A Room with a View... Team Third Law's Naples BJJ competitors traveled to Key West to celebrate the end of one BJJ year and the beginning of the next year's hard training.
For Team Third Law’s Serious Competitors, New Year’s Day isn’t January 1st… it’s a Monday in June: The day after the black belt finals at the World Championships.
This year, to celebrate the year’s end and all the hard work put in, Team Third Law took a trip to Key West, Florida for a crazy adventure. After doing the White Belt Competition Team Tryouts on Saturday at 3 a.m., and then Women’s class at 10:30 a.m., the group drove across Alligator Alley and down Highway 1 to Key West.
Dinner and margaritas (for everyone but Crystal, of course!) at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville Cafe on Duval Street in Key West.
Team Third Law gets on the Fury Adventure Catamaran at one of Key West's marinas.
Leaving the Key West marina and heading out into the open water...
They walked around town, up and down the famous Duval Street, and after dinner and a drink, they chose their activity for the following day: An All-Inclusive Parasailing, Reef Snorkeling, Swimming, Jet-Skiing Adventure.
So there was no sleeping in for the Third Law competitors — they were up bright and early to head down to the Key West Bight Marina where a Catamaran awaited, ready to take them on their adventure.
After getting their gear, the group boarded the Catamaran and ate their breakfast on board as the crew went over the details of their adventure. The day was to start out with Snorkeling at the Key West Barrier Reef, America’s only living Barrier Reef. Then there would be Parasailing, Jet Skiing and time to play on Water Obstacles including climbing walls, slides and more.
For a time, the boat anchored near a group of Water Obstacles, where the passengers took turns doing the other activities: Jet Skiing, Parasailing and playing on the Water Obstacles.
Joey cannonballs off the inflatable climbing rock... SPLASH!!!
Team Third Law’s first activity was Jet Skiing, and against his better judgment, Master Roberto let Joey drive one… despite his past performance driving vehicles off the road. Joey did donuts, Joe let Crystal drive even though she wasn’t supposed to (being under age 22… random) and Katy held on for dear life as Master Roberto drove.
Parasailing was next for the Naples, Florida BJJ team... Here, Katy, Roberto and Crystal take off. Katy is nervous, Roberto is crazy (and about to go upside down... ) and Crystal is laughing. Of course.
Joey and Joe flash the Team Lloyd Irvin sign midair
Next up, was Parasailing… the most highly anticipated of the day’s many activities.
First up were Joe and Joey, roommates in the Team Third Law fighter house.
They went up super high, got dunked, and Joe turned upside down and kicked Joey in the head… and, on the way down, they showed their Team Lloyd Irvin pride.
Also on the list of adventures for the day was snorkeling around Key West’s Barrier Reef.
Master Roberto, Joey, Joe, Katy and Crystal geared up and dove into the water with the rest of the group, exploring along the surface and watching tons of fish swim in and around the Coral Reef.
The corals themselves were beautiful, growing in all kinds of formations and colors: purple and bright orange and yellow.
Third Law's Joes stand outside Sloppy Joe's in Key West, a haunt of Ernest Heminway and a rum runner called Habana Joe
Then, after playing on the Water Obstacles — Sliding, climbing and even doing BJJ on top of them… it was time to head back into the harbor. Somewhere in between there was all-you-could eat lunch and beer — but the Third Law crew was too busy having fun to eat or drink much.
After the day-long adventure, the team headed back across the Keys and the Alley, and back to Naples late Sunday night. The next day, Monday, it was time to hit the mats again, this time with the 2012 World Championships in mind.
Dunked! Who will come next year on the Team Third Law Serious Competitors Team Retreat? Maybe it'll be you?
