st 2004

Swim Paddles.com is an equipment manufacturing and distribution division of Aqua Moon Adventures. We are committed to bringing you the highest quality technical hand and swimming paddles. They can help you improve technique, build strength, increase conditioning and swim faster, all while having fun in the water! In addition we will carry other products we deem exciting and worthwhile for those with an active lifestyle. Check us out: www.swimpaddles.com

Event director brings exotic fun to the world of open-water swimming
By Alex Kostich
Active.com 2001

If Randy Nutt has his way, open-water swimming will cease being relegated to the summer months and become a year-round sport.
Nutt, whose surname befits his enthusiasm for all things aquatic, is an event organizer and race director for some of the sport's most breathtaking open-water swims, which span from the turquoise waters of the Caribbean to the panoramic sea worlds of the South Pacific.
Rather than hold his events in the swim-friendly months between June and September, Nutt goes out of his way to plan races that fly in the face of convention and take place in October, November, and beyond ... in locations where it never gets cold.

A former collegiate swimmer, Nutt planned his first open-water race back in 1993 around Key West, Fla. What is now known as the Annual Swim Around Key West is largely Nutt's doing. Attracting swimmers from around the country (and a few from around the world), the swim has grown from 35 swimmers in its inaugural year to 400 currently (at which point entries are closed for safety and logistical reasons).
After a career as stockbroker with a grueling schedule that cut down on his time outdoors, Nutt traded in the business suit for a swimsuit and never looked back.

"I have always liked travel, and in college my swim team went to Brazil and taught swimming in the ocean to the locals," he said. "We had such a great time that I went back during summer break for a month and swam in the ocean every day. At that moment I knew I would do something involving travel, adventure, and swimming."

And swimming is only a small part of Nutt's popular events. The Swim Around Key West is a 13-mile adventure charting a full 360-degree circle around the southernmost tip of the United States. The course is full of evolving and unpredictable conditions - at times warm, cool, current-prone, deep, and even shallow enough to the point of forcing swimmers to crawl through boggy sandbars. And yes, there's also the occasional (benign) shark sighting.

The annual five-mile Coral Reef Swim in St. Croix is another event growing in size and prestige thanks to Nutt's founding efforts. Although a bit more novice-friendly than the Swim Around Key West, the Coral Reef Swim offers spectacular underwater views of a tropical channel linking the marine preserve Buck Island to the picturesque shores of the Buccaneer resort (St. Croix's oldest and most luxurious hotel).

While casual swimmers may shudder to think of the physical demands required to complete such events, not to mention the cash required to compete in them, Nutt has thought of ways to make such experiences physically and fiscally nonpartisan. Working closely with local tourism boards, resort owners, and airlines, he's created all-in-one travel packages that appeal to the athlete rather than the corporate executive who has money to burn.

As far as completing those waterlogged five to 13 miles, there are three- and six-member relay team divisions as well as a fin division. Whatever floats your boat - the important thing is that you finish and have a great time.

"A big, big motivation for me is creating something people can use as a goal and then helping them achieve their goal," Nutt says.
"I remember getting a call from Sharon Luka, a blind swimmer who asked if I would let her enter the Key West race. She had been turned down by several event directors for other events and when I said sure, she was thrilled. Well, she did the swim in under eight hours, and I'll never forget her smile and hug after finishing something that so many people said she could not do."

Nutt also puts his money where his mouth is; proceeds from his events are donated to local charities and programs. The Swim Around Key West raises funds for a local high school swim team, and it has been such a successful program that Nutt is turning it over to another Aquatics Director so that he can devote more attention on developing newer races with a cause. The upcoming inaugural Bonaire EcoSwim (Nov. 30) will raise money and awareness for an organization for marine preservation.

Bonaire, a small island in the Dutch Caribbean, came about after Bonhata, its Hotel and Tourism Association, contacted Nutt and asked if he could help put on an event there. The popularity of the neighboring St. Croix event had island tongues wagging, and locals wanted to be in on the fund-raising fun.

"Fun" is the operative word here, in case you haven't gathered that by now.

"Being a swimmer and open-water competitor, you really gain an appreciation for what a swimmer might like in an event," Nutt explains.
"I keep that in mind when I plan these things, and really just try to cover expenses and put on a great race. The Bonaire EcoSwim came about because I wanted to have a positive impact on our environment while incorporating an open-water swim with beautiful locations. Bringing swimmers to these areas harbors an appreciation for conservation in those areas."

Fun also comes in the way Nutt and his staff present each event. A group of volunteers is put to work arranging pre-race meals, post-race leisure-time activities, and clinics. One of the volunteers, John Ceraolo, has worked with Nutt for years, honing a stand-up comedy routine with humorous pre-race pep talks about the swim courses and event rules. He is also one of the only volunteers who completes trial runs of future race courses. The day before this year's St. Croix event, Ceraolo completed the five-mile course not once, but twice, and encountered a 9-foot shark that he wisely avoided mentioning in that night's pre-race talk.

With a proven track record of several successful events and a growing list of sponsors that includes American Airlines and The Victor Swimwear, Nutt has founded an event-planning company called Aquamoon Adventures (www.aquamoonadventures.com or randynutt.com). Swimmers interested in learning more about upcoming Adventures can sign up to be on the site's mailing list, although you can register online at Active.com for the inaugural Bonaire event (entry slots for that fantastic voyage are still available as of press time).

Indeed, Nutt has had some adventures of his own while planning and participating in his events. In Bimini one year he was supporting Florida's open-water legend Gail Rice on a groundbreaking long-distance swim. Signing his name to and shepherding the 110-foot yacht that escorted Gail on her challenge, Nutt read in news reports shortly after the trip that boats such as his recently had been targeted by drug-smuggling, hijacking, murderous pirates ... very likely missing his own crew by only a few nautical miles.

In another instance he tagged along with National Geographic on a Bimini expedition to research shark behavior (and presumably to test the waters for an upcoming race there). Surrounded by more than 30 large sharks without a shark cage, Nutt decided against hosting a swim there (at least not without an enormous insurance policy). To date, there has not been a Bimini swim in his name!

Aquamoon Adventures is just a conduit for Nutt's motto: "Life is precious, and so it should be interesting!"

With St. Croix wrapped up last weekend and Bonaire launching at the end of November, it's time to start thinking about the next "Eat-Your-Heart-Out, Survivor!" excursion. Sure enough, 2002 promises Aquamoon's first Galapagos Islands Ecoswim, as well as a still-under-wraps "Swim With the Whales" expedition - location undisclosed.

At the very least, you know you can expect warm water.

Besides that, expect the unexpected from Randy Nutt.